A Screening Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Climate Change on the Costs of Implementing Water Quality-Based Effluent Limits at Publicly Owned Treatment Works in the Great Lakes Region, 14807-14808 [E7-5798]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 60 / Thursday, March 29, 2007 / Notices Federal agencies will serve as technical advisors, and will provide background information and technical support to the stakeholder panel as needed. Composition of the stakeholder panel may vary somewhat by meeting, depending on which topics will be discussed. This notice is not a solicitation for stakeholder panel participants. EPA anticipates that the stakeholder panel will meet on several occasions over a 6–month period. The meetings will be open to the public, with opportunities for the public to make oral comments to the stakeholder panel. EPA will ask the stakeholder panel to consider two questions: 1. How should the various nonFederal stocks of commodity-grade mercury be managed both in the short term and the long term? 2. How do current and future supply and demand affect this determination for each of the various stocks? For more information, see the EPA background paper, entitled Options for Managing U.S. Non-Federal Supplies of Commodity-Grade Mercury. To access the background paper, see ADDRESSES. jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES III. Issues for Public Comment EPA invites the public to send written comments on the same two questions addressed to the stakeholder panel: 1. How should the various nonFederal stocks of commodity-grade mercury be managed both in the short term and the long term? 2. How do current and future supply and demand affect this determination for each of the various stocks? EPA advises commenters to use the background paper as they prepare comments. The background paper is entitled Options for Managing U.S. NonFederal Supplies of Commodity-Grade Mercury. To access the background paper, see ADDRESSES. IV. How Can I Request to Participate in the Meeting? Persons interested in attending the public meeting are encouraged to preregister and state whether they intend to make an oral comment. Pre-registration assists in planning adequate seating and in securing access to the building. Oral comments should address the two questions in the charge to the stakeholder panel which are found in Unit II. To pre-register, provide your name, organization, telephone number, and the docket ID number EPA–HQ– OPPT–2007–0148 to the technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Pre-registration requests must be received on or before April 12, 2007. Do not submit any VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:20 Mar 28, 2007 Jkt 211001 information in your pre-registration that is considered CBI. Oral comments will be scheduled in the order the requests are received by EPA. EPA may need to limit the length of oral comments to allow for participation by all parties. EPA requests that oral comments be included in the docket. Please follow the instructions under ADDRESSES. 14807 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of public comment period. should be in writing and must be received by EPA by April 28, 2007. ADDRESSES: The draft ‘‘A Screening Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Climate Change on the Costs of Implementing Water Quality-Based Effluent Limits at Publicly-Owned Treatment Works in the Great Lakes Region’’ is available primarily via the Internet on NCEA’s home page under the Recent Additions and the Data and Publications menus at https:// www.epa.gov/ncea. A limited number of paper copies are available from NCEA’s Technical Information Staff (telephone: 202–564–3261, facsimile: 202–565– 0050). If you are requesting a paper copy, please provide your name, your mailing address, and the document title. Comments may be submitted electronically via https:// www.regulations.gov, by mail, by facsimile, or by hand delivery/courier. Please follow the detailed instructions provided in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the public comment period, contact the Office of Environmental Information Docket; telephone: 202–566–1752; facsimile: 202–566–1753; or e-mail: ORD.Docket@epa.gov. For technical information, contact Thomas Johnson, NCEA; telephone: 202–564–3406; facsimile: 202–564– 2018; or e-mail: Johnson.thomas@epa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SUMMARY: EPA is announcing a 30-day public comment period for the draft document titled, ‘‘A Screening Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Climate Change on the Costs of Implementing Water Quality-Based Effluent Limits at Publicly-Owned Treatment Works in the Great Lakes Region’’ (EPA/600/R–07/034A). The document was prepared by the National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within EPA’s Office of Research and Development. EPA is releasing this draft document solely for the purpose of predissemination peer review under applicable information quality guidelines. This document has not been formally disseminated by EPA. It does not represent and should not be construed to represent any Agency policy or determination. EPA will consider any public comments submitted in accordance with this notice when revising the document. DATES: The 30-day public comment period begins March 29, 2007, and ends April 28, 2007. Technical comments I. Information About the Project/ Document This report describes the potential scope and magnitude of climate change impacts on the cost of meeting water quality based effluent limits at publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) discharging to rivers and streams in the Great Lakes Region (GLR). The report is a screening level analysis focusing on costs of meeting water quality based effluent limits for a single pollutant, biochemical oxygen demand at all POTWs in the region discharging to currently impaired stream reaches. POTWs discharge billions of gallons of effluent daily to receiving water bodies throughout the United States. One of the principal pollutants associated with POTW effluent is organic matter. Naturally, occurring microbial populations in receiving waters consume dissolved oxygen (DO) as they decompose organic matter. Low DO is a significant source of water quality impairment. Climate change in many parts of the country is expected to increase the proportion of rainfall List