Integrated Science Assessment for Particulate Matter, 4655-4656 [2020-01223]

Download as PDF khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 17 / Monday, January 27, 2020 / Notices of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before February 26, 2020. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA– HQ–OECA–2013–0329, to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by email to docket.oeca@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB via email to oira_submission@omb.eop.gov. Address comments to OMB Desk Officer for EPA. EPA’s policy is that all comments received will be included in the public docket without change including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick Yellin, Monitoring, Assistance, and Media Programs Division, Office of Compliance, Mail Code 2227A, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564– 2970; fax number: (202) 564–0050; email address: yellin.patrick@epa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents, which explain in detail the information that the EPA will be collecting, are available in the public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The telephone number for the Docket Center is 202–566–1744. For additional information about EPA’s public docket, visit https://www.epa.gov/ dockets. Abstract: The New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for Rubber Tire Manufacturing (40 CFR part 60, subpart BBB) apply to existing and new facilities with the following processes: Undertread cementing operations, sidewall cementing operations, tread end cementing operations, bead cementing operations, green tire spraying operations, Michelin-A operations, Michelin-B operations, and Michelin-C automatic operations. Affected facilities include those that commenced construction, modification, or reconstruction after January 20, 1983. This information is being collected to assure compliance with 40 CFR part 60, subpart BBB. VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:54 Jan 24, 2020 Jkt 250001 In general, all NSPS standards require initial notifications, performance tests, and periodic reports by the owners/ operators of the affected facilities. They are also required to maintain records of the occurrence and duration of any startup, shutdown, or malfunction in the operation of an affected facility, or any period during which the monitoring system is inoperative. These notifications, reports, and records are essential in determining compliance, and are required of all affected facilities subject to NSPS. Form Numbers: None. Respondents/affected entities: Owners or operators of the rubber tire manufacturing industry. Respondent’s obligation to respond: Mandatory (40 CFR part 60, subpart BBB). Estimated number of respondents: 41 (total). Frequency of response: Initially, occasionally, semiannually, and annually. Total estimated burden: 17,700 hours (per year). Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.3(b). Total estimated cost: $2,070,000 (per year), includes $16,400 annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs. Changes in the Estimates: There is no change in the labor hours in this ICR compared to the previous ICR. This is due to two considerations. First, the regulations have not changed over the past three years and are not anticipated to change over the next three years. Secondly, the growth rate for the industry is very low, negative or nonexistent, so there is no significant change in the overall burden. Courtney Kerwin, Director, Regulatory Support Division. [FR Doc. 2020–01295 Filed 1–24–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–ORD–2014–0859; FRL–10004–64–ORD] Integrated Science Assessment for Particulate Matter Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of availability. AGENCY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the availability of a final document titled, ‘‘Integrated Science Assessment for Particulate Matter’’ (EPA/600/R–19/ 188). The document was prepared by SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00034 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 4655 the Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment (CPHEA) within EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) as part of the review of the primary (health-based) and secondary (welfare-based) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter (PM) and represents an update of the 2009 Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) for PM. The welfare-based effects evaluated consist of non-ecological effects, specifically visibility impairment, climate effects, and effects on materials. The ISA provides the scientific basis for EPA’s decisions, in conjunction with additional technical and policy assessments, on the adequacy of the current NAAQS and the appropriateness of possible alternative standards. EPA is currently developing a separate ISA to support the secondary NAAQS review for ecological effects for oxides of nitrogen, oxides of sulfur, and particulate matter. DATES: The document is available on or about January 6, 2020. ADDRESSES: The ‘‘Integrated Science Assessment for Particulate Matter (Final)’’ will be available primarily via the internet on EPA’s Integrated Science Assessment Particulate Matter page at https://www.epa.gov/isa/integratedscience-assessment-isa-particulatematter or the public docket at https:// www.regulations.gov, Docket ID: EPA– HQ–ORD–2014–0859. A limited number of CD–ROM copies will be available. Contact Ms. Marieka Boyd by phone: 919–541–0031; fax: 919–541–5078; or email: boyd.marieka@epa.gov to request a CD–ROM, and please provide your name, your mailing address, and the document title, ‘‘Integrated Science Assessment for Particulate Matter’’ to facilitate processing of your request. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical information, contact Mr. Jason Sacks, CPHEA; phone: 919–541–9729; fax: 919–541–1818; or email: sacks.jason@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, among other things, ‘‘cause or contribute to air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or 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 E:\FR\FM\27JAN1.SGM 27JAN1 khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES 4656 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 17 / Monday, January 27, 2020 / Notices section 109 of the Act, EPA is then to establish NAAQS for each pollutant for which EPA has issued criteria. Section 109(d) of the Act subsequently requires review every five years and, if appropriate, revision of existing air quality criteria to reflect advances in scientific knowledge on the effects of the pollutant on public health or welfare. EPA is also required to review and, if appropriate, revise the NAAQS, based on the revised air quality criteria (for more information on the NAAQS review process, see https://www.epa.gov/ ttn/naaqs/review.html). Particulate