81 FR 89097 - Second External Review Draft Integrated Science Assessment for Sulfur Oxides-Health Criteria
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 237 (December 9, 2016)
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 237 (December 9, 2016)
| Page Range | 89097-89098 | |
| FR Document | 2016-29438 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 237 (Friday, December 9, 2016)] [Notices] [Pages 89097-89098] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-29438] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2013-0357; FRL-9956-24-ORD] Second External Review Draft Integrated Science Assessment for Sulfur Oxides--Health Criteria AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of public comment period. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a public comment period ending on March 20, 2017, for the draft document titled, ``Second External Review Draft Integrated Science Assessment for Sulfur Oxides--Health Criteria'' (EPA/600/R-16/351). The draft document was prepared by the National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) as part of the review of the primary (health-based) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for sulfur dioxide (SO2 ). The Integrated Science Assessment (ISA), in conjunction with additional technical and policy assessments, provides the scientific basis for EPA's decisions on the adequacy of the current NAAQS and the appropriateness of possible alternative standards. EPA intends to develop a separate ISA as part of an independent review for the secondary (welfare-based) NAAQS for oxides of nitrogen and sulfur. EPA is releasing this draft document to seek review by the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) and the public (meeting date and location to be specified in a separate Federal Register notice). This draft document is not final as described in EPA's information quality guidelines, and it does not represent, and should not be construed to represent, Agency policy or views. When revising the document, EPA will consider any public comments submitted during the public comment period specified in this notice. DATES: The public comment period begins on December 9, 2016, and ends on March 20, 2017. Comments must be received on or before March 20, 2017. ADDRESSES: The ``Second External Review Draft Integrated Science Assessment for Sulfur Oxides--Health Criteria'' will be available primarily via the internet on EPA's Integrated Science Assessment for Sulfur Dioxide (Health Criteria) home page at http://www2.epa.gov/isa/integrated-science-assessment-isa-sulfur-dioxide-health-criteria or the public docket at http://www.regulations.gov, Docket ID: EPA-HQ-ORD- 2013-0357. 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, ``Second External Review Draft Integrated Science Assessment for Sulfur Oxides--Health Criteria'' to facilitate processing of your request. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the public comment period, contact the ORD Docket at the EPA Headquarters Docket Center; phone: 202-566-1752; fax: 202-566-9744; or email: [email protected]. For technical information, contact Dr. Tom Long, NCEA; phone: 919- 541-1880; 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 [[Page 89098]] 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 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 periodic review 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 http://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/review.html). Sulfur oxides are 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, in conjunction with additional technical and policy assessments, provides the scientific basis for EPA's decisions on the adequacy of the current NAAQS and the appropriateness of possible alternative standards. The 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 May 10, 2013 (78 FR 27387), EPA formally initiated its current review of the air quality criteria for the health effects of sulfur oxides and the primary (health-based) SO2 NAAQS, requesting the submission of recent scientific information on specified topics. EPA held a workshop on June 12-13, 2013, 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 health effects of sulfur oxides and the primary SO2 NAAQS (78 FR 27387). These science and policy issues were incorporated in EPA's ``Integrated Review Plan for the Primary National Ambient Air Quality Standard for Sulfur Dioxide'' (EPA-452/R- 14-007), which was finalized in October 2014 (79 FR 66721) with a prior draft available for public comment (79 FR 14035) and discussion by the CASAC via publicly accessible teleconference consultations (79 FR 16325, 79 FR 30137, 79 FR 34739). On June 23-24, 2014, EPA held a workshop to discuss, with invited internal and external scientific experts, initial draft materials prepared in the development of the ISA (79 FR 33750). EPA considered comments on these draft materials in preparing the first external review draft of the ISA, which was released on November 24, 2015 (80 FR 73183). The first draft ISA was discussed at a public CASAC meeting on January 27-28, 2016 (80 FR 79330). Subsequently, on April 15, 2016, the CASAC panel provided a consensus letter to the EPA Administrator summarizing their review. The second draft ISA has been developed with consideration of comments from the CASAC and the public, and includes consideration of scientific studies published through September 2016. The ``Second External Review Draft Integrated Science Assessment for Sulfur Oxides--Health Criteria'' will be discussed by the CASAC at a public meeting. In addition to the public comment period announced in this notice, the public will have an opportunity to submit written and/ or oral comments related to this second external review draft ISA to the CASAC. A separate Federal Register notice will inform the public of the exact date and time of the CASAC meeting and of the procedures for public participation. II. How To Submit Technical Comments to the Docket at www.regulations.gov Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2013- 0357, by one of the following methods:www.regulations.gov: Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Email: [email protected]. Fax: 202-566-9744. Mail: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center (ORD Docket), Mail Code: 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460. The phone number is 202-566-1752. Hand Delivery: The ORD Docket is located in the EPA Headquarters Docket Center, EPA West Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20004. 