Draft Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen and Sulfur-Environmental Criteria, 72719-72720 [E7-24906]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 245 / Friday, December 21, 2007 / Notices materials may be available electronically, you may still access any of the publicly available docket materials through the EPA Docket Center. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY B. How and to Whom Do I Submit Information? Draft Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen and SulfurEnvironmental Criteria mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES Information on chemical substances listed in this notice may be submitted as provided in the ADDRESSES section. If you submit electronic information, EPA recommends that you include your name, mailing address, and an e-mail address or other contact information in the body of your submission and with any disk or CD ROM you submit. This ensures that you can be identified as the submitter of the information and allows EPA to contact you in case EPA cannot read your information due to technical difficulties or needs further information on the substance of your submission. Any identifying or contact information provided in the body of submitted information will be included as part of the submission information that is placed in the official public docket, and made available in EPA’s electronic public docket. If EPA cannot read your information due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your information. EPA’s preferred method for receiving submissions is via EPA’s electronic public docket. The electronic public docket system is an ‘‘anonymous access’’ system, which means EPA will not know your identity, e-mail address, or other contact information unless you provide it in the body of your submission. In contrast to EPA’s electronic public docket, EPA’s electronic mail (e-mail) system is not an ‘‘anonymous access’’ system. If you send e-mail directly to the docket without going through EPA’s electronic public docket, your e-mail address is automatically captured and included as part of the submission that is placed in the official public docket, and made available in EPA’s electronic public docket. Dated: December 6, 2007. Peter Preuss, Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment. [FR Doc. E7–24844 Filed 12–20–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P VerDate Aug<31>2005 18:37 Dec 20, 2007 Jkt 214001 [FRL–8509–8; Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR– 2007–1145] Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of public comment period for draft Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen and Sulfur—Environmental Criteria. AGENCY: SUMMARY: The EPA is announcing the public comment period for the draft document titled, ‘‘Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen and Sulfur—Environmental Criteria; First External Review Draft’’ (EPA/600/R–07/ 145A). The draft document was prepared by the National Center for Environmental Assessment within EPA’s Office of Research and Development as part of the Agency’s review of the secondary (welfare-based) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). EPA is releasing this draft document solely for the purpose of seeking comment from the public and the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC). The document is being distributed solely for the purpose of pre-dissemination review under applicable information quality guidelines. It does not represent and should not be construed to represent any Agency policy, viewpoint, or determination. EPA will consider any public comments submitted in accordance with this notice when revising the document. DATES: The public comment period begins on or about December 21, 2007. Comments must be received on or before February 21, 2008. ADDRESSES: The draft, ‘‘Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen and Sulfur—Environmental Criteria; First External Review Draft,’’ will be available primarily via the Internet on the National Center for Environmental Assessment’s home page under the Recent Additions and Publications menus at https:// www.epa.gov/ncea. A limited number of CD–ROM or paper copies will be available. Contact Ms. Emily Lee by phone: 919–541–4169, fax: 919–541–1818, or e-mail: (lee.emily@epa.gov) to request either of these, and please provide your name, your mailing address, and the draft document title, ‘‘Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen and PO 00000 Frm 00055 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 72719 Sulfur—Environmental Criteria; First External Review Draft’’ (EPA/600/R–07/ 145A) to facilitate processing of your request. 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: Ms. Emily Lee, NCEA; telephone: 919–541– 4169, facsimile: 919–541–1818, or email: lee.emily@epa.gov. For technical information, contact Tara Greaver, PhD, NCEA; telephone: 919–541–2435; facsimile: 919–541–1818; or e-mail: Greaver.Tara@epa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Information About the Document Section 108(a) of the Clean Air Act directs the Administrator to identify certain pollutants which ‘‘may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health and welfare’’ and to issue air quality criteria for them. These air quality criteria are to ‘‘accurately reflect the latest scientific knowledge useful in indicating the kind and extent of all identifiable effects on public health or welfare which may be expected from the presence of [a] pollutant in the ambient air.’’ Under section 109 of the Act, EPA is then to establish national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for each pollutant for which EPA has issued criteria. Section 109(d) of the Act subsequently requires periodic review and, if appropriate, revision of existing air quality criteria to reflect advances in scientific knowledge on the effects of the pollutant on public health and welfare. EPA is also to revise the NAAQS, if appropriate, based on the revised air quality criteria. Oxides of nitrogen and sulfur are two of six principal (or ‘‘criteria’’) pollutants for which EPA has established air quality criteria and NAAQS. EPA periodically reviews the scientific basis for these standards by preparing an Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) (formerly called an Air Quality Criteria Document). The ISA and supplementary annexes, in conjunction with additional technical and policy assessments, provide the scientific basis for EPA decisions on the adequacy of a current NAAQS and the appropriateness of new or revised standards. The Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC), an independent science advisory committee established pursuant to section 109 of the Clean Air Act and part of the EPA’s Science Advisory Board (SAB), provides E:\FR\FM\21DEN1.SGM 21DEN1 72720 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 245 / Friday, December 21, 2007 / Notices mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES independent scientific advice on NAAQS matters, including advice on EPA’s draft ISAs. EPA formally initiated its current review of the criteria for oxides of nitrogen and sulfur in December 2005 (70 FR 73236) and May 2006 (71 FR 28023) respectively, requesting the submission of recent scientific information on specified topics. In the initial stages of the criteria reviews, EPA recognized the merit of integrating the science assessment for these two pollutants due to their combined effects on atmospheric chemistry, deposition processes, and environment-related public welfare effects. In July 2007 (72 FR 34004), a workshop was held to discuss, with invited scientific experts, initial draft materials prepared in the development of the ISA and supplementary annexes for oxides of nitrogen and sulfur. EPA’s ‘‘Draft Plan for Review of the Secondary National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Nitrogen Dioxide and Sulfur Dioxide’’ was made available in September 2007 for public comment and was discussed by the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) via a publicly accessible teleconference consultation on October 30, 2007 (72 FR 57568). The Plan is being finalized and will be made available on EPA’s Web site https:// www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/ no2so2sec/cr_pd.html. The draft, ‘‘Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen and Sulfur—Environmental Criteria; First External Review Draft,’’ will be discussed by CASAC at a future public meeting; public comments that have been received prior to the public meeting will be provided to the CASAC review panel. A future Federal Register notice will inform the public of the exact date and time of that CASAC meeting. II. How To Submit Information to the Docket Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. Docket ID EPA–HQ– OAR–2007–1145 by one of the following methods: • https://www.regulations.gov: Follow the online 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 Ave., 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, VerDate Aug<31>2005 18:37 Dec 20, 2007 Jkt 214001 1301 Constitution Ave., 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–OAR–2007– 1145. 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 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 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 www.regulations.gov, your email 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. PO 00000 Frm 00056 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the 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 material, such as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only in hard copy. Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically in www.regulations.gov or in hardcopy at the OEI Docket in the EPA Headquarters Docket Center. Dated: December 17, 2007. Rebecca Clark, Acting Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment. [FR Doc. E7–24906 Filed 12–20–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Submitted for Review to the Office of Management and Budget, Comments Requested December 17, 2007. SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection(s), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501–3520. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid control number. Comments are requested concerning (a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission’s burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. DATES: Written Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) comments should be submitted on or before January 22, 2008. If you anticipate that you will be submitting PRA comments, but find it E:\FR\FM\21DEN1.SGM 21DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 245 (Friday, December 21, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72719-72720]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-24906]


