81 FR 62884 - Notification of Two Public Teleconferences of the Science Advisory Board: Lake Erie Phosphorus Objectives Review Panel

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 177 (September 13, 2016)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office announces two public teleconferences of the SAB Lake Erie Phosphorus Objectives Review Panel to review its draft report regarding the development of nutrient load reduction targets for Lake Erie.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 177 (Tuesday, September 13, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62884-62885]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-21989]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9952-25-OA]


Notification of Two Public Teleconferences of the Science 
Advisory Board: Lake Erie Phosphorus Objectives Review Panel

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Science Advisory 
Board (SAB) Staff Office announces two public teleconferences of the 
SAB Lake Erie Phosphorus Objectives Review Panel to review its draft 
report regarding the development of nutrient load reduction targets for 
Lake Erie.

DATES: The SAB Lake Erie Phosphorus Objectives Review Panel will 
conduct public teleconferences on October 12 and October 13, 2016. Each 
of the teleconferences will begin at 1:00 p.m. and end at 5:00 p.m. 
(Eastern Time).

ADDRESSES: The teleconferences will be conducted by telephone only.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public who wants 
further information concerning the public teleconferences may contact 
Dr. Thomas Armitage, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), EPA Science 
Advisory Board Staff Office (1400R), U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460; by 
telephone at (202) 564-2155 or via email at [email protected]. 
General information concerning the EPA SAB can be found at http://www.epa.gov/sab.

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 Lake Erie Phosphorus 
Objectives Review Panel will hold two public teleconferences to discuss 
its draft report on the development of nutrient load reduction targets 
for Lake Erie. The Panel will provide advice to the Administrator 
through the chartered SAB.
    EPA Region 5 is co-leading a binational workgroup to develop and 
implement the Nutrients Annex (``Annex 4'') of the 2012 Great Lakes 
Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) in accordance with Article 3(b)(i) of 
the GLWQA. Under Annex 4, the United States and Canada were charged 
with establishing binational Substance Objectives for phosphorus 
concentrations, loading targets, and allocations for the nearshore and 
offshore waters of Lake Erie. The EPA Region 5 Water Division requested 
that the SAB review modeling results that informed the development of 
the binational phosphorus reduction targets. The EPA also requested 
advice on future work to support implementation and evaluation of 
nutrient reduction goals for Lake Erie. The SAB Panel reviewed the 
documents titled Annex 4 Ensemble Modeling Report and Appendix B, and 
Recommended Phosphorus Loading Targets for Lake Erie. The SAB Panel met 
on June 21-22, 2016 to receive briefings from the EPA and invited 
experts, hear public comments, and deliberate on responses to the EPA 
charge questions (81 FR 31936). The purpose of the teleconferences 
described in this notice is to discuss the Panel's draft report. The 
two panel teleconferences will be conducted as one complete meeting 
beginning on October 12, 2016 and continuing on October 13, 2016, if 
needed to complete agenda items. Additional information about this SAB 
advisory activity can be found at the following URL http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/fedrgstr_activites/GLWQA%20Annex%204?OpenDocument.
    Technical Contacts: Any technical questions concerning work 
conducted under the GLWQA Annex 4 and the documents reviewed by the SAB 
should be directed to Ms. Santina Wortman, Water Division, U.S. EPA 
Region 5, 77 West Jackson Boulevard (WW-15J), Chicago, Illinois 60604, 
by telephone (312) 353-8319 or via email at [email protected].
    Availability of Meeting Materials: Prior to the meeting, the 
teleconference agenda, draft panel report, and other materials will be 
available on the SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab.
    Procedures for Providing Public Input: Public comment for 
consideration by EPA's federal advisory committees and panels has a 
different purpose from public comment provided to EPA program offices. 
Therefore, the process for submitting comments to a federal advisory 
committee is different from the process used to submit comments to an 
EPA program office. 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 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. Members of the 
public wishing to provide comment should contact the DFO directly. Oral 
Statements: In general, individuals or groups requesting an oral 
presentation at the teleconference will be limited to three minutes. 
Interested parties wishing to provide comments should contact Dr. 
Armitage, DFO, in writing

[[Page 62885]]

(preferably via email) at the contact information noted above by 
October 5, 2016, to be placed on the list of public speakers for the 
meeting. Written Statements: Written statements will be accepted 
throughout the advisory process; however, for timely consideration by 
Panel members, statements should be supplied to the DFO (preferably via 
email) at the contact information noted above by October 5, 2016. It is 
the SAB Staff Office general policy to post written comments on the Web 
page for advisory meetings. Submitters are requested to provide an 
unsigned version of each document because the SAB Staff Office does not 
publish documents with signatures on its Web sites. Members of the 
public should be aware that their personal contact information, if 
included in any written comments, may be posted to the SAB Web site. 
Copyrighted material will not be posted without explicit permission of 
the copyright holder.
    Accessibility: For information on access or services for 
individuals with disabilities, please contact Dr. Armitage at the 
contact information provided above. To request accommodation of a 
disability, please contact Dr. Armitage preferably at least ten days 
prior to the meeting to give EPA as much time as possible to process 
your request.

    Dated: September 7, 2016.
Khanna Johnston,
Acting Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2016-21989 Filed 9-12-16; 8:45 am]
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