matter is one of six criteria pollutants for which EPA has established NAAQS. Periodically, EPA reviews the scientific basis for these standards by preparing an ISA (formerly called an Air Quality Criteria Document). The ISA provides the scientific basis for EPA’s decisions, in conjunction with additional technical and policy assessments, on the adequacy of the current NAAQS and the appropriateness of possible alternative standards. The Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC), an independent science advisory committee whose review and advisory functions are mandated by Section 109(d)(2) of the Clean Air Act, is charged (among other things) with independent scientific review of the EPA’s air quality criteria. On December 3, 2014 (79 FR 71764), EPA formally initiated its current review of the air quality criteria for the health and welfare effects of particulate matter and the primary (health-based) and secondary (welfare-based) NAAQS, requesting the submission of recent scientific information on specified topics. EPA conducted a workshop from February 9 to 11, 2015 to gather input from invited scientific experts, both internal and external to EPA, as well as from the public, regarding key science and policy issues relevant to the review of the primary and secondary NAAQS (79 FR 71764). These science and policy issues were incorporated into EPA’s ‘‘Draft Integrated Review Plan for the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter,’’ which was available for public comment (81 FR 22977) and discussion by the CASAC via publicly accessible teleconference consultation (81 FR 13362). The ‘‘Final Integrated Review Plan for the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter’’ was released December 6, 2016 (81 FR 87933). Subsequent webinar workshops were held on June 9, 13, 20, and 22, 2016, to discuss initial draft materials prepared in the development of the particulate matter ISA with invited EPA and VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:54 Jan 24, 2020 Jkt 250001 external scientific experts (81 FR 29262). The input received during these webinar workshops aided in the development of the materials presented in the ‘‘Integrated Science Assessment for Particulate Matter (External Review Draft), which was released on October 23, 2018’’ (83 FR 53471), and is available at: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/ isa/recordisplay.cfm?deid=341593. The CASAC met at a public meeting on December 12–13, 2018 (83 FR 55529), to review the draft PM ISA. A public teleconference was then held on March 28, 2019 for CASAC to review their draft letter to the Administrator on the draft ISA. This meeting was announced in the Federal Register on March 8, 2019 (84 FR 8523). Subsequently, on April 11, 2019, the CASAC provided a letter of their review to the Administrator of the EPA, available at: https:// yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/ 264cb1227d55e02c85257402007446a4/ 6CBCBBC3025E13B4852583D9 0047B352/$File/EPA-CASAC-19002+.pdf. The letter from the CASAC, as well as public comments received on the draft PM ISA, can be found in Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–ORD–2014– 0859. The Administrator responded to the CASAC’s letter on the External Review Draft of the PM ISA on July 25, 2019, and is available at: https:// yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/ 264cb1227d55e02c85257402007446a4/ 6CBCBBC3025E13B48525 83D90047B352/$File/EPA-CASAC-19002_Response.pdf. Administrator Wheeler’s letter to the CASAC indicated the Agency will ‘‘incorporate the CASAC’s comments and recommendations, to the extent possible, and create a final PM ISA so that it may be available to inform a proposed decision on any necessary revisions of the NAAQS in early 2020.’’ The U.S. EPA focused on addressing comments presented in the main body of the CASAC letter (i.e., the cover letter and consensus responses to charge questions), and to the extent possible, in the statutorily provided timeframe, addressed individual CASAC member comments as well as public comments on the draft PM ISA. The consensus CASAC comments on the draft PM Policy Assessment (December 16, 2019) stated ‘‘. . . the Draft PM ISA, does not provide a comprehensive, systematic review of relevant scientific literature; inadequate evidence and rationale for altered causal determinations; and a need for clearer discussion of causality and causal biological mechanisms and pathways.’’ To address these comments in the Final PM ISA, the EPA: (1) Added PO 00000 Frm 00035 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 text to the Preface and developed a new Appendix to more clearly articulate the process of ISA development; (2) revised the causality determination for longterm ultrafine particle (UFP) exposure and nervous system effects to suggestive of, but not sufficient to infer, a causal relationship; and (3) added additional text to the Preface of the PM ISA as well as text in the health effects chapters to clarify the discussion of biological plausibility and its role in forming causality determinations. Additionally, the U.S. EPA focused on addressing those comments that contributed to improving clarity, could be addressed in the near-term, and identified errors in the draft PM ISA. Lastly, Administrator Wheeler noted, ‘‘for those comments and recommendations that are more significant or cross-cutting and which were not fully addressed, the Agency will develop a plan to incorporate these changes into future PM ISAs as well as ISAs for other criteria pollutant reviews.’’ Dated: December 31, 2019. Wayne E. Cascio, Director, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment. [FR Doc. 2020–01223 Filed 1–24–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL–10004–48–OA] Notification of a Public Meeting of the Chartered Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: The EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office announces a public meeting of the Chartered Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) to discuss their Draft Report on EPA’s Integrated Science Assessment for Ozone and Related Photochemical Oxidants (External Review Draft— September 2019) and their Draft Report on EPA’s Policy Assessment for the Review of the Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (External Review Draft). DATES: The public meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 11, 2020, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) and Wednesday, February 12, 2020, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). SUMMARY: The public meeting will be conducted by telephone only. ADDRESSES: E:\FR\FM\27JAN1.SGM 27JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 17 (Monday, January 27, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4655-4656]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-01223]


