Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 130 / Thursday, July 6, 2000 / Notices 41655

chemicals annually. Each such facility

must file a separate report for each such

chemical.

In accordance with the authority in

EPCRA, EPA has established an

alternate threshold for those facilities

with low amounts of a listed toxic

chemical in wastes. A facility that

otherwise meets the current reporting

thresholds but estimates that the total

amount of the chemical in total waste

does not exceed 500 pounds per year,

and that the chemical was

manufactured, processed, or otherwise

used in an amount not exceeding 1

million pounds during the reporting

year, can take advantage of reporting

under the alternate threshold option for

that chemical for that reporting year.

Each qualifying facility that chooses

to apply the revised threshold must file

the Form A (EPA Form 9350-2) in lieu

of a complete TRI reporting Form R

(EPA Form 9350-1). In submitting the

Form A, the facility certifies that the

sum of the amount of the EPCRA section

313 chemical in wastes did not exceed

500 pounds for the reporting year, and

that the chemical was manufactured,

processed, or otherwise used in an

amount not exceeding 1 million pounds

during the reporting year. Use of the

Form A in place of the Form R

represents a substantial savings to

respondents, both in burden hours and

in labor costs.

The primary function served by the

submission of the Form A is to satisfy

the statutory requirement to maintain

reporting on a substantial majority of

releases for all listed chemicals. Without

the Form A, users of TRI data would not

have access to any information on these

chemicals. The Form A also serves as a

de facto range report, which is useful to

any party interested in amounts being

handled at a particular facility or for

broader statistical purposes.

Additionally, the Form A provides

compliance monitoring and

enforcement programs and other

interested parties with a means to track

chemical management activities and

verify overall compliance with the rule.

Responses to this collection of

information are mandatory (see 40 CFR

part 372) and facilities subject to

reporting must either submit a Form A

or a Form R.

Burden statement: The annual public

burden for this collection of

information, which is approved under

OMB Control No. 2070-0143, is

estimated to average 34.6 hours per each

form, for a facility which certifies one

chemical per form A. For facilities

which choose to certify two chemicals

per form A, the estimated burden is 67.8

hours per form. Responding to this

information collection requires: (1)

Determining whether a listed toxic

chemical is eligible for certification

under the alternate threshold, and (2)

completing the Form A. The burden of

determining eligibility for certification

is estimated to average 33.2 hours for

each chemical that is certified. The

burden of completing the Form A is

estimated to average 1.4 hours,

regardless of the number of chemicals

being certified. The total burden per

response is the combination of these

two, and will vary depending on the

number of listed toxic chemicals being

certified.

EPA estimates that as many as 7,397

respondents may submit a Form A with

these responses containing a total of

14,793 certifications. Total respondent

burden and cost for completing those

Form As are estimated at approximately

582,000 burden hours and $45.3 million

per year. (The alternate threshold may

save reporting facilities up to 189,000

hours, with a dollar value of $11

million, compared to the cost of

reporting on Form R.) The estimated

burden in this supporting statement

differs from what is currently in OMB’s

inventory for alternate threshold

reporting (13,157 respondents, 9,072

responses, and 646,875 burden hours) as

a result of both an adjustment and a

program change. The adjustment was

made by calculating the number of

eligible respondents and responses from

the manufacturing sector based on TRI

data from the 1998 reporting year (the

most recent TRI data available). This

adjustment reduced reporting burden by

62,772 hours. The program change was

made by excluding the reporting of PBT

chemicals on Form A. This change

reduces the burden associated with this

collection. The portion of the change

due to this regulatory change decreases

burden by 2,114 hours.

Estimated number of respondents:

7,397 respondents.

Estimated total annual burden on

respondents: 582,000 burden hours.

Frequency of collection: Annual.

List of Subjects

Environmental protection,

Community right-to-know, Reporting

and recordkeeping requirements, and

Toxic chemicals.

Dated: June 23, 2000.

Margaret N. Schneider,

Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator,

Office of Environmental Information.

[FR Doc. 00–16967 Filed 7–5–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–F

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[FRL–6730–5]

Program Description of the National

Environmental Achievement Track

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: On June 26, 2000, EPA

announced the design of its National

Environmental Achievement Track

(Achievement Track). The Achievement

Track is the first of a two-tier EPA

program that is designed to recognize

and encourage top environmental

performers. In the spring of 2001, EPA

intends to announce the design of the

second tier, the National Environmental

Stewardship Track. This notice provides

a detailed description of the

Achievement Track.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie

Spyres, Office of Policy and

Reinvention, 202–260–6787 or by email

at Spyres.Julie@epa.gov.

ADDRESSES: Office of Policy and

Reinvention, U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency, Ariel Rios Building,

Mailcode 2129, 1200 Pennsylvania

Avenue, Washington, DC 20460.