of Subjects Environmental protection, Chemicals, Hazardous substances, Mercury. Dated: March 22, 2007. Wendy C. Hamnett, Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances. [FR Doc. E7–5813 Filed 3–28–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–S ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–ORD–2007–0240; FRL–8293–8] A Screening Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Climate Change on the Costs of Implementing Water Quality-Based Effluent Limits at Publicly Owned Treatment Works in the Great Lakes Region AGENCY: PO 00000 Frm 00041 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\29MRN1.SGM 29MRN1 14808 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 60 / Thursday, March 29, 2007 / Notices jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES occurring in high-intensity events, resulting in increased stormwater runoff. At the same time, a shift towards more intense storms is expected to decrease infiltration and groundwater recharge, resulting in reduced low-flow periods between events. Increased air temperatures and evapotranspiration could also result in reduced streamflow between rainfall events. Reduced lowflow events in receiving waters could result in increased water quality impairment below POTWs due to reduced dilution of effluent. II. How To Submit Technical Comments to the Docket at https:// www.regulations.gov Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–ORD–2007– 0240 by one of the following methods: • https://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments. • E-mail: ORD.Docket@epa.gov. • Fax: 202–566–1753. • Mail: Office of Environmental Information (OEI) Docket (Mail Code: 2822T), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. The phone number is 202–566–1752. • Hand Delivery: The OEI Docket is located in the EPA Headquarters Docket Center, EPA West Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is 202–566–1744. Such deliveries are only accepted during the docket’s normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information. If you provide comments by mail or hand delivery, please submit one unbound original with pages numbered consecutively, and three copies of the comments. For attachments, provide an index, number pages consecutively with the comments, and submit an unbound original and three copies. Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–ORD–2007– 0240 Please ensure that your comments are submitted within the specified comment period. Comments received after the closing date will be marked ‘‘late,’’ and may only be considered if time permits. It is EPA’s policy to include all comments it receives in the public docket without change and to make the comments available online at https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided, unless a comment includes information VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:20 Mar 28, 2007 Jkt 211001 claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The https:// www.regulations.gov Web site is an ‘‘anonymous access’’ system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without going through https:// www.regulations.gov, your e-mail address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD–ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA’s public docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at https:// www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm. Docket: Documents in the docket are listed in the https://www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other materials, such as copyrighted material, are publicly available only in hard copy. Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically at https:// www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the OEI Docket in the EPA Headquarters Docket Center. Dated: March 26, 2007. David Bussard, Acting Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment. [FR Doc. E7–5798 Filed 3–28–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P PO 00000 Frm 00042 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–ORD–2007–0241; FRL–8293–6] Draft Toxicological Review of Nitrobenzene (CASRN 98–95–3): In Support of the Summary Information in the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of External Peer-Review Panel Meeting and Public Comment Period. AGENCY: SUMMARY: EPA is announcing that the Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education (ORISE), under an agreement between the Department of Energy and EPA, will convene an independent panel of experts and organize and conduct an external peer-review workshop to review the external review draft document titled, ‘‘Toxicological Review of Nitrobenzene: In Support of Summary Information in the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS).’’ The EPA also is announcing a public comment period for the external review draft document. The public comment period and the external peer-review workshop are separate processes that provide opportunities for all interested parties to comment on the document. In addition to consideration by EPA, all public comments submitted in accordance with this notice will also be forwarded to ORISE for consideration by the external peer-review panel prior to the workshop. EPA is releasing this draft document solely for the purpose of predissemination peer review under applicable information quality guidelines. This document has not been formally disseminated by EPA. It does not represent and should not be construed to represent any Agency policy or determination. ORISE invites the public to register to attend this workshop as observers. In addition, ORISE invites the public to give brief oral comments at the workshop regarding the draft document under review. The draft document and EPA’s peer-review charge are available via the Internet on the National Center for Environmental Assessment’s (NCEA’s) home page under the Recent Additions and the Publications menus at https:// www.epa.gov/ncea. When finalizing the draft document, EPA will consider ORISE’s report of the comments and recommendations from the external peer-review workshop and any public E:\FR\FM\29MRN1.SGM 29MRN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 60 (Thursday, March 29, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14807-14808]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-5798]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2007-0240; FRL-8293-8]