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 phone number for the Public Reading Room is 202-566-1744. Such deliveries are only accepted during the docket's normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information. If you provide comments by mail or hand delivery, please submit three copies of the comments. For attachments, provide an index, number pages consecutively with the comments, and submit an unbound original and three copies. Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD- 2013-0357. Please ensure that your comments are submitted within the specified comment period. Comments received after the closing date will be marked ``late,'' and may only be considered if time permits. It is EPA's policy to include all comments it receives in the public docket without change and to make the comments available online 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 through www.regulations.gov or email that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected. The www.regulations.gov Web site is an ``anonymous access'' system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an email comment directly to EPA without going through www.regulations.gov, your email address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket and made available on the internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA's public docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www2.epa.gov/dockets. Docket: 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 materials, such as copyrighted material, are publicly available only in hard copy. Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically on www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the ORD Docket in the EPA Headquarters Docket Center. Dated: November 22, 2016. Mary A. Ross, Deputy Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment. [FR Doc. 2016-29438 Filed 12-8-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 237 / Friday, December 9, 2016 / Notices 89097
delivery of environmental education Body Engineering consists of Welding, develop a separate ISA as part of an
and training programs and studies. Stamping, and Painting Operations. independent review for the secondary
The Foundation has a governing Mr. Butt serves on several boards (welfare-based) NAAQS for oxides of
Board of Directors (hereafter referred to including the National Wildlife Habitat nitrogen and sulfur.
in this section as ‘the Board’), which Council, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife EPA is releasing this draft document
consists of 13 directors, each of whom Foundation, World Wildlife Fund to seek review by the Clean Air
shall be knowledgeable or experienced National Council, North American Great Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC)
in the environment, education and/or Plains Advisory Board and the and the public (meeting date and
training. The Board oversees the Yellowstone Park Foundation Board. location to be specified in a separate
activities of the Foundation and assures Mr. Butt is a member of the U.S. EPA Federal Register notice). This draft
that the activities of the Foundation are Common Sense Initiative (CSI) document is not final as described in
consistent with the environmental and Automobile Sector. He served on the EPA’s information quality guidelines,
education goals and policies of the Blue Ribbon Panel on Sustaining and it does not represent, and should
Environmental Protection Agency and America’s Diverse Fish and Wildlife not be construed to represent, Agency
with the intents and purposes of the Resources. He was also given the Toyota policy or views. When revising the
Act. The membership of the Board, to Community Star Award for volunteering document, EPA will consider any public
the extent practicable, represents and giving back to the community in a comments submitted during the public
diverse points of view relating to very high standard. comment period specified in this notice.
Mr. Butt has a Bachelors of Science DATES: The public comment period
environmental education and training.
degree in Environmental Science from begins on December 9, 2016, and ends
Members of the Board are appointed by
Georgetown College. He has also on March 20, 2017. Comments must be
the Administrator of the Environmental
completed the International received on or before March 20, 2017.
Protection Agency.
Organization for Standardization (ISO) ADDRESSES: The ‘‘Second External
Within 90 days of the date of the 14000 Environmental Management
enactment of the National Review Draft Integrated Science
Auditor course, and the American Assessment for Sulfur Oxides—Health
Environmental Education Act, and as National Standards Institute-Registrar
appropriate thereafter, the Criteria’’ will be available primarily via
Accreditation Board (ANSI–RAB) the internet on EPA’s Integrated Science
Administrator will publish in the accredited Environmental Management
Federal Register an announcement of Assessment for Sulfur Dioxide (Health
Systems Auditor course. Criteria) home page at http://
appointments of Directors of the Board.
Such appointments become final and
[FR Doc. 2016–29591 Filed 12–8–16; 8:45 am] www2.epa.gov/isa/integrated-science-
effective 90 days after publication in the BILLING CODE 6560–50–P assessment-isa-sulfur-dioxide-health-
Federal Register. The directors are criteria or the public docket at http://
appointed for terms of 4 years. The www.regulations.gov, Docket ID: EPA–
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION HQ–ORD–2013–0357. A limited number
Administrator shall appoint an AGENCY
individual to serve as a director in the of CD–ROM copies will be available.
event of a vacancy on the Board within [Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–ORD–2013–0357; Contact Ms. Marieka Boyd by phone:
60 days of said vacancy in the manner FRL–9956–24–ORD] 919–541–0031; fax: 919–541–5078; or
in which the original appointment was email: boyd.marieka@epa.gov to request
Second External Review Draft a CD–ROM, and please provide your
made. No individual may serve more
Integrated Science Assessment for name, your mailing address, and the
than 2 consecutive terms as a director.
