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Meetings: Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future
The President directed that the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future (the Commission) be established to conduct a comprehensive review of policies for managing the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle. The Commission will provide advice and make recommendations on issues including alternatives for the storage, processing, and disposal of civilian and defense spent nuclear fuel and nuclear waste.
The meeting was held on January 27th at the Pecos Village River Conference Center. The Commission heard presentations and statements from various stakeholder groups, and asked questions of the presenters, to provide additional information for Commission consideration.
Inquiry to Learn whether Businesses Assert Business Confidentiality Claims
Document ID: EPA-HQ-OECA-2010-1003-0001
Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OECA-2010-1003
The purpose of this notice is to inform "affected businesses'' about the documents or data sought by these types of FOIA requests in order to provide the businesses with the opportunity to assert claims that any of the information sought that pertains to them is entitled to treatment as confidential business information (CBI), and to send comments to EPA supporting their claims for such treatment.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) receives from time to time Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for documentation received or issued by EPA or data contained in EPA database systems pertaining to the export and import of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous waste from/to the United States, the export of cathode ray tubes (CRTs) and spent lead acid batteries (SLABs) from the United States, and the export and import of RCRA universal waste from/to the United States.
These documents and data may identify or reference multiple parties, and describe transactions involving the movement of specified materials in which the parties propose to participate or have participated. The purpose of this notice is to inform "affected businesses'' about the documents or data sought by these types of FOIA requests in order to provide the businesses with the opportunity to assert claims that any of the information sought that pertains to them is entitled to treatment as confidential business information (CBI), and to send comments to EPA supporting their claims for such treatment.
Random Drug Testing Rate for Covered Crewmembers (Federal Register Publication)
Document ID: USCG-2009-0973-0016
Docket ID: USCG-2009-0973
Under 46 CFR 16.230, the Coast Guard requires marine employers to establish random drug testing programs for covered crewmembers on inspected and uninspected vessels. Every marine employer is required by 46 CFR 16.500 to collect and maintain a record of drug testing program data for each calendar year, and submit this data by 15 March of the following year to the Coast Guard in an annual MIS report. Marine employers may either submit their own MIS reports or have a consortium or other employer representative submit the data in a consolidated MIS report.
The purpose of setting a minimum random drug testing rate is to assist the Coast Guard in analyzing its current approach for deterring and detecting illegal drug abuse in the maritime industry. The testing rate for calendar year 2010 was 50 percent.
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Contractor Conflicts of Interest
Document ID: EPA-HQ-OARM-2010-0989-0001
Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OARM-2010-0989
EPA contractors will be required to disclose business relationships and corporate affiliations to determine whether EPA's interests are jeopardized by such relationships. Because EPA has the dual responsibility of cleanup and enforcement and because its contractors are often involved in both activities, it is imperative that contractors are free from conflicts of interest so as not to prejudice response and enforcement actions. Contractors will be required to maintain a database of business relationships and report information to EPA on either an annual basis or when each work order is issued.
Endangered and Threatened Species: Designation of Critical Habitat for Threatened Lower Columbia River Coho Salmon and Puget Sound Steelhead
Document ID: NOAA-NMFS-2011-0009-0002
Docket ID: NOAA-NMFS-2011-0009
Past critical habitat designations have generated considerable public interest. Therefore, we believe it is important to engage the public early in the rulemaking process. This ANPR is a key first step, and we encourage all interested parties to submit comments regarding the issues raised in this notice.
We are currently gathering information prior to proposing critical habitat for LCR coho and Puget Sound steelhead. As noted above, sections 3 and 4(b) of the ESA suggest a number of questions the agency should consider when designating critical habitat:
- What areas were occupied by the species at the time of listing?
- What physical and biological features are essential to the species’ conservation?
- Are those essential features ones that may require special management considerations or protection?
- Are there any areas outside those currently occupied that are ‘‘essential for conservation?’’
- What are the benefits to the species of critical habitat designation?
- What economic, national security and other relevant impacts would result from a critical habitat designation?
- What is the appropriate geographic scale for weighing the benefits of exclusion and benefits of designation?
- Will the failure to designate any particular area as critical habitat result in the extinction of the species?
Call for Information: Information Related to the Development of Emission-Estimating Methodologies for Animal Feeding Operations
Document ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0960-0001
Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0960
The Environmental Protection Agency is publishing this Call for Information to solicit quality-assured emissions and process data that are relevant to developing emissions-estimating methodologies for animal feeding operations. EPA may use the data to supplement the emissions and process data collected under the National Air Emission Monitoring Study for animal feeding operations.
EPA is requesting emissions and process data for broiler, egg-layer, swine, dairy, beef, and turkey AFOs. While EPA is interested in all air pollutants emissions data from AFOs, we are specifically seeking PM10, PM2.5, TSP, H2S, NH3, and VOC emissions data and related process information for animal confinement and manure storage and treatment processes.
USEPA’s DRAFT “Integrated Cleanup Initiative”
EPA is soliciting public comment, through January 10, 2011, on its draft Integrated Cleanup Initiative Implementation Plan. While many actions identified in the draft plan are already underway, EPA will use the comments received to further evaluate and refine the plan. EPA’s discussion of the background leading to its draft “Integrated Cleanup Initiative,” and a full-text copy of the draft, can be accessed at EPA’s website by clicking here.
Public Involvement in Solid Waste Facilities
This document provides guidance on how to develop and implement a public involvement plan, in the solid waste facility context. These guidances are very helpful in managing public relations.
Click here to view the document (PDF).
Comments
Categories: General Environmental
Workshops: Cumulative Mixtures Risk of Six Selected Phthalates
EPA is announcing that ICF International, an EPA contractor for external scientific peer consultation, will convene a panel of independent experts and conduct an external peer consultation workshop to: (1) Review the recommendations for evaluation of the cumulative mixtures risk of phthalates as set forth in the National Academies of Science (NAS) report "Phthalates and Cumulative Risk Assessment: The Tasks Ahead'' (2008); and (2) propose additional methods and approaches, not already captured in the 2008 NAS report, that may facilitate the assessment of risk(s) associated with exposure to cumulative mixtures of the six selected phthalates.
Document ID: EPA-HQ-ORD-2010-0927-0001
Document Type: NOTICES
Docket ID: EPA-HQ-ORD-2010-0927
Guidance on Planning, Implementing, Maintaining, and Enforcing Institutional Controls at Contaminated Sites
EPA's interim final guidance on Institutional Controls: A Guide to Planning, Implementing, Maintaining, and Enforcing Institutional Controls at Contaminated Sites addresses some of the common issues that may be encountered during the cleanup process and provides recommendations on how ICs can complement other response actions (such as engineered response action components) at a site. This interim final guidance also provides an overview of EPA's policy regarding the roles and responsibilities of the parties involved in the various aspects of planning, implementing, maintaining, and enforcing institutional controls. The guidance is available at www.regulations.gov.
Document ID: EPA-HQ-SFUND-2010-0894-0001
Document Type: NOTICES
Docket ID: EPA-HQ-SFUND-2010-0894