A Screening Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Climate Change 
on the Costs of Implementing Water Quality-Based Effluent Limits at 
Publicly Owned Treatment Works in the Great Lakes Region

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of public comment period.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: EPA is announcing a 30-day public comment period for the draft 
document titled, ``A Screening Assessment of the Potential Impacts of 
Climate Change on the Costs of Implementing Water Quality-Based 
Effluent Limits at Publicly-Owned Treatment Works in the Great Lakes 
Region'' (EPA/600/R-07/034A). The document was prepared by the National 
Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within EPA's Office of 
Research and Development.
    EPA is releasing this draft document solely for the purpose of pre-
dissemination peer review under applicable information quality 
guidelines. This document has not been formally disseminated by EPA. It 
does not represent and should not be construed to represent any Agency 
policy or determination. EPA will consider any public comments 
submitted in accordance with this notice when revising the document.

DATES: The 30-day public comment period begins March 29, 2007, and ends 
April 28, 2007. Technical comments should be in writing and must be 
received by EPA by April 28, 2007.

ADDRESSES: The draft ``A Screening Assessment of the Potential Impacts 
of Climate Change on the Costs of Implementing Water Quality-Based 
Effluent Limits at Publicly-Owned Treatment Works in the Great Lakes 
Region'' is available primarily via the Internet on NCEA's home page 
under the Recent Additions and the Data and Publications menus at 
https://www.epa.gov/ncea. A limited number of paper copies are available 
from NCEA's Technical Information Staff (telephone: 202-564-3261, 
facsimile: 202-565-0050). If you are requesting a paper copy, please 
provide your name, your mailing address, and the document title.
    Comments may be submitted electronically via https://
www.regulations.gov, by mail, by facsimile, or by hand delivery/
courier. Please follow the detailed instructions provided in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the public comment 
period, contact the Office of Environmental Information Docket; 
telephone: 202-566-1752; facsimile: 202-566-1753; or e-mail: 
ORD.Docket@epa.gov.
    For technical information, contact Thomas Johnson, NCEA; telephone: 
202-564-3406; facsimile: 202-564-2018; or e-mail: 
Johnson.thomas@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Information About the Project/Document

    This report describes the potential scope and magnitude of climate 
change impacts on the cost of meeting water quality based effluent 
limits at publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) discharging to rivers 
and streams in the Great Lakes Region (GLR). The report is a screening 
level analysis focusing on costs of meeting water quality based 
effluent limits for a single pollutant, biochemical oxygen demand at 
all POTWs in the region discharging to currently impaired stream 
reaches. POTWs discharge billions of gallons of effluent daily to 
receiving water bodies throughout the United States. One of the 
principal pollutants associated with POTW effluent is organic matter. 
Naturally, occurring microbial populations in receiving waters consume 
dissolved oxygen (DO) as they decompose organic matter. Low DO is a 
significant source of water quality impairment. Climate change in many 
parts of the country is expected to increase the proportion of rainfall

[[Page 14808]]

occurring in high-intensity events, resulting in increased stormwater 
runoff. At the same time, a shift towards more intense storms is 
expected to decrease infiltration and groundwater recharge, resulting 
in reduced low-flow periods between events. Increased air temperatures 
and evapotranspiration could also result in reduced streamflow between 
rainfall events. Reduced low-flow events in receiving waters could 
result in increased water quality impairment below POTWs due to reduced 
dilution of effluent.

II. How To Submit Technical Comments to the Docket at https://
www.regulations.gov

    Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2007-
0240 by one of the following methods:
     https://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line 
instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: ORD.Docket@epa.gov.
     Fax: 202-566-1753.
     Mail: Office of Environmental Information (OEI) Docket 
(Mail Code: 2822T), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. The phone number is 
202-566-1752.
     Hand Delivery: The OEI Docket is located in the EPA 
Headquarters Docket Center, EPA West Building, Room 3334, 1301 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public 
Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Public 
Reading Room is 202-566-1744. Such deliveries are only accepted during 
the docket's normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should 
be made for deliveries of boxed information.
    If you provide comments by mail or hand delivery, please submit one 
unbound original with pages numbered consecutively, and three copies of 
the comments. For attachments, provide an index, number pages 
consecutively with the comments, and submit an unbound original and 
three copies.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-
2007-0240 Please ensure that your comments are submitted within the 
specified comment period. Comments received after the closing date will 
be marked ``late,'' and may only be considered if time permits. It is 
EPA's policy to include all comments it receives in the public docket 
without change and to make the comments available online at https://
www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided, 
unless a comment includes information claimed to be Confidential 
Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is 
restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to 
be CBI or otherwise protected through www.regulations.gov or e-mail. 
The https://www.regulations.gov Web site is an ``anonymous access'' 
system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact 
information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you 
send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without going through https://
www.regulations.gov, your e-mail address will be automatically captured 
and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket 
and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic 
comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact 
information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you 
submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties 
and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to 
consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special 
characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or 
viruses. For additional information about EPA's public docket visit the 
EPA Docket Center homepage at https://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.
    Docket: Documents in the docket are listed in the https://
www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some 
information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information 
whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other materials, 
such as copyrighted material, are publicly available only in hard copy. 
Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically 
at https://www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the OEI Docket in the 
EPA Headquarters Docket Center.

    Dated: March 26, 2007.
David Bussard,
Acting Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
 [FR Doc. E7-5798 Filed 3-28-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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