Additional information may also be

found at the Performance Track

Information Center (toll free) 1–888–339

PTRK (7875) or at the EPA Performance

Track website at http://www.epa.gov/

performancetrack.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: National Environmental

Achievement Track Program

Description

Abstract:

The National Environmental

Achievement Track Program

Description

I. Introduction

II. The National Environmental Achievement

Track

A. Entry Criteria

1. Environmental Management System

(EMS)

2. Demonstrated Environmental

Achievements and Commitment to

Continued Improvement

3. Public Outreach and Performance

Reporting

4. Record of Sustained Compliance with

Environmental Requirements

B. Incentives for Participation

C. Implementation

1. Application and Notification Process

2. Continued Compliance

3. Protocol for Site Visits

4. Annual Performance Report

5. Removal from the Achievement Track

D. The State Role and Relationship

E. Small Business Participation

41656 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 130 / Thursday, July 6, 2000 / Notices

1EPA will also use this program to implement

Section 403(a) of Executive Order 13148, which

directs EPA to establish a federal government

leadership program ‘‘to promote and recognize

outstanding environmental management

performance in agencies and facilities.’’

2For purposes of the Achievement Track, an EMS

represents an organization’s systematic efforts to

meet its environmental requirements, including

maintaining compliance and achieving performance

objectives that may be related to unregulated

aspects of the organization’s activities.

III. The National Environmental Stewardship

Track

IV. The EPA Administrator’s Environmental

Awards Program

I. Introduction

The National Environmental

Performance Track program is designed

to recognize and encourage top

environmental performers—those who

go beyond compliance with regulatory

requirements to attain levels of

environmental performance and

management that benefit people,

communities, and the environment.

Our system of environmental

protection continues to evolve. There is

a growing recognition that government

should complement existing programs

with new tools and strategies that not

only protect people and the

environment, but also capture

opportunities for reducing costs and

spurring technological innovation.

Over the last several years, EPA has

joined states, businesses, and

community and environmental groups

in experimenting with new approaches

that achieve high levels of

environmental protection with greater

efficiency. EPA’s Common Sense

Initiative was designed to improve

environmental results by tailoring

strategies for six industry sectors.

Project XL offers an opportunity to test

alternative management strategies that

promise better results. The national

Environmental Leadership Program and

EPA Region I’s Star Track program offer

new ways to encourage businesses to do

better than required. Likewise, many

states have developed innovative

programs for improving environmental

performance.

This program builds upon the lessons

EPA has learned from several state

leadership programs and from its own

efforts. We learned that innovations in

environmental management can be used

to create strategic business

opportunities and advantages while

maximizing the health and productivity

of our ecosystems and communities. We

learned the importance of keeping

innovation programs simple and their

transaction costs low. We know that we

must focus on performance, not just the

means of achieving it, and derive

measurable results from our programs.

The Performance Track program is the

culmination of these efforts. It will

recognize innovation, motivate others to

improve, and complement existing

regulatory activities. It has been

designed so that criteria for

participation are proportional to the

benefits. It will encourage participation

by small, medium, and large facilities. It

also emphasizes the importance of

effective state/EPA partnerships and the

need to inform and involve citizens and

communities.

EPA will be implementing the

National Environmental Performance

Track program at two levels. The first

level, the National Environmental

Achievement Track (Achievement

Track), is designed to recognize

facilities that consistently meet their

legal requirements and have

implemented high-quality

environmental management systems, as

well as to encourage them to achieve

more by continuously improving their

environmental performance and

informing and involving the public.

The second level, the National

Environmental Stewardship Track

(Stewardship Track), is still under

development. It is being designed to

recognize and encourage broader and

higher levels of voluntary

environmental performance than those

expected under the Achievement Track.

These may include improvement in

several categories of environmental

performance; a focus on environmental

management and performance with

regard to customers, suppliers, and

transporters; attention to product

stewardship; and even better

community engagement and public

outreach.

In developing the Achievement Track,

EPA has consulted extensively with

stakeholders and state environmental

agencies. EPA initially proposed to

develop a Performance Track program

in its report, Aiming for Excellence,

which it published in July 1999. In

March of this year, EPA released a draft

program description and held five

public meetings across the country on

this proposal. In addition, EPA has

consulted closely with state officials,

including a national forum to discuss

state programs, issues, and

participation.

This notice announces the National

Environmental Achievement Track.1

EPA plans to launch the Stewardship

Track in May 2001. Although this notice

focuses on the Achievement Track, a

later section describes the concept of the

Stewardship Track and the process EPA

will use to develop it.

II. The National Environmental

Achievement Track

This section describes the criteria a

facility will voluntarily meet to qualify

for the Achievement Track, the

incentives EPA intends to provide, the

approach EPA intends to take to

implement the program, and how EPA

will manage this program with the

states.

A. Entry Criteria

To qualify for the Achievement Track,

a facility will demonstrate that it:

• Has adopted and implemented an

environmental management system

(EMS) that includes the elements

specified below;

• Is able to demonstrate specific

environmental achievements and

commit to continued improvement;

• Commits to public outreach and

performance reporting; and

• Has a record of sustained

compliance with environmental

requirements.

1. Environmental Management System

(EMS)

A facility will certify that it has an

EMS in place.2 The EMS will include

the elements listed below and will have

gone through at least one full cycle of

implementation (i.e., planning, setting

performance objectives, EMS program

implementation, performance

evaluation, and management review). A

facility that has adopted systems based

on EMS models with a Plan-Do-CheckAct framework would meet most of

these elements.