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

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-8509-8; Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-1145]


Draft Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen and 
Sulfur-Environmental Criteria

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of public comment period for draft Integrated Science 
Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen and Sulfur--Environmental Criteria.

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

SUMMARY: The EPA is announcing the public comment period for the draft 
document titled, ``Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen 
and Sulfur--Environmental Criteria; First External Review Draft'' (EPA/
600/R-07/145A). The draft document was prepared by the National Center 
for Environmental Assessment within EPA's Office of Research and 
Development as part of the Agency's review of the secondary (welfare-
based) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for nitrogen 
dioxide (NO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). EPA is 
releasing this draft document solely for the purpose of seeking comment 
from the public and the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee 
(CASAC). The document is being distributed solely for the purpose of 
pre-dissemination review under applicable information quality 
guidelines. It does not represent and should not be construed to 
represent any Agency policy, viewpoint, or determination. EPA will 
consider any public comments submitted in accordance with this notice 
when revising the document.

DATES: The public comment period begins on or about December 21, 2007. 
Comments must be received on or before February 21, 2008.

ADDRESSES: The draft, ``Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of 
Nitrogen and Sulfur--Environmental Criteria; First External Review 
Draft,'' will be available primarily via the Internet on the National 
Center for Environmental Assessment's home page under the Recent 
Additions and Publications menus at https://www.epa.gov/ncea.
    A limited number of CD-ROM or paper copies will be available. 
Contact Ms. Emily Lee by phone: 919-541-4169, fax: 919-541-1818, or e-
mail: (lee.emily@epa.gov) to request either of these, and please 
provide your name, your mailing address, and the draft document title, 
``Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen and Sulfur--
Environmental Criteria; First External Review Draft'' (EPA/600/R-07/
145A) to facilitate processing of your request. 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: Ms. Emily Lee, NCEA; telephone: 919-
541-4169, facsimile: 919-541-1818, or e-mail: lee.emily@epa.gov. For 
technical information, contact Tara Greaver, PhD, NCEA; telephone: 919-
541-2435; facsimile: 919-541-1818; or e-mail: Greaver.Tara@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Information About the Document

    Section 108(a) of the Clean Air Act directs the Administrator to 
identify certain pollutants which ``may reasonably be anticipated to 
endanger public health and welfare'' and to issue air quality criteria 
for them. These air quality criteria are to ``accurately reflect the 
latest scientific knowledge useful in indicating the kind and extent of 
all identifiable effects on public health or welfare which may be 
expected from the presence of [a] pollutant in the ambient air.''
    Under section 109 of the Act, EPA is then to establish national 
ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for each pollutant for which EPA 
has issued criteria. Section 109(d) of the Act subsequently requires 
periodic review and, if appropriate, revision of existing air quality 
criteria to reflect advances in scientific knowledge on the effects of 
the pollutant on public health and welfare. EPA is also to revise the 
NAAQS, if appropriate, based on the revised air quality criteria.
    Oxides of nitrogen and sulfur are two of six principal (or 
``criteria'') pollutants for which EPA has established air quality 
criteria and NAAQS. EPA periodically reviews the scientific basis for 
these standards by preparing an Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) 
(formerly called an Air Quality Criteria Document). The ISA and 
supplementary annexes, in conjunction with additional technical and 
policy assessments, provide the scientific basis for EPA decisions on 
the adequacy of a current NAAQS and the appropriateness of new or 
revised standards. The Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC), 
an independent science advisory committee established pursuant to 
section 109 of the Clean Air Act and part of the EPA's Science Advisory 
Board (SAB), provides

[[Page 72720]]

independent scientific advice on NAAQS matters, including advice on 
EPA's draft ISAs.
    EPA formally initiated its current review of the criteria for 
oxides of nitrogen and sulfur in December 2005 (70 FR 73236) and May 
2006 (71 FR 28023) respectively, requesting the submission of recent 
scientific information on specified topics. In the initial stages of 
the criteria reviews, EPA recognized the merit of integrating the 
science assessment for these two pollutants due to their combined 
effects on atmospheric chemistry, deposition processes, and 
environment-related public welfare effects. In July 2007 (72 FR 34004), 
a workshop was held to discuss, with invited scientific experts, 
initial draft materials prepared in the development of the ISA and 
supplementary annexes for oxides of nitrogen and sulfur. EPA's ``Draft 
Plan for Review of the Secondary National Ambient Air Quality Standards 
for Nitrogen Dioxide and Sulfur Dioxide'' was made available in 
September 2007 for public comment and was discussed by the Clean Air 
Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) via a publicly accessible 
teleconference consultation on October 30, 2007 (72 FR 57568). The Plan 
is being finalized and will be made available on EPA's Web site https://
www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/no2so2sec/cr_pd.html.
    The draft, ``Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen 
and Sulfur--Environmental Criteria; First External Review Draft,'' will 
be discussed by CASAC at a future public meeting; public comments that 
have been received prior to the public meeting will be provided to the 
CASAC review panel. A future Federal Register notice will inform the 
public of the exact date and time of that CASAC meeting.

II. How To Submit Information to the Docket

    Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. Docket ID EPA-HQ-
OAR-2007-1145 by one of the following methods:
     https://www.regulations.gov: Follow the online 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 Ave., 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 Ave., 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-OAR-
2007-1145. 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 
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 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 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: All documents in the docket are listed in the 
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 material, such 
as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only in hard copy. 
Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically 
in www.regulations.gov or in hardcopy at the OEI Docket in the EPA 
Headquarters Docket Center.

    Dated: December 17, 2007.
Rebecca Clark,
Acting Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
 [FR Doc. E7-24906 Filed 12-20-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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