Public Comment on EPA's National Enforcement Initiatives for Fiscal Years 2014-2016, 5799-5800 [2013-01706]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 18 / Monday, January 28, 2013 / Notices www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp. Enter the docket number (P–14462) in the docket number field to access the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support. Dated: January 18, 2013. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2013–01614 Filed 1–25–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717–01–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA–HQ–OECA–2012–0956; FRL–9773–8] Public Comment on EPA’s National Enforcement Initiatives for Fiscal Years 2014–2016 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of public comment period. AGENCY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting public comment and recommendations on national enforcement initiatives to be undertaken in fiscal years 2014–2016. EPA selects these priority areas every three years in order to focus federal resources on the most important environmental problems where noncompliance is a significant contributing factor and where federal enforcement attention can make a difference. For the FY 2011–2013 time period, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, has six national enforcement initiatives. These initiatives are (1) Municipal Infrastructure—addressing sewage discharges from combined sewer systems, sanitary sewer systems, and municipal separate storm sewer systems; (2) Mineral Processing— addressing hazardous waste at phosphoric acid facilities and high risk mineral processing sites; (3) New Source Review—controlling emissions from coal fired utility sector, cement plants, glass plants, and acid production plants; (4) Air Toxics—addressing toxic emissions from high risk facilities by examining leak detection and repair (LDAR), flares, and excess emission sources; (5) Energy Extraction— addressing land-based natural gas extraction facilities, including corporate-wide evaluations; and (6) Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations—addressing animal waste discharges from large animal feeding facilities. For more information on the current initiatives, full descriptions can be found on our Web site: https:// tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with SUMMARY: VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:13 Jan 25, 2013 Jkt 229001 www.epa.gov/compliance/data/ planning/initiatives/. In addition to these sector-based approaches, EPA could choose to focus a national initiative on a strategic area that would improve the Agency’s ability to conduct its enforcement and compliance program. For example, EPA is investing in a new approach called Next Generation Compliance to dramatically improve compliance by, among other things, employing advances in emissions monitoring and information technology; expanding transparency by making information publicly available. This availability of information will empower communities to play an active role in compliance oversight and improve the performance of both the government and regulated entities. The public is invited to comment on extending the current six national enforcement initiatives for the 2014– 2016 cycle. The public is also invited to propose new sectors or other important strategic areas for consideration. Commenters should keep in mind the Agency’s resource constraints, given that final decisions will need to consider the Agency’s funding level. Final selection will be incorporated into the EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Final National Program Manager Guidance (that provides national program direction for all EPA regional offices) to be released in the Spring 2013. EPA will consider these comments as it moves forward in the decision-making process, but will not respond to all comments received. DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 27, 2013. ADDRESSES: Information in support of this Notice of Public Comment is available via the Internet at: https:// www.epa.gov/compliance/data/ planning/initiatives/. Submit your comments via www.regulations.gov, identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OECA–2012– 0956. Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments. Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OECA–2012– 0956. EPA’s policy is that all comments received will be included in the public docket without change and may be made available online at www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided, unless the 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. PO 00000 Frm 00029 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 5799 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 email 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 FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michele McKeever, Branch Chief, National Planning and Measures Branch, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Mail Code: M2221A, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202–564–3688; fax number: 202–564–0027; email address: McKeever.Michele@epa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. What are EPA enforcement and compliance national enforcement initiatives? EPA is voluntarily soliciting public comment and recommendations on national enforcement initiatives to be undertaken in fiscal years 2014–2016. EPA selects these initiatives every three years in order to focus federal resources on the most important environmental problems where noncompliance is a significant contributing factor and where federal enforcement attention can make a difference. Sector-based enforcement and compliance national enforcement initiatives are selected according to three criteria: (1) Environmental impact; (2) significant noncompliance; and (3) appropriate federal role. The national enforcement initiatives do not impose any legally binding requirements on any outside parties. EPA will also consider strategic program areas that are not sector-based as potential national enforcement initiatives. These areas include programs such as Next Generation Compliance (e.g., increasing use of advanced emissions monitoring, expanding transparency by increasing E:\FR\FM\28JAN1.SGM 28JAN1 5800 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 18 / Monday, January 28, 2013 / Notices data availability, and developing more effective regulations). ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY II. On what is EPA requesting comment? [Docket ID Number EPA–HQ–OECA–2013– 0042; FRL–9774–2] EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance is collecting external comment on the current set of national enforcement initiatives and whether there are other new enforcement initiatives or strategic directions of national significance and warranting federal enforcement attention that should be considered. For example, in addition to considering traditional sector-based approaches, EPA is considering broadening the scope of a national enforcement initiative to include innovative programs, such as Next Generation Compliance, where the Agency feels the application of enforcement program resources would help address critical issues. Examples of Next Generation Compliance strategies include moving away from paper reporting to electronic reporting, incorporating compliance drivers into regulations, using advanced environmental monitoring technologies, and increasing transparency by making data more readily accessible. The public is invited to propose any other areas for consideration, keeping in mind the Agency’s resource constraints. Please note that some current national enforcement initiatives may be carried forward or refined and continued into FY 2014–2016. Clean Water Act Class II: Proposed Administrative Settlement, Penalty Assessment and Opportunity To Comment Regarding AboveNet Communications, Inc. III. Can the deadline for comments be extended? tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with No. EPA issues National Program Manager Guidance (NPM Guidance) to enable EPA, states, and federallyrecognized Indian tribes (tribes) to effectively align their joint implementation of environmental laws to achieve mutual goals. The NPM guidance must be timely released for state, tribal, and public comment in order to allow the states and tribes with approved programs to consider the NPM Guidance fully in their annual planning processes. These processes direct state and tribal resources according to their fiscal calendars. As a result, EPA must receive public comments by February 27, 2013 in order to make national enforcement initiative selections in keeping with this schedule. Dated: January 18, 2013. Lisa Lund, Director, Office of Compliance. [FR Doc. 2013–01706 Filed 1–25–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:13 Jan 25, 2013 Jkt 229001 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: EPA has entered into a Consent Agreement with AboveNet Communications, Inc. to resolve violations of the Clean Water Act (CWA) and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), and their implementing regulations. The Administrator is hereby providing public notice of this Consent Agreement and proposed Final Order (CAFO), and providing an opportunity for interested persons to comment on the CWA and EPCRA portions of this Consent Agreement, as required by CWA Section 311(b)(6)(C). DATES: Comments are due on or before February 27, 2013. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ– OECA–2013–0042, by one of the following methods: • www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments. • Email: docket.oeca@epa.gov, Attention Docket ID No. EPA–HQ– OECA–2013–0042. • Fax: (202) 566–9744, Attention Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OECA–2013– 0042. • Mail: Enforcement and Compliance Docket Information Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460, Attention Docket ID No. EPA–HQ– OECA–2013–0042. • Hand Delivery: Enforcement and Compliance Docket Information Center in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B 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 Reading Room is (202) 566–1744, and the telephone number for the Enforcement and Compliance Docket is (202) 566–1927. Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket’s normal hours of operation, and SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00030 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information. Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OECA–2013– 0042. EPA’s policy is that all comments received will be included in the public docket without change and may be made available online at www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided, unless the 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. 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 email 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. 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 at www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the Enforcement and Compliance Docket Information Center in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B 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 Reading Room is (202) 566–1744, and the telephone number for the E:\FR\FM\28JAN1.SGM 28JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 18 (Monday, January 28, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5799-5800]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01706]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OECA-2012-0956; FRL-9773-8]