EPA recognizes that the scope and

level of formality of the EMS will vary,

depending on the nature, size, and

complexity of the facility. EPA’s

experience with a variety of programs

suggests that these EMS elements are

within the capability of small facilities

and can be met through a variety of

approaches. To help small facilities

implement an EMS, EPA will make

guidance documents and assistance

materials available.

A facility will certify that it has

implemented an EMS that includes

these elements:

Policy

• A written environmental policy,

defined by top facility management, that

includes commitments to: (1)

Compliance with both legal

requirements and voluntary

commitments; (2) pollution prevention

(based on a pollution prevention

hierarchy where source reduction is the

first choice); (3) continuous

improvement in environmental

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 130 / Thursday, July 6, 2000 / Notices 41657

3An environmental aspect is an ‘‘element of an

organization’s activities, products, or services that

can interact with the environment. Facilities are

asked to use their list of significant environmental

aspects in selecting performance commitments

under this program (see Section A.2).

4EPA recognizes that, depending on the nature

and extent of a facility’s operations, a small facility

may have fewer environmental aspects as well as

more limited resources for measuring and

committing to specific improvements in

performance. For purposes of this program, a

facility will be considered to be a ‘‘small’’ facility

if the company as a whole is a small business as

defined by the Small Business Administration (see

FR 30386, Vol. 65, No 94, May 15, 2000) and if the

facility itself employs fewer than fifty full-time

equivalent employees. A facility will self-certify as

to its status as a small business in the application

for admission to the Achievement Track. If a facility

is part of a larger company, it is the larger company

Continued

performance, including areas not subject

to regulations; and (4) sharing

information about environmental

performance and the operation of the

EMS with the community.

Planning

• Identification of significant

environmental aspects 3 and legal

requirements, including procedures for

integrating anticipated changes to the

facility’s requirements or commitments

into the EMS.

• Measurable objectives and targets to

meet policy commitments and legal

requirements, to reduce the facility’s

significant environmental impacts, and

to meet the performance commitments

made as part of the facility’s

participation in the program (under

Section A.2). In setting objectives and

targets, the facility should consider the

following criteria: preventing noncompliance, preventing pollution at its

source, minimizing cross-media

pollutant transfers, and improving

environmental performance.

• Active, documented programs to

achieve the objectives, targets, and

commitments in the EMS, including the

means and time-frames for their

completion.

Implementation and Operation

• Established roles and

responsibilities for meeting objectives

and targets of the overall EMS and

compliance with legal requirements,

including a top management

representative with authority and

responsibility for the EMS.

• Defined procedures for: (1)

Achieving and maintaining compliance

and meeting performance objectives; (2)

communicating relevant information

regarding the EMS, including the

facility’s environmental performance,

throughout the organization; (3)

providing appropriate incentives for

personnel to meet the EMS

requirements; and (4) document control,

including where documents related to

the EMS will be located and who will

maintain them.

• General environmental training

programs for all employees, and specific

training for those whose jobs and

responsibilities involve activities

directly related to achieving objectives

and targets and to compliance with legal

requirements.

• Documentation of the key EMS

elements, including the environmental

policy, significant environmental

aspects, objectives and targets, a top

management representative, compliance

audit program, EMS audit program, and

overall EMS authority.

• Operation and maintenance

programs for equipment and for other

operations that are related to legal

compliance and other significant

environmental aspects.

• An emergency preparedness

program.

Checking and Corrective Action

• An active program for assessing

performance and preventing and

detecting non-conformance with legal

and other requirements of the EMS,

including an established compliance

audit program and an EMS audit

program.

• An active program for prompt,

corrective action of any nonconformance with legal requirements

and other EMS requirements.

Management Review

Documented management review of

performance against the established

objectives and targets and the

effectiveness of the EMS in meeting

policy commitments.

Although a third-party audit of the

EMS is not necessary to qualify for the

Achievement Track, a facility is asked

in the application form if it has

undergone such an audit. If it has not,

it will have conducted a selfassessment. A facility will retain EMS

documentation and provide a summary

of its performance, including

performance against objectives and

targets, and a summary of the results of

compliance and EMS audits, in its

Annual Performance Report (discussed

in Section C.4).

2. Demonstrated Environmental

Achievements and Commitment to

Continued Improvement

A facility will demonstrate specific

environmental achievements and

commit to continued improvements in

its environmental performance. The

framework for reporting on performance is based on the Global Reporting

Initiative (GRI), which EPA also has

used in Region I’s StarTrack program.

This framework distinguishes two levels

of performance: Categories and aspects.

A category is a class of environmental

impacts (e.g., water discharges). An

aspect is an element of an organization’s

activities, products, or services that can

interact with the environment (e.g.,

discharges of heavy metals). EPA’s

approach to reporting is consistent not

only with the GRI but with generally

accepted EMS practice.

