80_FR_32219 80 FR 32111 - Notification of Teleconferences and a Public Meeting of the Science Advisory Board Hydraulic Fracturing Research Advisory Panel

80 FR 32111 - Notification of Teleconferences and a Public Meeting of the Science Advisory Board Hydraulic Fracturing Research Advisory Panel

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 108 (June 5, 2015)

Page Range32111-32113
FR Document2015-13674

The EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office announces a public meeting and three teleconferences of the SAB Hydraulic Fracturing Research Advisory Panel to conduct a review of the EPA draft report, Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas on Drinking Water Resources, (May, 2015 External Review Draft, EPA/600/R-15/047).

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 108 (Friday, June 5, 2015)
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 108 (Friday, June 5, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32111-32113]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-13674]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9928-73-OA]


Notification of Teleconferences and a Public Meeting of the 
Science Advisory Board Hydraulic Fracturing Research Advisory Panel

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: The EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office announces a 
public meeting and three teleconferences of the SAB Hydraulic 
Fracturing Research Advisory Panel to conduct a review of the EPA draft 
report, Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing for 
Oil and Gas on Drinking Water Resources, (May, 2015 External Review 
Draft, EPA/600/R-15/047).

DATES: The public teleconferences will be held from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. 
(Eastern Time) on the following dates: Wednesday September 30, 2015; 
Thursday October 1, 2015; and Monday October 19, 2015. The public face-
to-face meeting will be held on Wednesday October 28, 2015 from 9 a.m. 
to 5:30 p.m., Thursday October 29, 2015 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., 
and Friday October 30, 2015 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Eastern Time).

ADDRESSES: The October 28 through 30, 2015 public meeting will be held 
at the Washington Plaza Hotel, 10 Thomas Circle NW., Washington, DC 
20005. Teleconference lines also will be available for members of the 
public unable to attend in person.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Members of the public who wish to 
obtain further information regarding these public meetings may contact 
Edward Hanlon, Designated Federal Officer, by telephone: (202) 564-2134 
or email at [email protected]. The SAB mailing address is: U.S. EPA 
Science Advisory Board (1400R), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460. General information 
about the SAB, including information concerning the SAB meeting and 
teleconferences announced in this notice, may be found on the SAB Web 
site at http://www.epa.gov/sab.
    Technical Contact for EPA's Draft Report: Any technical questions 
concerning EPA's draft report should be directed to Dr. Jeffrey 
Frithsen, National Center for Environmental Assessment, Office of 
Research and Development, U.S. EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Mail 
Code 8601P, Washington, DC 20460, telephone (703) 347-8623 or via email 
at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background: The SAB was established pursuant to the Environmental 
Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act (ERDDAA), 
codified at 42 U.S.C. 4365, to provide independent scientific and 
technical advice to the Administrator on the technical basis for Agency 
positions and regulations. The SAB is a Federal Advisory Committee 
chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C., 
App. 2. The SAB will comply with the provisions of FACA and all 
appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural policies. Pursuant to FACA and 
EPA policy, notice is hereby given that the SAB Hydraulic Fracturing 
Research Advisory Panel will hold a public meeting and three 
teleconferences to conduct a review of the EPA draft report, Assessment 
of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas on 
Drinking Water Resources, (May, 2015 External Review Draft, EPA/600/R-
15/047).
    The EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) has developed a 
draft assessment report concerning the relationship between hydraulic 
fracturing and drinking water in the United States. The purpose of the 
report, Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing for 
Oil

[[Page 32112]]

