Environmental Protection Agency November 20, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a forty-five day public comment period and an external peer-review panel meeting to review the external review draft documents entitled, ``Toxicological Reviews of Cyanobacterial Toxins: Anatoxin-a, Cylindrospermopsin and Microcystins LR, RR, YR and LA'' (NCEA-C-1743, NCEA-C-1763 and NCEA-C-1765). Cyanobacteria, commonly referred to as blue-green algae, are found in freshwater, estuarine and marine environments. Cyanobacteria, other freshwater algae, and their toxins are included as microbial contaminants on EPA's Office of Water (OW) Contaminant Candidate List (CCL). These draft assessments discuss potential human health effects of exposure to these cyanobacterial toxins for four durationsacute, short-term, subchronic and chronic focusing on noncancer effects due to oral exposure. The public comment period and the external peer review are separate processes that provide opportunities for all interested parties to comment on these documents. These documents were prepared by EPA's National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within EPA's Office of Research and Development. EPA will use comments and recommendations from the public and the expert panel meeting to finalize the draft documents. EPA is releasing these draft documents solely for the purpose of pre-dissemination peer review under applicable information quality guidelines. These documents have not been formally disseminated by EPA. They do not represent and should not be construed to represent any Agency policy or determination.

EPA issued a notice of deficiency on May 17, 2005, in which EPA identified problems with Maricopa County's Clean Air Act title V operating permits program and a timeframe for the County to correct these deficiencies. The Maricopa County Air Quality Department submitted corrections to its permit program in quarterly updates beginning in February 2006 and in a final submittal dated October 20, 2006. This notice announces that, based on information provided by Maricopa County Air Quality Department, EPA concludes that Maricopa County has resolved all of the issues identified in the May 17, 2005 Notice of Deficiency. As a result, EPA will not impose sanctions set forth under the mandatory sanctions provisions of the Clean Air Act. In addition, EPA will not promulgate, administer, and enforce a whole or partial operating permit program pursuant to the title V regulations of the Clean Air Act within two years after the date of the finding of deficiency.