The categories and aspects for use in

the Achievement Track program are

listed in the Application Instructions for

the Achievement Track (the

Environmental Performance Table) and

are available on the Performance Track

web site (http://epa.gov/

performancetrack). Three of the

categories in the Table relate to the use

of resources. They are energy use, water

use, and materials use. Four of the

categories relate to the negative effects

of activities or processes. These include

air emissions, waste generation, water

discharges, and accidental releases. The

final two categories relate to efforts to

preserve or restore resources and to the

environmental performance of products.

Within each category, EPA has listed

one or more environmental aspects that

a facility may choose from in reporting

on its performance.

EPA will not specify which categories

and aspects a facility should select in

making its performance commitments.

However, the facility’s future

performance commitments need to be

closely tied to the significant

environmental aspects and the related

objectives and targets as identified in its

EMS. In addition, the facility should

take the following factors into account

in selecting categories and aspects for

future performance commitments:

• Local or regional environmental

concerns or priorities;

• Cross-media impacts of

performance improvements; and

• Progress that can be made through

pollution prevention.

Each applicant will demonstrate past

achievements and commit to and report

on future improvements. To

demonstrate past performance, a facility

is asked to select at least two

environmental aspects from any of the

categories in the Environmental

Performance Table and to describe the

improvements in its performance during

the current and preceding one year.

Small facilities have the option of

documenting improvement for at least

one environmental aspect from any

category.4 Facilities are encouraged to

41658 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 130 / Thursday, July 6, 2000 / Notices

as a whole that needs to meet the Small Business

Administration definition.

5This guidance is available at http://es.epa.gov/

oeca/oc/polover.pdf.

document performance achievements

beyond the minimum.

In making future performance

commitments, facilities should select at

least four environmental aspects, drawn

from two or more categories. Small

facilities should select at least two

aspects from two or more categories.

Again, facilities are encouraged to

commit to more than the minimum.

These commitments should cover the

three years that the facility will

participate in the Achievement Track

(the standard term for participation).

The aspects selected for past and future

performance may or may not be the

same, depending on the facility’s

priorities and the status of its

performance improvement efforts.

In documenting past achievements

and committing to continued

improvement, a facility will not rely on

any actions that represent compliance

with existing legal requirements at the

federal, state, tribal, or local levels.

These improvements will represent

actions taken by a facility that go

beyond existing legal requirements. A

facility will be asked to describe its

progress in meeting these commitments

in an Annual Performance Report (See

Section C.4).

There will be no absolute or relative

level of improvement in either past or

future performance needed to qualify for

the program. EPA is asking each facility

to document and commit to a level of

performance that is consistent with its

own situation, capabilities, and goals.

However, each facility is encouraged to

commit to significant improvements

that it is willing to justify publicly as a

participant in the Achievement Track.

EPA encourages each facility to use

the results of its participation in EPA,

state, and other partnership programs to

document its achievements in

improving performance. Participation in

a partnership program would not on its

own qualify a facility, but

improvements that occur in the context

of such a program would. For example,

as a result of participation in EPA’s

WasteWise, ClimateWise, WAVE (Water

Alliances for Voluntary Efficiency),

Design for the Environment, or Metal

Finishing Strategic Goals programs, a

facility may be able to document past

performance and commit to future

improvement. EPA’s Partnership

Programs coordinators will advise

facilities on the best ways to link efforts

in these programs with participation in

the Achievement Track.

3. Public Outreach and Performance

Reporting

A facility will demonstrate its

commitment to public outreach and

report periodically on its performance.

There is no standard set of outreach

activities, beyond what is required in

the Annual Performance Report. Each

facility’s approach to community

reporting beyond this Report will

depend on its size, scale of operations,

and setting.

EPA expects that applicants will

already have established a public

outreach program. For example,

participants in the Responsible Care

program or endorsers of the CERES

(Coalition for Environmentally

Responsible Economies) principles

typically have outreach programs that

may include a community advisory

panel, newsletters, performance

reporting, sponsorship of community

activities, and other outreach activities.

Many small facilities have adopted

lower-cost but effective outreach

programs.

In the application, each facility will

be asked to describe its activities and

plans in three areas: identifying and

responding to community concerns;

informing community members of

important matters that affect them; and

reporting on the performance of its EMS

and other performance commitments.

The facility also will be asked to

provide a short list of community/local

references who are familiar with the

facility and to list any ongoing citizen

suits against the facility.

During its evaluation process, EPA

will list the facility as an applicant on

the Performance Track web site. If a

facility is accepted, EPA will list it as a

participant and make a copy of its

application available to the public.

Identifying and Responding to

Community Concerns

A facility should be able to

demonstrate that it has established

mechanisms for identifying and

responding to local concerns regarding

the environmental effects of its

operations. Examples are concerns

about emissions, odors, traffic

congestion, water discharges, and

emergency warnings. At a minimum, a

small facility should be able to

document that it has designated a point

of contact with direct access to facility

management and has adopted

procedures for responding to questions

or concerns of local residents.

Other typical efforts could include a

designated community liaison official,

periodic public meetings or open

houses, and similar mechanisms. The

level of public outreach would depend

not only on the size of the facility, but

also on the degree of community

interest and the environmental effects of

the facility’s operations.

