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Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxic Chemicals - EPA Public Meeting


[Federal Register: January 26, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 16)]
[Notices]
[Page 3941-3942]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26ja99-81]

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPPTS-400138; FRL-6058-5]

Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxic Chemicals; Toxic Chemical Release Reporting; Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know; Multimedia Strategy for Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxic Pollutants; Notice of Public Meetings

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

SUMMARY: EPA will hold three public meetings to obtain public comment on two specific draft documents developed as part of the Agency's Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxic (PBT) Pollutant strategy. The two draft documents are ``A Multimedia Strategy for Priority Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic (PBT) Pollutants'' and ``EPA Action Plan For Mercury.'' EPA will also hold three public meetings to obtain public comment on the Agency's proposal and options: (1) To add certain PBT chemicals to the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) of 1986 section 313 list of toxic chemicals and (2) to lower reporting thresholds for certain PBT chemicals subject to EPCRA section 313 and section 6607 of the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA). The Agency is also requesting comment on the persistence and bioaccumulation criteria presented in the proposed rule.

DATES: The first meeting on EPA's PBT pollutant strategy will take place in Washington, DC on February 16, 1999, at 9 a.m. and adjourn by noon. The second meeting on EPA's PBT pollutant strategy will take place in Chicago, IL on February 23, 1999, at 9 a.m. and adjourn at noon. The third meeting on EPA's PBT pollutant strategy will take place in San Francisco, CA on March 5, 1999, at 9 a.m. and adjourn at noon.

The first meeting on the EPCRA section 313/PPA section 6607 proposed rulemaking will take place in Washington, DC on February 16, 1999, at 1 p.m. and adjourn by 4 p.m. The second meeting on the EPCRA section 313/PPA section 6607 proposed rulemaking will take place in Chicago, IL on February 23, 1999, at 1 p.m. and adjourn at 4 p.m. The third meeting on the EPCRA section 313/PPA section 6607 proposed rulemaking will take place in San Francisco, CA on March 5, 1999, at 1 p.m. and adjourn at 4 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meetings in Washington, DC will be held at the Environmental Protection Agency, Auditorium, Education Center, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC. The meetings in Chicago, IL will be held at the Environmental Protection Agency, Room 328, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, IL. The meetings in San Francisco will be held at the Environmental Protection Agency, California Room, 75 Hawthorne St., San Francisco, CA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To sign up to speak at the meeting contact the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Hotline, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 5101, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460, Toll free: 1-800-535-0202, in Virginia and Alaska: 703-412-9877 or Toll free TDD: 1-800-553-7672. For further information on the EPCRA section 313/PPA section 6607 proposed rulemaking contact Daniel R. Bushman, 202-260-3882, e-mail: [email protected]. For further information on the Agency's PBT pollutant strategy, contact Sam Sasnett, 202-260-8020, e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. EPA's Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxic (PBT) Pollutants Strategy

In the Federal Register of November 17, 1998 (63 FR 63926) (FRL- 6045-2), EPA published a Notice announcing the availability of a draft strategy for affecting reductions in the releases and exposures to persistent, bioaccumulative toxic (PBT) pollutants, including a specific draft action plan for mercury. That notice requested the submission of written comments by February 16, 1999.

[[Page 3942]]

II. EPCRA Section 313/PPA Section 6607 Proposed Rulemaking

In 1986, Congress enacted the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). In 1990, Congress passed the Pollution Prevention Act. Section 313 of EPCRA and section 6607 of PPA require certain businesses to submit reports each year on the amounts of toxic chemicals their facilities release and otherwise manage as waste. The purpose of these requirements is to inform the public, government officials, and industry about releases and other quantities managed as waste in their communities.

Currently, the EPCRA section 313 reporting thresholds are 25,000 pounds for the ``manufacture'' or ``processing'' of a toxic chemical and 10,000 pounds for the ``otherwise use'' of a toxic chemical. On January 5, 1999 (64 FR 688) (FRL-6032-3), EPA proposed: (1) To lower the reporting thresholds for certain PBT chemicals that are subject to EPCRA section 313 and PPA section 6607; (2) to lower the reporting thresholds for dioxin and dioxin-like compounds, which were previously proposed for addition to the EPCRA section 313 list of toxic chemicals; and (3) to add certain PBT chemicals to the EPCRA section 313 list of toxic chemicals. The Agency also presented persistence and bioaccumulation criteria in the proposed rule. These public meetings are being scheduled in order to provide a forum for dialog to be shared by EPA, potentially affected industry groups, and the public about the basis of EPA's proposed action, options provided, and potential impacts and benefits.

III. Notice of Public Meeting

This Notice announces the Agency's intention to hold six public meetings to receive comments on both the PBT Strategy (including the Mercury Action Plan) and the EPCRA section 313 proposed rule. EPA planned these public meetings to cover these related actions because it believes that the same individuals are likely to want to comment on both. Therefore the public meetings have been scheduled such that comment on the PBT Strategy may be provided in the morning and comment on the EPCRA section 313 proposed rule may be provided in the afternoon. Oral statements will be scheduled on a first-come first- serve basis by calling the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to- Know Hotline at the numbers listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. All statements will be part of the public record.

List of Subjects

Environmental protection, Community right-to-know.

Dated: January 19, 1999.
William H. Sanders III,
Director, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics.
[FR Doc. 99-1749 Filed 1-25-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F

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