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

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2014-0859; FRL-10004-64-ORD]


Integrated Science Assessment for Particulate Matter

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the 
availability of a final document titled, ``Integrated Science 
Assessment for Particulate Matter'' (EPA/600/R-19/188). The document 
was prepared by the Center for Public Health and Environmental 
Assessment (CPHEA) within EPA's Office of Research and Development 
(ORD) as part of the review of the primary (health-based) and secondary 
(welfare-based) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for 
particulate matter (PM) and represents an update of the 2009 Integrated 
Science Assessment (ISA) for PM. The welfare-based effects evaluated 
consist of non-ecological effects, specifically visibility impairment, 
climate effects, and effects on materials. The ISA provides the 
scientific basis for EPA's decisions, in conjunction with additional 
technical and policy assessments, on the adequacy of the current NAAQS 
and the appropriateness of possible alternative standards. EPA is 
currently developing a separate ISA to support the secondary NAAQS 
review for ecological effects for oxides of nitrogen, oxides of sulfur, 
and particulate matter.

DATES: The document is available on or about January 6, 2020.

ADDRESSES: The ``Integrated Science Assessment for Particulate Matter 
(Final)'' will be available primarily via the internet on EPA's 
Integrated Science Assessment Particulate Matter page at https://www.epa.gov/isa/integrated-science-assessment-isa-particulate-matter or 
the public docket at https://www.regulations.gov, Docket ID: EPA-HQ-ORD-
2014-0859. A limited number of CD-ROM copies will be available. Contact 
Ms. Marieka Boyd by phone: 919-541-0031; fax: 919-541-5078; or email: 
[email protected] to request a CD-ROM, and please provide your name, 
your mailing address, and the document title, ``Integrated Science 
Assessment for Particulate Matter'' to facilitate processing of your 
request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical information, contact Mr. 
Jason Sacks, CPHEA; phone: 919-541-9729; fax: 919-541-1818; or email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Information About the Document

    Section 108(a) of the Clean Air Act directs the Administrator to 
identify certain pollutants which, among other things, ``cause or 
contribute to air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to 
endanger public health or 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

[[Page 4656]]