Informing Community Members of

Important Matters That Affect Them

Each applicant should describe the

mechanisms it uses to inform the

community of important issues related

to the facility’s environmental

performance. Many of the mechanisms

for identifying and responding to local

concerns may meet this objective as

well. Open houses, community

meetings, web pages, advisory panels, or

customer displays could be especially

appropriate. Again, these efforts should

be appropriate to a facility’s size,

operations, and setting.

Reporting on the Facility’s Performance

Commitments

Whatever means a facility employs for

community outreach, it should explain

specifically how it provides the public

with the environmental performance

information that it is committed to

reporting (described in Section A.2

above). Each facility will provide this

information to the local community in

its Annual Performance Report.

4. Record of Sustained Compliance With

Environmental Requirements

A facility will have a record of

compliance with environmental laws

and be in compliance with all

applicable environmental requirements

at the time of application. The facility

will maintain its compliance for the

duration of its participation in the

Achievement Track.

In evaluating the compliance record

of an applicant, EPA, along with its state

partners, will consult available

databases and enforcement information

sources. The scope of this screen and

the screening criteria are based on the

guidelines presented in the Agency’s

Compliance Screening for Partnership

Programs Guidance, 5 with certain

design changes appropriate for this

program. EPA may later add to or

modify these criteria, as needed, and as

it develops the National Environmental

Stewardship Track.

Participation in the Achievement

Track will not be appropriate if the

compliance screen shows any of the

following, under federal or state law.

Criminal Activity

• Corporate criminal conviction or

plea for environmentally-related

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 130 / Thursday, July 6, 2000 / Notices 41659

6The term ‘‘significant’’ with respect to violations

or non-compliance refers to how the violation is

characterized under the applicable media

enforcement response policy, available at http://

www.epa.gov/oeca/main/strategy/.

violations of criminal laws involving the

corporation or a corporate officer within

the past 5 years.

• Criminal conviction or plea of

employee at the same facility for

environmentally-related violations of

criminal laws within the past 5 years.

• Ongoing criminal investigation/

prosecution of corporation, corporate

officer, or employee at the same facility

for violations of environmental law.

Civil Activity

• Three or more significant civil

violations at the facility in the past 3

years.6

• Unresolved, unaddressed

Significant Non-compliance (SNC) or

Significant Violations (SV) at the

facility.

• Planned but not yet filed judicial or

administrative action at the facility.

• Ongoing EPA- or state-initiated

litigation at the facility.

• Situation where a facility is not in

compliance with the schedule and terms

of an order or decree.

In addition, EPA may also consider

whether there are significant problems

or a pattern of non-compliance in an

applicant’s overall civil or criminal

compliance history.

EPA encourages each facility to assess

its own compliance record under these

criteria as it makes a decision regarding

application to the Achievement Track.

B. Incentives for Participation

To promote participation in the

program and the environmental and

other benefits that will come with it,

EPA intends to offer several incentives

and is considering others.

In EPA’s March proposal on the

Performance Track program, which was

the subject of several public meetings

and written comment, EPA outlined

considerations that would influence its

choice of incentives for the

Achievement Track. EPA has continued

to rely on these considerations. EPA has

excluded incentives that would involve

a relaxation of substantive standards of

performance or that would require

statutory change. Many comments

indicated a preference for incentives

that apply broadly to different types of

facilities; that reduce the reporting,

monitoring, and other operating costs of

the current system; and that can be

implemented nationally.

EPA believes it is important to offer

the kinds of incentives described here

for several reasons. First, the

achievements of these facilities deserve

public recognition. Second, some of the

reporting and other administrative

requirements that are necessary for

other facilities may not be needed for

participants that have met the entry

criteria for the Achievement Track.

Third, these incentives may offer the

opportunity for qualifying facilities to

apply their resources to achieving even

better environmental performance. And

finally, the availability of these

incentives should encourage other

facilities to make environmental

improvements that will enable them to

qualify for participation.

EPA intends to offer several

incentives that will be available to

participants at the time they enter the

program. These include recognition,

access to information sources, and

program incentives that do not require

revision of existing guidance documents

or rulemaking. Specifically, these

include:

• An Achievement Track facility will

be a low priority for inspection targeting

purposes.

• As a discretionary factor in the

assessment of penalties, EPA will

consider a facility’s good faith

participation in the program as an

indication of its good faith efforts to

comply.

• Use of the Achievement Track logo

at a participating facility, in

communications with outside parties

about the facility, and in other ways

(although not in endorsing products).

• Listing on the Performance Track

web site and other EPA sites, in

promotional materials related to

Partnership Programs, in feature

articles, and in case studies that profile

accomplishments.

• Special recognition for Charter

Members at an event to be held in late

fall of 2000.

• Participation in Achievement Track

peer exchanges, including special

invitation conferences, workshops, and

networks, in which facilities share

successful practices and receive

recognition.

• Opportunities to be featured in a

Performance Practices Database EPA is

developing.

• Information sessions with senior

EPA officials to share lessons learned,

help design the Stewardship Track, and

improve the Achievement Track.