and Gas on Drinking Water Resources, (May, 2015 External Review Draft, 
EPA/600/R-15/047), is to synthesize available scientific literature and 
data to assess the potential for hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas 
to impact the quality or quantity of drinking water resources, and 
identify factors affecting the frequency or severity of any potential 
impacts.
    The SAB will hold teleconferences and a panel meeting as part of 
the peer review of the EPA draft assessment report. (1) The purpose of 
the teleconference on September 30, 2015 is for EPA to brief the Panel 
about the agency's draft report, Assessment of the Potential Impacts of 
Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas on Drinking Water Resources, (May, 
2015 External Review Draft, EPA/600/R-15/047) and hold a Panel 
discussion on the draft charge questions for the peer review of the 
agency's draft report. If all oral comments from registered public 
speakers cannot be accommodated at the September 30, 2015 
teleconference, an additional teleconference will be held on October 1, 
2015, for that purpose. (2) The purpose of the October 28-30, 2015 
face-to-face meeting is to conduct a peer review of the agency's draft 
report. If the SAB Staff Office determines that there will be 
insufficient time during the October 28-30, 2015 Panel meeting to 
accommodate the members of the public who registered in advance to 
provide oral public comments, the teleconference on October 19, 2015 
will be held to provide additional time for oral public comments.
    All draft reports developed by SAB panels, committees or workgroups 
are reviewed and approved by the Chartered SAB through a quality review 
process before being finalized and transmitted to the EPA 
Administrator. The quality reviews are conducted in a public meeting as 
required by FACA. Additional opportunities for the public to provide 
comments on the SAB's review of the agency's draft report, Assessment 
of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas on 
Drinking Water Resources, (May, 2015 External Review Draft, EPA/600/R-
15/047) will be provided in a separate Federal Register Notice 
announcing public meetings to discuss the draft Panel report.
    Availability of Meeting Materials: The draft EPA report, Assessment 
of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas on 
Drinking Water Resources, (May, 2015 External Review Draft, EPA/600/R-
15/047), is available on the SAB Web site at http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/fedrgstr_activites/HF%20Drinking%20Water%20Assessment?OpenDocument. The charge, agenda and 
other materials for the teleconferences and meeting described in this 
notice will also be available on the above-noted Web site address and 
on the SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab in advance of the 
teleconferences and meeting.
    Procedures for Providing Public Input: Federal advisory committees 
and panels, including scientific advisory committees, provide 
independent advice to the EPA. Interested members of the public may 
submit relevant information on the topic of this advisory activity, 
and/or the group conducting the activity, for the SAB to consider 
during the advisory process. Input from the public to the SAB will have 
the most impact if it provides specific scientific or technical 
information or analysis for SAB committees and panels to consider or if 
it relates to the clarity or accuracy of the technical information.
    Throughout the Panel review process, there will be several 
opportunities for the public to provide comments. For example, the 
public will have opportunity to provide comments to the Docket on the 
SAB Panel's draft report, provide oral statements to the Panel during 
the Panel teleconferences and meeting, and in preparation for quality 
review of the SAB Panel's draft report by the Chartered SAB. Members of 
the public wishing to provide written comments may submit them to the 
EPA Docket electronically via www.regulations.gov, by email, by mail, 
by facsimile, or by hand delivery/courier. Please follow the detailed 
instructions provided in the written statements section of this notice. 
Members of the public wishing to provide oral statements to the SAB 
Panel should contact the DFO directly.
    Oral Statements: In general, individuals or groups requesting to 
present an oral statement at a public teleconference will be limited to 
three minutes per speaker. To be placed on the public speaker list for 
the September 30, 2015 teleconference, interested parties should notify 
Mr. Edward Hanlon, DFO, by email no later than September 23, 2015. In 
general, individuals or groups requesting to present an oral statement 
at the face-to-face public meeting will be limited to five minutes. 
Interested parties should contact Mr. Edward Hanlon, DFO, in writing 
(preferably via email) at the contact information noted above by 
October 13, 2015 to be placed on the list of public speakers for the 
October 28-30, 2015 meeting.
    Written Statements: SAB Staff Office anticipates that a large 
number of written statements will be submitted for consideration by the 
SAB Panel. Therefore, written statements for the September 30, 2015 
teleconference and for the October 28-30, 2015 face-to-face meeting 
should be received in the EPA Docket by August 28, 2015, so that the 
information may be made available to the SAB Panel sufficiently in 
advance of the teleconferences and meeting for the Panel's 
consideration.
    Written statements should be identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OA-
2015-0245 and submitted to the Docket at www.regulations.gov by one of 
the following methods:
     www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for 
submitting comments.
     Email: [email protected]: Include the docket number in 
the subject line of the message.
     Mail: Office of Environmental Information (OEI) Docket 
(Mail Code: 28221T), Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OA-2015-0245, 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, Room 3334, EPA West Building, 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. Deliveries are only accepted during the 
docket's normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be 
made for deliveries of boxed information.
     Fax: (202) 566-9744.
    Public comments submitted after August 28, 2015 will be marked 
late, and should be submitted to the Docket by email, mail, hand 
delivery or fax (see detailed instructions above). Consistent with SAB 
Staff Office general practice, comments received after August 28, 2015 
will be made available to the SAB Panel as soon as practicable.
    It is EPA's policy to include all comments received in the public 
docket without change and to make the comments available on-line 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 email. The 
www.regulations.gov Web

