[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 181 (Wednesday, September 22, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52673-52674]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-20439]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-8984-01-OA]


Notification of Public Meetings of the Clean Air Scientific 
Advisory Committee Particulate Matter Panel

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office announces 
two public meetings of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee 
(CASAC) Particulate Matter (PM) Panel. A public meeting will be held 
for the CASAC PM Panel to receive a briefing from EPA on updates to the 
science assessment and updates to the policy assessment that support 
the agency's reconsideration of the 2020 PM National Ambient Air 
Quality Standards (NAAQS). A second public meeting will be held for the 
panel to peer review the agency's science assessment updates and policy 
assessment updates.

DATES: The public meeting for the panel to receive the briefing from 
EPA will be held on October 14, 2021, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. The public 
meeting for the panel to peer review the documents will be held on 
Wednesday, November 17, 2021, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.; Thursday, 
November 18, 2021, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.; Friday, November 19, 2021, 
from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.; Wednesday, December 1, 2021, from 1:00 to 5:00 
p.m.; and Thursday, December 2, 2021, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. All times 
listed are in Eastern Time.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be conducted virtually. Please refer to 
the CASAC website at https://casac.epa.gov for details on how to access 
the meeting.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public wishing 
further information regarding this notice may contact Mr. Aaron Yeow, 
Designated Federal Officer (DFO), SAB Staff Office, by telephone at 
(202) 564-2050 or via email at [email protected]. General information 
concerning the CASAC, as well as any updates concerning the meetings 
announced in this notice can be found on the CASAC website: https://casac.epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background: The CASAC was established pursuant to the Clean Air Act 
(CAA) Amendments of 1977, codified at 42 U.S.C. 7409(d)(2), to review 
air quality criteria and NAAQS and recommend to the EPA Administrator 
any new NAAQS and revisions of existing criteria and NAAQS as may be 
appropriate. The

[[Page 52674]]

CASAC shall also: Advise the EPA Administrator of areas in which 
additional knowledge is required to appraise the adequacy and basis of 
existing, new, or revised NAAQS; describe the research efforts 
necessary to provide the required information; advise the EPA 
Administrator on the relative contribution to air pollution 
concentrations of natural as well as anthropogenic activity; and advise 
the EPA Administrator of any adverse public health, welfare, social, 
economic, or energy effects which may result from various strategies 
for attainment and maintenance of such NAAQS. As amended, 5 U.S.C., 
App. Section 109(d)(1) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) requires that EPA 
carry out a periodic review and revision, as appropriate, of the air 
quality criteria and the NAAQS for the six ``criteria'' air pollutants, 
including PM.
    The CASAC is a Federal Advisory Committee chartered under the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C., App. 2, and conducts 
business in accordance with FACA and related regulations. The CASAC and 
the CASAC PM Panel will comply with the provisions of FACA and all 
appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural policies. Pursuant to FACA and 
EPA policy, notice is hereby given that the CASAC PM Panel will hold a 
public meeting to receive a briefing from EPA on updates to the science 
assessment and updates to the policy assessment that support the 
agency's reconsideration of the 2020 PM NAAQS and a public meeting for 
the panel to peer review the agency's science assessment updates and 
policy assessment updates.
    Technical Contacts: Any technical questions concerning EPA's 
updates to the PM science assessment should be directed to Mr. Jason 
Sacks ([email protected]). Any technical questions concerning EPA's 
updates to the PM policy assessment should be directed to Dr. Lars 
Perlmutt ([email protected]).
    Availability of Meeting Materials: Prior to the meeting, the review 
documents, agenda and other materials will be accessible on the CASAC 
website: https://casac.epa.gov.
    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 on the topic of this 
advisory activity, including the charge to the CASAC and the EPA review 
documents, and/or the group conducting the activity, for the CASAC to 
consider as it develops advice for EPA. Input from the public to the 
CASAC will have the most impact if it provides specific scientific or 
technical information or analysis for CASAC to consider or if it 
relates to the clarity or accuracy of the technical information. 
Members of the public wishing to provide comment should follow the 
instructions below to submit comments.
    Oral Statements: Individuals or groups requesting an oral 
presentation during the public meeting will be limited to three 
minutes. Each person making an oral statement should consider providing 
written comments as well as their oral statement so that the points 
presented orally can be expanded upon in writing. Interested parties 
should contact Mr. Aaron Yeow, DFO, in writing (preferably via email) 
at the contact information noted above by November 10, 2021, to be 
placed on the list of public speakers.
    Written Statements: Written statements will be accepted throughout 
the advisory process; however, for timely consideration by CASAC 
members, statements should be supplied to the DFO (preferably via 
email) at the contact information noted above by November 10, 2021. It 
is the SAB Staff Office general policy to post written comments on the 
web page for the advisory meeting or teleconference. Submitters are 
requested to provide an unsigned version of each document because the 
SAB Staff Office does not publish documents with signatures on its 
websites. Members of the public should be aware that their personal 
contact information, if included in any written comments, may be posted 
to the CASAC website. Copyrighted material will not be posted without 
explicit permission of the copyright holder.
    Accessibility: For information on access or services for 
individuals with disabilities, please contact Mr. Aaron Yeow at (202) 
564-2050 or [email protected]. To request accommodation of a 
disability, please contact the DFO, at the contact information noted 
above, preferably at least ten days prior to each meeting, to give EPA 
as much time as possible to process your request.

V Khanna Johnston,
Deputy Director, Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2021-20439 Filed 9-21-21; 8:45 am]
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