Some incentives that EPA is

considering would require actions by

the Agency to modify existing guidance

documents or administrative

procedures; the incentives will be

available when those steps have been

completed. In some cases, other steps

also must be taken before a facility may

take advantage of the incentives being

considered. For example, responsibility

for implementing parts of many

environmental programs is delegated to

states. In such cases, states may need to

revise regulations, agree on a revised

delegation package, reissue permits, or

take other actions.

EPA would make the following

incentives available to facilities in the

Achievement Track through

administrative actions (other than

rulemaking) or by issuing or amending

guidance documents:

• More direct access to the reduced

reporting and monitoring available

under the Discharge Monitoring Reports

(DMRs) provisions of the Clean Water

Act. EPA intends to modify the current

(1996) burden reduction guidance for

DMRs to allow Achievement Track

membership to substitute for certain

screening requirements set out in that

document.

• Greater flexibility under the Best

Available Control Technology (BACT)

requirement of the Clean Air Act. For

Achievement Track facilities that may

not be able to begin construction within

18 months of their BACT determination,

EPA would encourage states to extend

the applicability period through a

simplified control technology review.

EPA intends to recommend that the

states adopt this simplified review.

• More advantageous terms for

Achievement Track facilities under the

State Revolving Funds (SRF) program of

the Clean Water Act, such as reduced

loan rates and extended payback terms.

EPA intends to provide materials to

states that will encourage them to

incorporate this change into their SRF

policies.

• A greater opportunity for expedited

review of new reduced risk pesticide

products under the Federal Insecticide,

Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. If all of

a pesticide registrant’s U.S. pesticides

manufacturing facilities are participants

in the Achievement Track, this

participation would become an

additional factor that EPA would use in

granting an expedited review. EPA

would add participation to the list of

factors through administrative action.

EPA also is considering changes to its

current regulatory programs to offer

incentives to Achievement Track

facilities. These incentives will be

developed under a coordinated

Performance Track rulemaking. They

include:

• Reducing the frequency of reports

required under the Maximum

Achievable Control Technology (MACT)

provisions of the Clean Air Act. In this

incentive, EPA intends to reduce

significantly the frequency of required

41660 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 130 / Thursday, July 6, 2000 / Notices

7The Performance Track Information Center can

be contacted through email at ptrack@indecon.com

or by telephone at 1–888–339–PTRK (7875).

MACT reporting for all Achievement

Track facilities. EPA also intends to

further reduce reporting reductions for

Achievement Track facilities that

achieve MACT or better emission levels

through pollution prevention methods

such as process changes. EPA intends to

accomplish this through a single generic

rulemaking covering all MACT

standards.

• Streamlined monitoring, reporting,

and other procedural requirements for

Publicly-Owned Treatment Works

(POTWs) in the Achievement Track.

• Reducing the reporting costs for

POTWs in the Achievement Track that

must publish notices of violations by

facilities that use their services. These

POTWs would be allowed to use the

Internet rather than paid newspaper

notices.

• The opportunity for Achievement

Track facilities to consolidate reporting

under various environmental statutes

into a single report. EPA expects that

this consolidated reporting would be

phased in with a pilot program, and

potentially followed with a larger

program. This incentive may require

rulemaking.

Finally, EPA is determining the

feasibility of an additional set of

incentives or activities. These include

the following provisions:

• The opportunity for expedited

review for companies that submit

Premanufacturing Notifications (PMNs)

under the Toxic Substances Control Act,

if the substance is manufactured in an

Achievement Track facility and the

applicant uses EPA’s Pollution

Prevention Framework in preparing the

PMN submission. This incentive would

require rulemaking.

• Granting authority for Achievement

Track facilities to accumulate wastes for

up to 180 days (double the current limit

of 90 days) before triggering the

requirement for obtaining a Resource

Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

Part B storage permit. This incentive

would require rulemaking.

EPA will identify and evaluate other

incentives that may be made available to

participants in the Achievement Track,

and later in the Stewardship Track, as

the program matures. These would be

implemented through the required

administrative processes, including

notice and comment rulemaking when

that is appropriate.

C. Implementation

Application materials are available

either from the Performance Track web

site or from the Performance Track

Information Center.7 The

implementation process is based on the

following principles:

• Fair, effective, and timely

evaluation of applications;

• Timely response to concerns of

participants and community

stakeholders;

• Close cooperation among EPA

offices and with state and tribal

agencies;

• Ongoing evaluation of the

Achievement Track, with the goal of

continuous improvement as it matures;

and

• Low transaction costs, consistent

with achieving the goals of the

Achievement Track.

This section provides an overview of

EPA’s approach to implementing the

Achievement Track. It covers: (1) The

application and notification process; (2)

continued compliance; (3) the protocol

for site visits; (4) the Annual

Performance Report; and (5) removal

from the program.

1. Application and Notification Process

A facility formally applies for the

Achievement Track by submitting the

application form. EPA uses the

information on the form (with the

appropriate self-certifications), the

results of the compliance screening, and

information from consultations with

EPA regional offices and state agencies

in evaluating a facility’s qualifications.

