[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 148 (Wednesday, August 1, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45604-45605]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-18796]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9707-9]


Notification of Two Public Teleconferences of the Science 
Advisory Board; Environmental Economics Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Science Advisory 
Board (SAB) Staff Office announces two public teleconferences of the 
SAB Environmental Economics Advisory Committee to discuss its draft 
review of EPA's White Paper ``Retrospective Study of the Costs of EPA 
Regulations: An Interim Report'' (March 2012 draft).

DATES: The public teleconferences will be held on Friday, September 7, 
2012 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) and Friday, 
November 2, 2012 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time).

ADDRESSES: The teleconferences will be conducted by telephone only.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public who wants 
further information concerning the meeting may contact Dr. Holly 
Stallworth, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), EPA Science Advisory 
Board (1400R), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1300 Pennsylvania 
Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460; via telephone/voice mail (202) 564-
2073; fax (202) 565-2098; or email at [email protected]. General 
information concerning the SAB can be found on the SAB Web site at 
http://www.epa.gov/sab.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 
as amended, 5 U.S.C., App., notice is hereby given that the SAB 
Environmental Economics Advisory Committee (EEAC) will hold public 
teleconference to discuss its draft report reviewing the EPA report 
``Retrospective Study of the Costs of EPA Regulations: An Interim 
Report'' (March 2012 draft). The SAB was established pursuant to 42 
U.S.C. 4365 to provide independent scientific and technical advice to 
the Administrator on the technical basis for Agency positions and 
regulations. The SAB is a Federal Advisory Committee chartered under 
FACA. The SAB will comply with the provisions of FACA and all 
appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural policies.
    EPA's white paper ``Retrospective Study of the Costs of EPA 
Regulations: An Interim Report'' (March 2012 draft) summarizes EPA's 
initial findings from a small number of pilot case studies that attempt 
to evaluate the costs of EPA's regulations after they were implemented 
(ex post). To improve future benefit-cost analyses, EPA is seeking to 
compare its predictions of costs (ex ante costs) with actual (ex post) 
costs and, if they differ substantially, to understand why. EPA has 
requested the SAB's review of its approach to assessing ex post costs 
as detailed in its draft paper. Additional background on this SAB EEAC 
review and announcement of two previous teleconferences is provided in 
77 FR 17475-17476. The most current SAB EEAC draft report will be 
posted on the SAB Web site prior to each teleconference. These draft 
reports, meeting agendas and any other meeting materials may be found 
at http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/fedrgstr_activites/Retrospective%20Cost%20Study?OpenDocument.
    Technical Contacts: Any questions concerning EPA's White Paper 
should be directed to Dr. Nathalie Simon, NCEE at (202) 566-2347 or 
[email protected].

[[Page 45605]]

    Availability of Meeting Materials: A meeting agenda, charge 
questions, and other materials for the teleconferences will be placed 
on the SAB Web site at www.epa.gov/sab.
    Procedures for Providing Public Input: Public comment for 
consideration by EPA's federal advisory committees and panels has a 
different purpose from public comment provided to EPA program offices. 
Therefore, the process for submitting comments to a federal advisory 
committee is different from the process used to submit comments to an 
EPA program office. Federal advisory committees and panels, including 
scientific advisory committees, provide independent advice to EPA. 
Members of the public can submit relevant comments pertaining to the 
group conducting this advisory activity, EPA's charge, or meeting 
materials. Input from the public to the SAB will have the most impact 
if it consists of comments that provide specific scientific or 
technical information or analysis for the SAB to consider. Members of 
the public wishing to provide comment should contact the Designated 
Federal Officer for the relevant advisory committee directly.
    Oral Statements: In general, individuals or groups requesting an 
oral presentation at a public teleconference will be limited to five 
minutes per speaker. To be placed on the public speaker list for the 
September 7, 2012 meeting, interested parties should notify Dr. Holly 
Stallworth, DFO, by email no later than August 31, 2012. To be placed 
on the public speaker list for the November 2, 2012 teleconference, 
interested parties should notify Dr. Holly Stallworth by October 26, 
2012.
    Written Statements: Written statements for these teleconferences 
should be received in the SAB Staff Office by the same deadlines given 
above for requesting oral comments. Written statements should be 
supplied to the DFO via email (acceptable file format: Adobe Acrobat 
PDF, MS Word, WordPerfect, MS PowerPoint, or Rich Text files in IBM-PC/
Windows 98/2000/XP format).
    Accessibility: For information on access or services for 
individuals with disabilities, please contact Dr. Stallworth at the 
phone number or email address noted above, preferably at least ten days 
prior to the meeting, to give EPA as much time as possible to process 
your request.

    Dated: July 23, 2012.
Thomas H. Brennan,
Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2012-18796 Filed 7-31-12; 8:45 am]
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