Public Comment on EPA's National Enforcement Initiatives for 
Fiscal Years 2014-2016

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of public comment period.

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

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting public 
comment and recommendations on national enforcement initiatives to be 
undertaken in fiscal years 2014-2016. EPA selects these priority areas 
every three years in order to focus federal resources on the most 
important environmental problems where noncompliance is a significant 
contributing factor and where federal enforcement attention can make a 
difference. For the FY 2011-2013 time period, the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, has 
six national enforcement initiatives. These initiatives are (1) 
Municipal Infrastructure--addressing sewage discharges from combined 
sewer systems, sanitary sewer systems, and municipal separate storm 
sewer systems; (2) Mineral Processing--addressing hazardous waste at 
phosphoric acid facilities and high risk mineral processing sites; (3) 
New Source Review--controlling emissions from coal fired utility 
sector, cement plants, glass plants, and acid production plants; (4) 
Air Toxics--addressing toxic emissions from high risk facilities by 
examining leak detection and repair (LDAR), flares, and excess emission 
sources; (5) Energy Extraction--addressing land-based natural gas 
extraction facilities, including corporate-wide evaluations; and (6) 
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations--addressing animal waste 
discharges from large animal feeding facilities. For more information 
on the current initiatives, full descriptions can be found on our Web 
site: https://www.epa.gov/compliance/data/planning/initiatives/.
    In addition to these sector-based approaches, EPA could choose to 
focus a national initiative on a strategic area that would improve the 
Agency's ability to conduct its enforcement and compliance program. For 
example, EPA is investing in a new approach called Next Generation 
Compliance to dramatically improve compliance by, among other things, 
employing advances in emissions monitoring and information technology; 
expanding transparency by making information publicly available. This 
availability of information will empower communities to play an active 
role in compliance oversight and improve the performance of both the 
government and regulated entities.
    The public is invited to comment on extending the current six 
national enforcement initiatives for the 2014-2016 cycle. The public is 
also invited to propose new sectors or other important strategic areas 
for consideration. Commenters should keep in mind the Agency's resource 
constraints, given that final decisions will need to consider the 
Agency's funding level. Final selection will be incorporated into the 
EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Final National 
Program Manager Guidance (that provides national program direction for 
all EPA regional offices) to be released in the Spring 2013. EPA will 
consider these comments as it moves forward in the decision-making 
process, but will not respond to all comments received.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 27, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Information in support of this Notice of Public Comment is 
available via the Internet at: https://www.epa.gov/compliance/data/planning/initiatives/.
    Submit your comments via www.regulations.gov, identified by Docket 
ID No. EPA-HQ-OECA-2012-0956. Follow the on-line instructions for 
submitting comments.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OECA-
2012-0956. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included 
in the public docket without change and may be made available online at 
www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided, 
unless the 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. 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 email 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 FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michele McKeever, Branch Chief, 
National Planning and Measures Branch, Office of Enforcement and 
Compliance Assurance, Mail Code: M2221A, Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone 
number: 202-564-3688; fax number: 202-564-0027; email address: 
McKeever.Michele@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. What are EPA enforcement and compliance national enforcement 
initiatives?

    EPA is voluntarily soliciting public comment and recommendations on 
national enforcement initiatives to be undertaken in fiscal years 2014-
2016. EPA selects these initiatives every three years in order to focus 
federal resources on the most important environmental problems where 
noncompliance is a significant contributing factor and where federal 
enforcement attention can make a difference. Sector-based enforcement 
and compliance national enforcement initiatives are selected according 
to three criteria: (1) Environmental impact; (2) significant 
noncompliance; and (3) appropriate federal role. The national 
enforcement initiatives do not impose any legally binding requirements 
on any outside parties. EPA will also consider strategic program areas 
that are not sector-based as potential national enforcement 
initiatives. These areas include programs such as Next Generation 
Compliance (e.g., increasing use of advanced emissions monitoring, 
expanding transparency by increasing

[[Page 5800]]

data availability, and developing more effective regulations).

II. On what is EPA requesting comment?

    EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance is collecting 
external comment on the current set of national enforcement initiatives 
and whether there are other new enforcement initiatives or strategic 
directions of national significance and warranting federal enforcement 
attention that should be considered. For example, in addition to 
considering traditional sector-based approaches, EPA is considering 
broadening the scope of a national enforcement initiative to include 
innovative programs, such as Next Generation Compliance, where the 
Agency feels the application of enforcement program resources would 
help address critical issues. Examples of Next Generation Compliance 
strategies include moving away from paper reporting to electronic 
reporting, incorporating compliance drivers into regulations, using 
advanced environmental monitoring technologies, and increasing 
transparency by making data more readily accessible. The public is 
invited to propose any other areas for consideration, keeping in mind 
the Agency's resource constraints. Please note that some current 
national enforcement initiatives may be carried forward or refined and 
continued into FY 2014-2016.

III. Can the deadline for comments be extended?

    No. EPA issues National Program Manager Guidance (NPM Guidance) to 
enable EPA, states, and federally-recognized Indian tribes (tribes) to 
effectively align their joint implementation of environmental laws to 
achieve mutual goals. The NPM guidance must be timely released for 
state, tribal, and public comment in order to allow the states and 
tribes with approved programs to consider the NPM Guidance fully in 
their annual planning processes. These processes direct state and 
tribal resources according to their fiscal calendars. As a result, EPA 
must receive public comments by February 27, 2013 in order to make 
national enforcement initiative selections in keeping with this 
schedule.

    Dated: January 18, 2013.
Lisa Lund,
Director, Office of Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2013-01706 Filed 1-25-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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