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Draft Integrated Science Assessment for Ozone and Related Photochemical Oxidants
Document ID: EPA-HQ-ORD-2011-0050-0018
Document Type: Notice
Docket ID: EPA-HQ-ORD-2011-0050
Author: EPA
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the availability of the second external review draft of a document titled, "Second External Review Draft Integrated Science Assessment for Ozone and Related Photochemical Oxidants'' (EPA/600/R-10/076B). The document was prepared by the National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within EPA's Office of Research and Development as part of the review of the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for ozone. The "Second External Review Draft Integrated Science Assessment for Ozone and Related Photochemical Oxidants'' will be available primarily via the Internet on the National Center for Environmental Assessment's home page under the Recent Additions and Publications menus at http://www.epa.gov/ncea.
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Categories: Rulemaking Alerts
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?
Environmental Impact Statements; Availability, etc.: Proposed 2012-2017 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program
Document ID: BOEM-2010-0043-0022
Docket ID: BOEM-2010-0043
Consistent with the Secretary's direction to proceed with caution and focus on leasing in areas with current active leases, the area in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico that remains under a congressional moratorium, and the Mid and South Atlantic planning areas are no longer under consideration for potential sales and development through 2017. Therefore, meetings will not be held in these areas. The Western Gulf of Mexico, Central Gulf of Mexico, and the Cook Inlet, Chukchi Sea, and Beaufort Sea areas offshore Alaska will continue to be considered for potential leasing in the 2012-2017 OCS Program.
Pursuant to the regulations implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.), BOEMRE will hold public scoping meetings on the Draft Programmatic EIS for the proposed 2012-2017 5-Year OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program (Programmatic EIS). (See, 40 CFR 1501.7). The dates and locations of the Programmatic EIS public scoping meetings are as follows:
- Houston, Texas, Tuesday, February 15, 2011, Houston Airport Marriott at George Bush Intercontinental, 18700 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Houston, Texas, 1 p.m. (This scoping meeting will also accept comments on the lease sale EIS addressing Central and Western Gulf of Mexico sales included in the 2012-2017 OCS 5-Year Program.)
- New Orleans, Louisiana, Wednesday, February 16, 2011, New Orleans Airport Hilton, 901 Airline Drive, Kenner, Louisiana, 1 p.m. (This scoping meeting will also accept comments on the lease sale EIS addressing Central and Western Gulf of Mexico sales included in the 2012-2017 OCS 5-Year Program.)
- Mobile, Alabama, Thursday, February 17, 2011, Five Rivers--Alabama's Delta Resource Center, 30945 Five Rivers Boulevard, Spanish Fort, Alabama, 1 p.m. (This scoping meeting will also accept comments on the lease sale EIS addressing Central and Western Gulf of Mexico sales included in the 2012-2017 OCS 5-Year Program.)
- Kotzebue, Alaska, Monday, February 14, 2011, Kotzebue Middle/High School, 7 p.m.
- Point Hope, Alaska, Tuesday, February 15, 2011, Point Hope School Library, 7 p.m.
- Point Lay, Alaska, Wednesday, February 16, 2011, Point Lay Community Center, 7 p.m.
- Wainwright, Alaska, Thursday, February 17, 2011, Alak School Library,
7 p.m.
- Barrow, Alaska, Monday, February 21, 2011, Inupiat Heritage Center,
7 p.m.
- Nuiqsut, Alaska, Tuesday, February 22, 2011, Nuiqsut Community Center,
7 p.m.
- Kaktovik, Alaska, Wednesday, February 23, 2011, Kaktovik Community Center, 7 p.m.
- Washington, DC/Dulles, Virginia, Thursday, February 24, 2011, Washington, DC/Dulles Airport Marriott, 45020 Aviation Drive, Dulles, Virginia, 1 p.m.
- Anchorage, Alaska, Friday, February 25, 2011, BOEMRE Regional Offices, 3801 Centerpoint Drive, Conference Room, Anchorage, Alaska, 7 p.m.
Call for Information: Information on Inputs to Emission Equations Under the Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Rule
Document ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0964-0001
Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0964
EPA is publishing this call for information and public comment to solicit certain additional information pertaining to reporting of inputs to emission equations under the Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule. In response to EPA's July 7, 2010 proposed confidentiality determinations for data required under the reporting rule, EPA received several comments that warrant in-depth evaluation of potential harm to businesses from possible public availability of some of this data.
Consistent with EPA's long-standing interpretation, EPA proposed that data elements in the inputs to emission equations data category meet the definition of emission data under 40 CFR 2.301(a)(2)(i) and therefore, under CAA section 114(c), could not be held as confidential once they were reported to EPA. EPA received numerous public comments on the July 7, 2010 CBI proposal and the July 27, 2010 supplemental CBI proposal.
Though the EPA is still in the process of considering these comments, they plan to complete their consideration of these comments and issue final confidentiality determinations for the Part 98 data elements that are not inputs to emission equations, which constitute approximately 75 percent of the data elements, in a separate final action.
However, EPA received comments that raise concerns regarding the public availability of data in the inputs to emission equations category. Almost all commenters from industry wrote that some or all inputs to emission equations (which include product compositions, raw materials used, fuel types and quantities, production volumes, and other process-specific information) are considered trade secrets or otherwise sensitive business information, and that making that information publicly available would cause them serious competitive harm.
Some commenters expressed concern that public disclosure of production volumes and process-specific information could give competitors insight into sensitive operational limits and process capabilities.
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.
PSD and Title V Permitting Guidance for Greenhouse Gases; Notice of Availability and Public Comment Period
Notice is hereby given that the EPA has posted its guidance titled, "PSD and Title V Permitting Guidance for Greenhouse Gases'' on its significant guidance internet website.
Document ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0841-0003
Document Type: NOTICES
Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0841