[[Page 32113]]

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 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 comments due to technical 
difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, the SAB Panel 
may not be able to consider your comments. Electronic files should 
avoid the use of special characters and 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 www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.
    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 OEI Docket in the EPA 
Headquarters Docket Center.
    History of SAB Hydraulic Fracturing Research Advisory Panel: In 
April 2012, the EPA's Office of Research and Development asked the SAB 
to conduct a peer review and provide advice to the agency on the 
scientific quality of its research study report on the potential 
impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. In 
response to that request, the SAB Staff Office formed the SAB Hydraulic 
Fracturing Research Advisory Panel. In 2013 the SAB panel members 
provided their individual expert comments in response to charge 
questions relating to the December 2012 progress report entitled, Study 
of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water 
Resources: Progress Report. The panel also held a teleconference call 
in 2013 to receive public comments on new and emerging information 
related to hydraulic fracturing and drinking water resources. 
Information on the formation of the panel and its previous activities 
is provided on the SAB Web site at http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/fedrgstr_activites/HF%20and%20DW%20Progress%20Report?OpenDocument.
    Accessibility: For information on access or services for 
individuals with disabilities, please contact Mr. Edward Hanlon at the 
phone number or email address noted above, preferably at least ten days 
prior to the meeting to give EPA as much time as possible to process 
your request.

    Dated: June 1, 2015.
Thomas H. Brennan,
Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2015-13674 Filed 6-4-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P



                                                                                     Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 108 / Friday, June 5, 2015 / Notices                                            32111