Sulfur Oxides—Health Criteria document title, ‘‘Second External
Dated: November 30, 2016. Review Draft Integrated Science
Gina McCarthy, AGENCY: Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA). Assessment for Sulfur Oxides—Health
Administrator. Criteria’’ to facilitate processing of your
ACTION: Notice of public comment
Mr. Kevin M. Butt request.
period.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
Mr. Kevin Butt is the Regional SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection information on the public comment
Environmental Director of Toyota’s Agency (EPA) is announcing a public period, contact the ORD Docket at the
North American Environmental comment period ending on March 20, EPA Headquarters Docket Center;
Sustainability Programs. He is 2017, for the draft document titled, phone: 202–566–1752; fax: 202–566–
responsible for the development of ‘‘Second External Review Draft 9744; or email: Docket_ORD@epa.gov.
Environmental Sustainability Programs Integrated Science Assessment for For technical information, contact Dr.
and Regulatory/Legislative development Sulfur Oxides—Health Criteria’’ (EPA/ Tom Long, NCEA; phone: 919–541–
for all of Toyota’s North American 600/R–16/351). The draft document was 1880; fax: 919–541–1818; or email:
operations. prepared by the National Center for long.tom@epa.gov.
Prior to Mr. Butt’s current assignment Environmental Assessment (NCEA) SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
he was the General Manager/Chief within EPA’s Office of Research and
Environmental and Safety Officer for Development (ORD) as part of the I. Information About the Document
Toyota Motor Engineering & review of the primary (health-based) Section 108(a) of the Clean Air Act
Manufacturing for all of Toyota’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards directs the Administrator to identify
Manufacturing operations. Prior to that (NAAQS) for sulfur dioxide (SO2). The certain pollutants which, among other
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
assignment Mr. Butt was the Assistant Integrated Science Assessment (ISA), in things, ‘‘cause or contribute to air
General Manager of Body Production conjunction with additional technical pollution which may reasonably be
Engineering for Toyota Motor and policy assessments, provides the anticipated to endanger public health or
Manufacturing North America, Inc., scientific basis for EPA’s decisions on welfare’’ and to issue air quality criteria
(TMMNA). He was responsible for Body the adequacy of the current NAAQS and for them. These air quality criteria are
Engineering for all Toyota’s North the appropriateness of possible to ‘‘accurately reflect the latest scientific
American manufacturing operations. alternative standards. EPA intends to knowledge useful in indicating the kind
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![89098 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 237 / Friday, December 9, 2016 / Notices
and extent of all identifiable effects on draft materials in preparing the first 0357. Please ensure that your comments
public health or welfare which may be external review draft of the ISA, which are submitted within the specified
expected from the presence of [a] was released on November 24, 2015 (80 comment period. Comments received
pollutant in the ambient air . . .’’ Under FR 73183). The first draft ISA was after the closing date will be marked
section 109 of the Act, EPA is then to discussed at a public CASAC meeting ‘‘late,’’ and may only be considered if
establish NAAQS for each pollutant for on January 27–28, 2016 (80 FR 79330). time permits. It is EPA’s policy to
which EPA has issued criteria. Section Subsequently, on April 15, 2016, the include all comments it receives in the
109(d) of the Act subsequently requires CASAC panel provided a consensus public docket without change and to
periodic review and, if appropriate, letter to the EPA Administrator make the comments available online at
revision of existing air quality criteria to summarizing their review. The second www.regulations.gov, including any
reflect advances in scientific knowledge draft ISA has been developed with personal information provided, unless a
on the effects of the pollutant on public consideration of comments from the comment includes information claimed
health or welfare. EPA is also required CASAC and the public, and includes to be Confidential Business Information
to review and, if appropriate, revise the consideration of scientific studies (CBI) or other information whose
NAAQS, based on the revised air quality published through September 2016. disclosure is restricted by statute. Do
criteria (for more information on the The ‘‘Second External Review Draft not submit information through
NAAQS review process, see http:// Integrated Science Assessment for www.regulations.gov or email that you
www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/review.html). Sulfur Oxides—Health Criteria’’ will be
Sulfur oxides are one of six criteria consider to be CBI or otherwise
discussed by the CASAC at a public protected. The www.regulations.gov
pollutants for which EPA has meeting. In addition to the public
established NAAQS. Periodically, EPA Web site is an ‘‘anonymous access’’
comment period announced in this
reviews the scientific basis for these system, which means EPA will not
notice, the public will have an
standards by preparing an ISA (formerly know your identity or contact
opportunity to submit written and/or
called an Air Quality Criteria information unless you provide it in the
oral comments related to this second
Document). The ISA, in conjunction body of your comment. If you send an
external review draft ISA to the CASAC.
