[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 113 (Thursday, June 12, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 33750]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-13740]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[9912-13-ORD; Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2013-0357]


Workshop To Obtain Input on Draft Materials for the Integrated 
Science Assessment (ISA) for Sulfur Oxides (SOX): Health Criteria

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of Workshop.

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SUMMARY: As part of the review of the air quality criteria for sulfur 
oxides (SOX) and primary (health-based) National Ambient Air 
Quality Standards (NAAQS) for sulfur dioxide (SO2), the 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a teleconference 
workshop to evaluate preliminary draft materials that will inform the 
development of the SOX Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) 
for health effects. The workshop is being organized by EPA's National 
Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within the Office of 
Research and Development and will be held on June 23-24, 2014. 
Participation in the workshop will be by webinar or teleconference 
only.

DATES: The workshop will be held on June 23-24, 2014, beginning at 1:00 
p.m. and ending at 4:00 p.m. each day.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding information, 
registration, and logistics for the workshop should be directed to Ms. 
Whitney Kihlstrom, ICF International; telephone: 919-293-1646; 
facsimile: 919-293-1645; or email: [email protected]. 
Questions regarding the scientific and technical aspects of the 
workshop should be directed to Dr. Tom Long; telephone: 919-541-1880; 
facsimile: 919-541-1818; or email: [email protected] or Dr. Lisa 
Vinikoor-Imler; telephone: 919-541-2931; facsimile: 919-541-1818; or 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Summary of Information About the Workshop

    Section 109(d) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) requires the U.S. EPA to 
conduct periodic reviews of the air quality criteria for each air 
pollutant listed under section 108 of the Act. Based on such reviews, 
EPA is to retain or revise the NAAQS for a given pollutant as 
appropriate. As part of these reviews, NCEA assesses newly available 
scientific information and develops ISA documents (formerly known as 
Air Quality Criteria Documents) that provide the scientific basis for 
the reviews of the NAAQS.
    NCEA is holding this teleconference workshop to inform the Agency's 
evaluation of the scientific evidence for the review of the primary 
NAAQS for SO2. Section 109(b)(1) of the CAA defines primary 
NAAQS as standards, ``the attainment and maintenance of which in the 
judgment of the Administrator, based on such criteria and allowing an 
adequate margin of safety, are requisite to protect the public 
health.'' EPA intends to develop a separate ISA, and NAAQS review, for 
the secondary (welfare-based) NAAQS for SOX, in conjunction 
with a review of the secondary NAAQS for oxides of nitrogen. The 
purpose of the workshop is to obtain peer input on the scientific 
content of preliminary draft materials that will inform the development 
of the draft health effects ISA. Workshop participants will review and 
discuss preliminary draft materials on the atmospheric chemistry of and 
human exposure to SOX as well as health effects evidence 
from in vivo and in vitro animal toxicology, controlled human exposure, 
and epidemiology studies. In addition, panel discussions will help 
identify key studies or concepts within each discipline to assist EPA 
in integrating relevant literature within and across disciplines. These 
preliminary materials are not being released to the general public 
before the workshop but will be used during the teleconference to guide 
workshop discussions and inform the development of the draft health 
effects ISA. This workshop is planned to help ensure that the ISA, once 
developed, is up-to-date and focuses on the key evidence to inform the 
scientific understanding for the review of the primary NAAQS for 
SO2. EPA is planning to release the first external review 
draft health effects ISA for SOX for review by the Clean Air 
Scientific Advisory Committee and the public in December 2014.

II. Workshop Information

    Members of the public may attend the teleconference as observers. 
Space in the teleconference or webinar may be limited, and reservations 
will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration for 
the workshop is available online at https://sites.google.com/site/soxpeerinputwebinar/. The workshop agenda and additional information 
will be available through the NCEA Web site at http://www.epa.gov/ncea 
or by contacting one of the individuals listed in the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice.

    Dated: June 5, 2014.
James Gallahan,
Acting Deputy Director, National Center for, Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. 2014-13740 Filed 6-11-14; 8:45 am]
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