                                                    describing the proper treatment and                     operations of the transmission line will               ADDRESSES:    The October 28 through 30,
                                                    management of affected cultural                         follow Western’s standard operating                    2015 public meeting will be held at the
                                                    resources. Western signed the PA on                     procedures and will not be affected by                 Washington Plaza Hotel, 10 Thomas
                                                    October 18, 2010.                                       this action. A Mitigation Action Plan is               Circle NW., Washington, DC 20005.
                                                                                                            not required for Western’s proposed                    Teleconference lines also will be
                                                    Endangered Species Act
                                                                                                            action.                                                available for members of the public
                                                       Pursuant to Section 7 of the                                                                                unable to attend in person.
                                                    Endangered Species Act, consultation                    Decision
                                                                                                                                                                   FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                    was completed with the USFWS. Two                         Western’s decision is to adopt the EIS               Members of the public who wish to
                                                    candidate species, the Sonoran desert                   for its participation in the Project and to            obtain further information regarding
                                                    tortoise, and the Tucson shovel-nosed                   modify its transmission system as                      these public meetings may contact
                                                    snake, have been documented in the                      described above in support of FHWA’s                   Edward Hanlon, Designated Federal
                                                    Eastern Section of the Project area and                 decision to construct their Project.1 This             Officer, by telephone: (202) 564–2134 or
                                                    suitable habitat for these species is                   ROD was prepared pursuant to the                       email at hanlon.edward@epa.gov. The
                                                    present within Western’s action area.                   requirements of the Council on                         SAB mailing address is: U.S. EPA
                                                    Subsequent to completion of the                         Environmental Quality Regulations for                  Science Advisory Board (1400R), U.S.
                                                    Biological Evaluation for the project, the              Implementing the Procedural Provisions                 Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
                                                    Tucson shovel-nosed snake was                           of the NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1508)                   Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington,
                                                    removed from the candidate species list.                and DOE’s NEPA Implementing                            DC 20460. General information about
                                                    No other Federally-listed, threatened, or               Procedures (10 CFR part 1021).                         the SAB, including information
                                                    endangered species have been
                                                                                                             Dated: May 26, 2015.                                  concerning the SAB meeting and
                                                    documented in the proposed rights-of-
                                                                                                            Mark A. Gabriel,                                       teleconferences announced in this
                                                    way. There is no critical habitat
                                                                                                            Administrator.                                         notice, may be found on the SAB Web
                                                    designated in Western’s action area. In
                                                                                                            [FR Doc. 2015–13765 Filed 6–4–15; 8:45 am]             site at http://www.epa.gov/sab.
                                                    addition, Western will comply with                                                                                Technical Contact for EPA’s Draft
                                                    recommendations found in the                            BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
                                                                                                                                                                   Report: Any technical questions
                                                    Biological Evaluation, South Mountain                                                                          concerning EPA’s draft report should be
                                                    Transportation Corridor (July 2014), and                                                                       directed to Dr. Jeffrey Frithsen, National
                                                    in recommendations outlined in the                      ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION                               Center for Environmental Assessment,
                                                    USFWS letter dated June 10, 2014.                       AGENCY                                                 Office of Research and Development,
                                                    Considering this and Western’s limited                                                                         U.S. EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue
                                                    action in the Project, Western’s                        [FRL–9928–73–OA]
                                                                                                                                                                   NW., Mail Code 8601P, Washington, DC
                                                    proposed modifications to its                           Notification of Teleconferences and a                  20460, telephone (703) 347–8623 or via
                                                    transmission system and facilities is                   Public Meeting of the Science Advisory                 email at frithsen.jeff@epa.gov.
                                                    unlikely to affect Sonoran desert                       Board Hydraulic Fracturing Research                    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                                    tortoises and Tucson shovel-nosed                       Advisory Panel
                                                    snakes.                                                                                                           Background: The SAB was
                                                                                                                                                                   established pursuant to the
                                                    Alternatives Considered                                 AGENCY: Environmental Protection
                                                                                                                                                                   Environmental Research, Development,
                                                                                                            Agency (EPA).
                                                       Numerous alternatives were examined                                                                         and Demonstration Authorization Act
                                                                                                            ACTION: Notice.                                        (ERDDAA), codified at 42 U.S.C. 4365,
                                                    during the early EIS process including:
                                                    Modal alternatives, corridor and                        SUMMARY:   The EPA Science Advisory                    to provide independent scientific and
                                                    alignment alternatives, configuration                   Board (SAB) Staff Office announces a                   technical advice to the Administrator on
                                                    alternatives, and design alternatives. As               public meeting and three                               the technical basis for Agency positions
                                                    the EIS and public and agency scoping                   teleconferences of the SAB Hydraulic                   and regulations. The SAB is a Federal
                                                    process progressed, many of these                       Fracturing Research Advisory Panel to                  Advisory Committee chartered under
                                                    alternatives were eliminated and six                    conduct a review of the EPA draft                      the Federal Advisory Committee Act
                                                    broadly described build alternatives                    report, Assessment of the Potential                    (FACA), 5 U.S.C., App. 2. The SAB will
                                                    were developed (W59, W71, W101-east,                    Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil                comply with the provisions of FACA
                                                    W101-central, W101-west, E1) as well as                 and Gas on Drinking Water Resources,                   and all appropriate SAB Staff Office
                                                    a no action alternative. These seven                    (May, 2015 External Review Draft, EPA/                 procedural policies. Pursuant to FACA
                                                    alternatives were carried forward for                   600/R–15/047).                                         and EPA policy, notice is hereby given
                                                    further analysis.                                                                                              that the SAB Hydraulic Fracturing
                                                                                                            DATES: The public teleconferences will
                                                       FHWA ultimately selected a                                                                                  Research Advisory Panel will hold a
                                                                                                            be held from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Eastern                public meeting and three
                                                    combination of alternatives W59 and E1
                                                                                                            Time) on the following dates:                          teleconferences to conduct a review of
                                                    as their preferred alternative. The no
                                                                                                            Wednesday September 30, 2015;                          the EPA draft report, Assessment of the
                                                    action alternative assumed that the
                                                                                                            Thursday October 1, 2015; and Monday                   Potential Impacts of Hydraulic
                                                    Project would not be constructed and no
                                                                                                            October 19, 2015. The public face-to-                  Fracturing for Oil and Gas on Drinking
                                                    transmission structures or lines would
                                                                                                            face meeting will be held on Wednesday                 Water Resources, (May, 2015 External
                                                    need to be modified. FHWA did not
                                                                                                            October 28, 2015 from 9 a.m. to 5:30                   Review Draft, EPA/600/R–15/047).
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    select the no action alternative since it
                                                                                                            p.m., Thursday October 29, 2015 from                      The EPA’s Office of Research and
                                                    did not meet the purpose and need.
                                                                                                            8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Friday                     Development (ORD) has developed a
                                                    Mitigation                                              October 30, 2015 from 8:30 a.m. to 3                   draft assessment report concerning the
                                                       Western will adhere to its                           p.m. (Eastern Time).                                   relationship between hydraulic
                                                    Construction Standard 13                                  1 ‘‘Restatement of Delegations of Environment
                                                                                                                                                                   fracturing and drinking water in the
                                                    ‘‘Environmental Quality Protection’’                    Impact Statement Authorities’’ from Sean A. Lev,
                                                                                                                                                                   United States. The purpose of the
                                                    during its transmission line                            Acting General Counsel, to Timothy J. Meeks dated      report, Assessment of the Potential
                                                    modification activities. Long-term                      November 16, 2011.                                     Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil


                                               VerDate Sep<11>2014   18:31 Jun 04, 2015   Jkt 235001   PO 00000   Frm 00030   Fmt 4703   Sfmt 4703   E:\FR\FM\05JNN1.SGM   05JNN1


                                                    32112                            Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 108 / Friday, June 5, 2015 / Notices

                                                    and Gas on Drinking Water Resources,                    sabproduct.nsf/fedrgstr_activites/HF                     Written Statements: SAB Staff Office
                                                    (May, 2015 External Review Draft, EPA/                  %20Drinking%20Water%20                                 anticipates that a large number of
                                                    600/R–15/047), is to synthesize                         Assessment?OpenDocument. The                           written statements will be submitted for
                                                    available scientific literature and data to             charge, agenda and other materials for                 consideration by the SAB Panel.
                                                    assess the potential for hydraulic                      the teleconferences and meeting                        Therefore, written statements for the
                                                    fracturing for oil and gas to impact the                described in this notice will also be                  September 30, 2015 teleconference and
                                                    quality or quantity of drinking water                   available on the above-noted Web site                  for the October 28–30, 2015 face-to-face
                                                    resources, and identify factors affecting               address and on the SAB Web site at                     meeting should be received in the EPA
                                                    the frequency or severity of any                        http://www.epa.gov/sab in advance of                   Docket by August 28, 2015, so that the
                                                    potential impacts.                                      the teleconferences and meeting.                       information may be made available to
                                                       The SAB will hold teleconferences                       Procedures for Providing Public Input:              the SAB Panel sufficiently in advance of
                                                    and a panel meeting as part of the peer                 Federal advisory committees and                        the teleconferences and meeting for the
                                                    review of the EPA draft assessment                      panels, including scientific advisory                  Panel’s consideration.
                                                    report. (1) The purpose of the                          committees, provide independent                          Written statements should be
                                                    teleconference on September 30, 2015 is                 advice to the EPA. Interested members                  identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–
                                                    for EPA to brief the Panel about the                    of the public may submit relevant                      OA–2015–0245 and submitted to the
                                                    agency’s draft report, Assessment of the                information on the topic of this advisory              Docket at www.regulations.gov by one of
                                                    Potential Impacts of Hydraulic                          activity, and/or the group conducting                  the following methods:
                                                    Fracturing for Oil and Gas on Drinking                  the activity, for the SAB to consider                    • www.regulations.gov: Follow the
                                                    Water Resources, (May, 2015 External                    during the advisory process. Input from                on-line instructions for submitting
                                                    Review Draft, EPA/600/R–15/047) and                     the public to the SAB will have the most               comments.
                                                    hold a Panel discussion on the draft                                                                             • Email: Docket_OEI@epa.gov:
                                                                                                            impact if it provides specific scientific
                                                    charge questions for the peer review of                                                                        Include the docket number in the
                                                                                                            or technical information or analysis for
                                                    the agency’s draft report. If all oral                                                                         subject line of the message.
                                                                                                            SAB committees and panels to consider                    • Mail: Office of Environmental
                                                    comments from registered public                         or if it relates to the clarity or accuracy
                                                    speakers cannot be accommodated at                                                                             Information (OEI) Docket (Mail Code:
                                                                                                            of the technical information.                          28221T), Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OA–
                                                    the September 30, 2015 teleconference,
                                                                                                               Throughout the Panel review process,                2015–0245, U.S. Environmental
                                                    an additional teleconference will be
                                                                                                            there will be several opportunities for                Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
                                                    held on October 1, 2015, for that
                                                                                                            the public to provide comments. For                    Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460. The
                                                    purpose. (2) The purpose of the October
                                                                                                            example, the public will have                          phone number is (202) 566–1752.
                                                    28–30, 2015 face-to-face meeting is to
                                                                                                            opportunity to provide comments to the                    • Hand Delivery: The OEI Docket is
                                                    conduct a peer review of the agency’s