EPA will not conduct site visits as a part

of the formal selection process.

However, EPA regional offices and state

agencies may, on occasion, request a

program site visit with an applicant

when more information on a facility’s

qualifications is needed.

EPA will first review the application

for completeness and notify the facility

when the substantive review has begun.

An EPA committee, made up of

representatives from headquarters and

regional offices, will conduct a

substantive review. Through the

appropriate regional office, EPA will

consult with the state in which the

facility is located to help determine the

facility’s eligibility for the Achievement

Track. As part of this review, EPA will

also conduct a compliance screen to

evaluate the facility’s past performance

record.

A facility that is accepted into the

Achievement Track will receive written

notification from EPA. EPA will

announce that a facility has been

accepted through the Performance Track

web site. A facility will be accepted for

participation in the program for a period

of three years. A facility that is not

accepted will receive a brief explanation

for EPA’s decision.

Once a facility is accepted, it becomes

eligible for the incentives offered in the

Achievement Track. It will become

eligible for other incentives as they are

formally added to the program. EPA’s

standard acceptance letter will define

the specific incentives available at the

time of acceptance and the conditions

under which they are granted or may be

used (e.g., the conditions for the use of

the program logo). EPA will notify

participants of other incentives as they

become available.

A facility should understand that its

participation in the Achievement Track

program is discretionary with EPA, that

it may not challenge a decision to be

rejected or removed from the program,

and that the fact of its participation is

not relevant to any issue of law or fact

in any legal enforcement proceeding for

violations of environmental

requirements.

The first application period for the

Achievement Track will begin on July 5,

2000 and end on September 30, 2000.

Facilities that submit applications by

September 1, 2000 and are accepted will

qualify as Charter Members of the

Achievement Track. These will be

announced in a special recognition

ceremony in late November 2000. All

other selections from the first

application period will be announced in

December 2000. EPA plans to open a

second application period in the first

quarter of 2001.

2. Continued Compliance

This program recognizes and

promotes improved environmental

performance, but is built on a

foundation of sustained compliance.

There are several components of this

program that help to assure continued

compliance, such as an EMS that meets

specified criteria (including compliance

with legal requirements), compliance

self-audits, and an annual certification

that the facility is meeting the program

entry criteria and is continuing to

maintain compliance. In recognition of

these and other program elements, and

of good faith participation in this

program, facilities will not be subject to

greater enforcement scrutiny solely as a

result of their participation in the

Achievement Track.

Compliance issues may arise from

time to time at an Achievement Track

facility. This notice describes how

Achievement Track facilities can

quickly and efficiently address these

instances. In fact, EPA expects that a

vigorous, performance- and complianceVerDate 11<MAY>2000 23:48 Jul 05, 2000 Jkt 190000 PO 00000 Frm 00037 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\06JYN1.SGM pfrm08 PsN: 06JYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 130 / Thursday, July 6, 2000 / Notices 41661

focused EMS will identify for prompt

correction any instances of actual or

potential non-compliance. In general,

facilities are rewarded for their selfidentification, correction and prompt

disclosure of violations through penalty

mitigation under EPA’s Audit Policy,

and Achievement Track participants

will likewise be able to avail themselves

of this compliance incentive, under the

conditions specified in the Policy. In

addition, EPA recognizes that violations

may be discovered during the course of

an on-site Achievement Track program

visit. EPA similarly will allow the

application of the Audit Policy to

violations discovered in this manner,

provided that the facility could not

reasonably be expected to have known

about or identified the violation prior to

the on-site visit. Finally, in the unlikely

event that an Achievement Track

facility becomes subject to an

enforcement action, EPA will consider,

as a discretionary factor in the

assessment of penalties, the facility’s

good faith participation in the program

as an indication of the facility’s good

faith efforts to comply.

3. Protocol for Site Visits

To evaluate the effectiveness of the

Achievement Track program, EPA will

conduct program site visits with a

limited number of facilities each year.

During a program site visit, a facility

will make available materials that

directly support its participation in the

Achievement Track, including the EMS,

progress on performance commitments,

and information on community

outreach. The protocol for arranging and

conducting these site visits is:

• A facility will receive notice in

advance of the visit and have an

opportunity to schedule the timing with

EPA to accommodate facility production

schedules and deadlines.

• The scope of the visit will be to

assess the facility’s implementation of

the Achievement Track program,

including its EMS, its progress in

meeting its performance commitments,

and its public outreach efforts.

• The visit may include

representatives from EPA headquarters,

the EPA regional office, the state

environmental agency, and (subject to

the approval of the facility) possibly

from the local community and other

Achievement Track facilities.

• The visit will be conducted

according to a written protocol that will

be made available to the facility well in

advance of the visit. EPA expects that

the visits would take from a few hours

to a full working day, depending on the

size and complexity of the facility.

• EPA will visit up to twenty percent

of participants in a given year. Facilities

may request a program site visit from

EPA.