section 109 of the Act, EPA is then to establish NAAQS for each 
pollutant for which EPA has issued criteria. Section 109(d) of the Act 
subsequently requires review every five years and, if appropriate, 
revision of existing air quality criteria to reflect advances in 
scientific knowledge on the effects of the pollutant on public health 
or welfare. EPA is also required to review and, if appropriate, revise 
the NAAQS, based on the revised air quality criteria (for more 
information on the NAAQS review process, see https://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/review.html).
    Particulate matter is one of six criteria pollutants for which EPA 
has established NAAQS. Periodically, EPA reviews the scientific basis 
for these standards by preparing an ISA (formerly called an Air Quality 
Criteria Document). The ISA provides the scientific basis for EPA's 
decisions, in conjunction with additional technical and policy 
assessments, on the adequacy of the current NAAQS and the 
appropriateness of possible alternative standards. The Clean Air 
Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC), an independent science advisory 
committee whose review and advisory functions are mandated by Section 
109(d)(2) of the Clean Air Act, is charged (among other things) with 
independent scientific review of the EPA's air quality criteria.
    On December 3, 2014 (79 FR 71764), EPA formally initiated its 
current review of the air quality criteria for the health and welfare 
effects of particulate matter and the primary (health-based) and 
secondary (welfare-based) NAAQS, requesting the submission of recent 
scientific information on specified topics. EPA conducted a workshop 
from February 9 to 11, 2015 to gather input from invited scientific 
experts, both internal and external to EPA, as well as from the public, 
regarding key science and policy issues relevant to the review of the 
primary and secondary NAAQS (79 FR 71764). These science and policy 
issues were incorporated into EPA's ``Draft Integrated Review Plan for 
the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter,'' 
which was available for public comment (81 FR 22977) and discussion by 
the CASAC via publicly accessible teleconference consultation (81 FR 
13362). The ``Final Integrated Review Plan for the National Ambient Air 
Quality Standards for Particulate Matter'' was released December 6, 
2016 (81 FR 87933).
    Subsequent webinar workshops were held on June 9, 13, 20, and 22, 
2016, to discuss initial draft materials prepared in the development of 
the particulate matter ISA with invited EPA and external scientific 
experts (81 FR 29262). The input received during these webinar 
workshops aided in the development of the materials presented in the 
``Integrated Science Assessment for Particulate Matter (External Review 
Draft), which was released on October 23, 2018'' (83 FR 53471), and is 
available at: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/isa/recordisplay.cfm?deid=341593. The CASAC met at a public meeting on 
December 12-13, 2018 (83 FR 55529), to review the draft PM ISA. A 
public teleconference was then held on March 28, 2019 for CASAC to 
review their draft letter to the Administrator on the draft ISA. This 
meeting was announced in the Federal Register on March 8, 2019 (84 FR 
8523). Subsequently, on April 11, 2019, the CASAC provided a letter of 
their review to the Administrator of the EPA, available at: https://
yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/264cb1227d55e02c85257402007446a4/
6CBCBBC3025E13B4852583D90047B352/$File/EPA-CASAC-19-002+.pdf. The 
letter from the CASAC, as well as public comments received on the draft 
PM ISA, can be found in Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2014-0859.
    The Administrator responded to the CASAC's letter on the External 
Review Draft of the PM ISA on July 25, 2019, and is available at: 
https://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/
264cb1227d55e02c85257402007446a4/6CBCBBC3025E13B4852583D90047B352/
$File/EPA-CASAC-19-002_Response.pdf. Administrator Wheeler's letter to 
the CASAC indicated the Agency will ``incorporate the CASAC's comments 
and recommendations, to the extent possible, and create a final PM ISA 
so that it may be available to inform a proposed decision on any 
necessary revisions of the NAAQS in early 2020.'' The U.S. EPA focused 
on addressing comments presented in the main body of the CASAC letter 
(i.e., the cover letter and consensus responses to charge questions), 
and to the extent possible, in the statutorily provided timeframe, 
addressed individual CASAC member comments as well as public comments 
on the draft PM ISA. The consensus CASAC comments on the draft PM 
Policy Assessment (December 16, 2019) stated ``. . . the Draft PM ISA, 
does not provide a comprehensive, systematic review of relevant 
scientific literature; inadequate evidence and rationale for altered 
causal determinations; and a need for clearer discussion of causality 
and causal biological mechanisms and pathways.'' To address these 
comments in the Final PM ISA, the EPA: (1) Added text to the Preface 
and developed a new Appendix to more clearly articulate the process of 
ISA development; (2) revised the causality determination for long-term 
ultrafine particle (UFP) exposure and nervous system effects to 
suggestive of, but not sufficient to infer, a causal relationship; and 
(3) added additional text to the Preface of the PM ISA as well as text 
in the health effects chapters to clarify the discussion of biological 
plausibility and its role in forming causality determinations. 
Additionally, the U.S. EPA focused on addressing those comments that 
contributed to improving clarity, could be addressed in the near-term, 
and identified errors in the draft PM ISA. Lastly, Administrator 
Wheeler noted, ``for those comments and recommendations that are more 
significant or cross-cutting and which were not fully addressed, the 
Agency will develop a plan to incorporate these changes into future PM 
ISAs as well as ISAs for other criteria pollutant reviews.''

    Dated: December 31, 2019.
Wayne E. Cascio,
Director, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. 2020-01223 Filed 1-24-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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