                                                                                                            Docket on the SAB Panel’s draft report,                located in the EPA headquarters Docket
                                                    draft report. If the SAB Staff Office
                                                                                                            provide oral statements to the Panel                   Center, Room 3334, EPA West Building,
                                                    determines that there will be
                                                                                                            during the Panel teleconferences and                   1301 Constitution Ave. NW.,
                                                    insufficient time during the October 28–
                                                    30, 2015 Panel meeting to accommodate                   meeting, and in preparation for quality                Washington, DC. The EPA Docket
                                                    the members of the public who                           review of the SAB Panel’s draft report                 Center Public Reading Room is open
                                                    registered in advance to provide oral                   by the Chartered SAB. Members of the                   from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday
                                                    public comments, the teleconference on                  public wishing to provide written                      through Friday, excluding legal
                                                    October 19, 2015 will be held to provide                comments may submit them to the EPA                    holidays. The telephone number for the
                                                    additional time for oral public                         Docket electronically via                              Public Reading Room is (202) 566–1744.
                                                    comments.                                               www.regulations.gov, by email, by mail,                Deliveries are only accepted during the
                                                       All draft reports developed by SAB                   by facsimile, or by hand delivery/                     docket’s normal hours of operation, and
                                                    panels, committees or workgroups are                    courier. Please follow the detailed                    special arrangements should be made
                                                    reviewed and approved by the                            instructions provided in the written                   for deliveries of boxed information.
                                                    Chartered SAB through a quality review                  statements section of this notice.                        • Fax: (202) 566–9744.
                                                    process before being finalized and                      Members of the public wishing to                          Public comments submitted after
                                                    transmitted to the EPA Administrator.                   provide oral statements to the SAB                     August 28, 2015 will be marked late,
                                                    The quality reviews are conducted in a                  Panel should contact the DFO directly.                 and should be submitted to the Docket
                                                    public meeting as required by FACA.                        Oral Statements: In general,                        by email, mail, hand delivery or fax (see
                                                    Additional opportunities for the public                 individuals or groups requesting to                    detailed instructions above). Consistent
                                                    to provide comments on the SAB’s                        present an oral statement at a public                  with SAB Staff Office general practice,
                                                    review of the agency’s draft report,                    teleconference will be limited to three                comments received after August 28,
                                                    Assessment of the Potential Impacts of                  minutes per speaker. To be placed on                   2015 will be made available to the SAB
                                                    Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas on                 the public speaker list for the September              Panel as soon as practicable.
                                                    Drinking Water Resources, (May, 2015                    30, 2015 teleconference, interested                       It is EPA’s policy to include all
                                                    External Review Draft, EPA/600/R–15/                    parties should notify Mr. Edward                       comments received in the public docket
                                                    047) will be provided in a separate                     Hanlon, DFO, by email no later than                    without change and to make the
                                                    Federal Register Notice announcing                      September 23, 2015. In general,                        comments available on-line at
                                                    public meetings to discuss the draft                    individuals or groups requesting to                    www.regulations.gov, including any
                                                    Panel report.                                           present an oral statement at the face-to-              personal information provided, unless a
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                       Availability of Meeting Materials: The               face public meeting will be limited to                 comment includes information claimed
                                                    draft EPA report, Assessment of the                     five minutes. Interested parties should                to be Confidential Business Information
                                                    Potential Impacts of Hydraulic                          contact Mr. Edward Hanlon, DFO, in                     (CBI) or other information whose
                                                    Fracturing for Oil and Gas on Drinking                  writing (preferably via email) at the                  disclosure is restricted by statute. Do
                                                    Water Resources, (May, 2015 External                    contact information noted above by                     not submit information that you
                                                    Review Draft, EPA/600/R–15/047), is                     October 13, 2015 to be placed on the list              consider to be CBI or otherwise
                                                    available on the SAB Web site at                        of public speakers for the October 28–                 protected through www.regulations.gov
                                                    http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/                            30, 2015 meeting.                                      or email. The www.regulations.gov Web