with additional technical and policy email comment directly to EPA without
A separate Federal Register notice will
assessments, provides the scientific inform the public of the exact date and going through www.regulations.gov,
basis for EPA’s decisions on the time of the CASAC meeting and of the your email address will be
adequacy of the current NAAQS and the procedures for public participation. automatically captured and included as
appropriateness of possible alternative part of the comment that is placed in the
standards. The CASAC, an independent II. How To Submit Technical Comments public docket and made available on the
science advisory committee whose to the Docket at www.regulations.gov internet. If you submit an electronic
review and advisory functions are Submit your comments, identified by comment, EPA recommends that you
mandated by Section 109(d)(2) of the Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–ORD–2013– include your name and other contact
Clean Air Act, is charged (among other 0357, by one of the following methods: information in the body of your
things) with independent scientific • www.regulations.gov: Follow the comment and with any disk or CD–ROM
review of the EPA’s air quality criteria. online instructions for submitting you submit. If EPA cannot read your
On May 10, 2013 (78 FR 27387), EPA comments. comment due to technical difficulties
formally initiated its current review of • Email: Docket_ORD@epa.gov. and cannot contact you for clarification,
the air quality criteria for the health • Fax: 202–566–9744. EPA may not be able to consider your
effects of sulfur oxides and the primary • Mail: U.S. Environmental comment. Electronic files should avoid
(health-based) SO2 NAAQS, requesting Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center the use of special characters, any form
the submission of recent scientific (ORD Docket), Mail Code: 28221T, 1200 of encryption, and be free of any defects
information on specified topics. EPA Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, or viruses. For additional information
held a workshop on June 12–13, 2013, DC 20460. The phone number is 202– about EPA’s public docket visit the EPA
to gather input from invited scientific 566–1752. Docket Center homepage at http://
experts, both internal and external to • Hand Delivery: The ORD Docket is
www2.epa.gov/dockets.
EPA, as well as from the public, located in the EPA Headquarters Docket
regarding key science and policy issues Center, EPA West Building, Room 3334, Docket: Documents in the docket are
relevant to the review of the health 1301 Constitution Avenue NW., listed in the www.regulations.gov index.
effects of sulfur oxides and the primary Washington, DC 20004. Although listed in the index, some
SO2 NAAQS (78 FR 27387). These The EPA Docket Center Public information is not publicly available,
science and policy issues were Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to e.g., CBI or other information whose
incorporated in EPA’s ‘‘Integrated 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, disclosure is restricted by statute.
Review Plan for the Primary National excluding legal holidays. The phone Certain other materials, such as
Ambient Air Quality Standard for Sulfur number for the Public Reading Room is copyrighted material, are publicly
Dioxide’’ (EPA–452/R–14–007), which 202–566–1744. Such deliveries are only available only in hard copy. Publicly
was finalized in October 2014 (79 FR accepted during the docket’s normal available docket materials are available
66721) with a prior draft available for hours of operation, and special either electronically on
public comment (79 FR 14035) and arrangements should be made for www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at
discussion by the CASAC via publicly deliveries of boxed information. If you the ORD Docket in the EPA
accessible teleconference consultations provide comments by mail or hand Headquarters Docket Center.
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
(79 FR 16325, 79 FR 30137, 79 FR delivery, please submit three copies of Dated: November 22, 2016.
34739). On June 23–24, 2014, EPA held the comments. For attachments, provide
a workshop to discuss, with invited Mary A. Ross,
an index, number pages consecutively
internal and external scientific experts, with the comments, and submit an Deputy Director, National Center for
initial draft materials prepared in the unbound original and three copies. Environmental Assessment.
development of the ISA (79 FR 33750). Instructions: Direct your comments to [FR Doc. 2016–29438 Filed 12–8–16; 8:45 am]
EPA considered comments on these Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–ORD–2013– BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
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Document Created: 2018-02-14 09:03:56
Document Modified: 2018-02-14 09:03:56
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice of public comment period. | |
| Dates | The public comment period begins on December 9, 2016, and ends on March 20, 2017. Comments must be received on or before March 20, 2017. | |
| Contact | For information on the public comment period, contact the ORD Docket at the EPA Headquarters Docket Center; phone: 202-566-1752; fax: 202-566-9744; or email: [email protected] | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 89097 |
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