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                                                                                     Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 108 / Friday, June 5, 2015 / Notices                                           32113

                                                    site is an ‘‘anonymous access’’ system,                 DW%20Progress%20Report?Open                            consultation, and recommendations to
                                                    which means EPA will not know your                      Document.                                              the EPA Administrator on the technical
                                                    identity or contact information unless                    Accessibility: For information on                    basis for EPA actions. As a Federal
                                                    you provide it in the body of your                      access or services for individuals with                Advisory Committee, the SAB conducts
                                                    comment. If you send an email directly                  disabilities, please contact Mr. Edward                business in accordance with the Federal
                                                    to EPA without going through                            Hanlon at the phone number or email                    Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (5
                                                    www.regulations.gov, your email                         address noted above, preferably at least               U.S.C. App. 2) and related regulations.
                                                    address will be automatically captured                  ten days prior to the meeting to give                  Pursuant to FACA and EPA policy,
                                                    and included as part of the comment                     EPA as much time as possible to process                notice is hereby given that the SAB
                                                    that is placed in the public docket and                 your request.                                          Biogenic Carbon Emissions Panel will
                                                    made available on the Internet. If you                    Dated: June 1, 2015.
                                                                                                                                                                   hold three public teleconferences to
                                                    submit an electronic comment, EPA                                                                              review its draft report on EPA’s
                                                                                                            Thomas H. Brennan,
                                                    recommends that you include your                                                                               Framework for Assessing Biogenic CO2
                                                    name and other contact information in                   Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board            Emissions from Stationary Sources
                                                                                                            Staff Office.
                                                    the body of your comment and with any                                                                          (November 2014). The SAB will comply
                                                                                                            [FR Doc. 2015–13674 Filed 6–4–15; 8:45 am]
                                                    disk or CD–ROM you submit. If EPA                                                                              with the provisions of FACA and all
                                                    cannot read your comments due to                        BILLING CODE 6560–50–P                                 appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural
                                                    technical difficulties and cannot contact                                                                      policies.
                                                    you for clarification, the SAB Panel may                                                                          As noticed in 80 FR 8867–8868, a
                                                    not be able to consider your comments.                  ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION                               face-to-face meeting of the Biogenic
                                                    Electronic files should avoid the use of                AGENCY                                                 Carbon Emissions Panel was held on
                                                    special characters and any form of                      [FRL–9928–84–OA]                                       March 25 and 26, 2015 and a
                                                    encryption and be free of any defects or                                                                       teleconference was held on May 29,
                                                    viruses. For additional information                     Notification of Three Teleconferences                  2015. Background on the current
                                                    about EPA’s public docket, visit the EPA                of the Science Advisory Board                          advisory activity can be found on the
                                                    Docket Center homepage at                               Biogenic Carbon Emissions Panel                        SAB Web site at http://
                                                    www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.                                                                               yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/
                                                       Documents in the docket are listed in                AGENCY: Environmental Protection                       fedrgstr_activites/Biogenic%20CO2%20
                                                    the www.regulations.gov index.                          Agency (EPA).                                          Framework?OpenDocument.
                                                    Although listed in the index, some                      ACTION: Notice.                                           Availability of the meeting materials:
                                                    information is not publicly available,                                                                         Agendas and meeting materials will be
                                                    e.g., CBI or other information whose                    SUMMARY:   The Environmental Protection                posted on the SAB Web site prior to
                                                    disclosure is restricted by statute.                    Agency (EPA or Agency) Science                         each teleconference. To locate these
                                                    Certain other material, such as                         Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office                      materials, go to epa.gov/sab and click on
                                                    copyrighted material will be publicly                   announces three teleconferences of the                 the calendar and then the respective
                                                    available only in hard copy. Publicly                   SAB Biogenic Carbon Emissions Panel                    teleconference dates. EPA’s review
                                                    available docket materials are available                to review EPA’s Framework for                          document, charge to the Panel and other
                                                    either electronically at                                Assessing Biogenic CO2 Emissions from                  background materials are also available
                                                    www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at                  Stationary Sources (November 2014).                    at the URL above. For questions
                                                    the OEI Docket in the EPA Headquarters                  DATES: The public teleconferences will                 concerning EPA’s Framework for
                                                    Docket Center.                                          be held on July 6, 2015 from 11:00 a.m.                Assessing Biogenic CO2 Emissions from
                                                       History of SAB Hydraulic Fracturing                  to 2:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), August 6,                 Stationary Sources (November 2014),
                                                    Research Advisory Panel: In April 2012,                 2015 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.                      please contact Sara Ohrel, Climate
                                                    the EPA’s Office of Research and                        (Eastern Time) and September 9, 2015                   Change Division, at ohrel.sara@epa.gov
                                                    Development asked the SAB to conduct                    from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (Eastern                  or (202) 343–9712.
                                                    a peer review and provide advice to the                 Time).                                                    Procedures for Providing Public Input:
                                                    agency on the scientific quality of its                                                                        Public comment for consideration by
                                                                                                            ADDRESSES:   The teleconferences will be
                                                    research study report on the potential                                                                         EPA’s federal advisory committees and
                                                                                                            held by telephone only.
                                                    impacts of hydraulic fracturing on                                                                             panels has a different purpose from
                                                    drinking water resources. In response to                FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any                   public comment provided to EPA
                                                    that request, the SAB Staff Office                      member of the public wishing further                   program offices. Therefore, the process
                                                    formed the SAB Hydraulic Fracturing                     information regarding the public                       for submitting comments to a federal
                                                    Research Advisory Panel. In 2013 the                    teleconferences may contact Dr. Holly                  advisory committee is different from the
                                                    SAB panel members provided their                        Stallworth, Designated Federal Officer                 process used to submit comments to an
                                                    individual expert comments in response                  (DFO), SAB Staff Office, by telephone/                 EPA program office. Federal advisory
                                                    to charge questions relating to the                     voice mail at (202) 564–2073 or via                    committees and panels, including
                                                    December 2012 progress report entitled,                 email at stallworth.holly@epa.gov.                     scientific advisory committees, provide
                                                    Study of the Potential Impacts of                       General information concerning the EPA                 independent advice to EPA. Members of
                                                    Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water                  Science Advisory Board can be found at                 the public can submit relevant
                                                    Resources: Progress Report. The panel                   the EPA SAB Web site at http://                        comments on the topic of this advisory
                                                    also held a teleconference call in 2013                 www.epa.gov/sab.                                       activity, including the charge to the
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    to receive public comments on new and                   SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                             panel and the EPA review documents,
                                                    emerging information related to                           Background: The SAB was                              and/or the group conducting the
                                                    hydraulic fracturing and drinking water                 established pursuant to the                            activity, for the SAB to consider during
                                                    resources. Information on the formation                 Environmental Research, Development,                   the advisory process. Input from the
                                                    of the panel and its previous activities                and Demonstration Authorization Act                    public to the SAB will have the most
                                                    is provided on the SAB Web site at                      (ERDAA) codified at 42 U.S.C. 4365, to                 impact if it consists of comments that
                                                    http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.                 provide independent scientific and                     provide specific scientific or technical
                                                    nsf/fedrgstr_activites/HF%20and%20                      technical peer review, advice,                         information or analysis for the SAB


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Document Created: 2015-12-15 15:21:01
Document Modified: 2015-12-15 15:21:01
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice.
DatesThe public teleconferences will be held from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
ContactMembers of the public who wish to obtain further information regarding these public meetings may contact Edward Hanlon, Designated Federal Officer, by telephone: (202) 564-2134
FR Citation80 FR 32111 

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