4. Annual Performance Report

To remain in the Achievement Track,

a participant will complete and submit

an Annual Performance Report to EPA

and the public. The purposes of this

report are to provide information on the

effectiveness of the program, to

demonstrate the facility’s progress

toward its performance commitments,

and to ensure that the facility is

maintaining its qualifications under the

program. This brief summary report may

be submitted electronically or in

writing. A draft format will be available

on the Performance Track web site. The

public will have an opportunity to

comment on the format before it

becomes final.

The Annual Performance Report will

include the following categories of

information:

• Summary of the EMS performance

(based on objectives and targets),

including a summary of the EMS and

compliance audits performed and any

corrective action taken;

• Brief progress report on the

facility’s performance commitments;

• Summary of the facility’s public

outreach activities; and

• Self-certification that the

participant continues to meet the

Achievement Track criteria.

The report will be due approximately

one year after acceptance into the

program, and annually thereafter. EPA

will notify the facility of the due date in

the acceptance letter. EPA is not

planning to prescribe a means for public

transmission of the report but will

provide a menu of options from which

participants may choose (e.g., company

web site, publication in local press,

mailings). EPA is considering providing

specialized assistance in this area for

small facilities.

A facility should maintain on-site the

supporting documentation used to

prepare its Annual Performance Report

and make this documentation available

to EPA upon EPA’s request.

5. Removal From the Achievement

Track

There may be cases when a facility

encounters significant performance

problems that may warrant its removal

from the Achievement Track. At EPA’s

discretion, a participant may be

removed from the Achievement Track

for such reasons as falsifying

information in the application or

Annual Performance Report, failing to

file an Annual Performance Report,

misrepresenting environmental

performance in advertising or marketing

claims, or for compliance problems that

would be seen as inconsistent with the

Achievement Track entry criteria.

EPA expects that a participating

facility will continue to meet the

Achievement Track criteria, such as

maintaining its EMS and conducting

appropriate public outreach, while it is

in the program. Failure to meet the EMS

and public outreach commitments could

constitute grounds for removal. EPA

also expects that a facility will strive to

meet the performance goals stated in its

application to the program. However,

facilities are encouraged to establish

ambitious goals, which they may not

always be able to meet. Inability to meet

the facility’s performance commitments

(as discussed under Section A.2) will

not, in and of itself, be a cause for

removal from the program. However, an

inability to make any progress or a

decline in facility performance could

result in removal from the Achievement

Track.

Should EPA decide that it may be

necessary to remove a facility from the

Achievement Track, EPA intends to

provide the facility with notice of its

intention. The facility will be allowed

thirty days to respond by taking

corrective measures. If corrective

measures resolve the issues, EPA will

withdraw its notice of intention. A

facility may also withdraw from the

program at any time by notifying EPA of

its intent in writing. Once an entity

leaves the Achievement Track,

voluntarily or at EPA’s discretion, it

must relinquish the continued use of

any and all incentives associated with

participation in the Achievement Track.

D. The State Role and Relationship

The National Environmental

Achievement Track will rely on EPA’s

partnership with state environmental

agencies (and, where applicable, Indian

tribes) for its long term success. State

agencies run many federally-delegated

programs and are responsible for

important incentives (e.g., changes in

permitting, reporting, and inspection

policies). States are likely to have more

frequent contact with facilities, making

each state’s relationship with program

participants key to overall success. In

addition, many states have programs

with similar objectives—such as a

commitment to improved

environmental performance (beyond

what is required by law), EMS use,

public involvement, and a strong

compliance history. Several state

programs start with tiers that may serve

as an ‘‘on-ramp’’ to the Achievement

Track.

41662 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 130 / Thursday, July 6, 2000 / Notices

EPA has consulted extensively with

the states sponsoring programs similar

to the Achievement Track, and with

many other states that do not have such

a program but that are interested in the

concept. In May 2000, EPA brought 20

state officials together in a national

forum to discuss program design and

implementation. Senior EPA officials

have also visited or spoken with

commissioners from states that are

leading the way in offering recognition

and incentives to top performers.

EPA will form a joint committee of

selected state and EPA officials to

monitor and improve this program as it

is implemented. Based on discussions

with state leaders, EPA has developed

specific principles to guide this

relationship. EPA will:

• Work closely with designated state

contacts, and include states in decisions

on facilities within their jurisdiction,

with the objective of having no surprises

between EPA and the state;

• Minimize duplication with state

efforts and build on existing state

programs to the extent possible;

• Respect state programs with

different policy and environmental

objectives, and work with states to

minimize inconsistencies with national

objectives and actions;

• Encourage participation by all the

states, tailored to state interests and

capabilities; and

• Work jointly with the states to

monitor implementation and seek

continuous improvement in the

program.

All states will be affected in some way

by this program. However, the degree of

involvement by each state will vary,

based on the number of applicants and

the level of state interest. EPA assumes,

at a minimum, that states will want to

be informed of actions relating to

facilities under their jurisdiction and to

have the opportunity to conduct their

own compliance screening. Conducting

even minimal screening and providing a

central point of contact poses a new

workload on state programs. EPA will

seek to provide financial and technical

assistance to states.

EPA has been working closely with

states that have similar programs, and

will continue to work with them to align

and integrate national and state

programs as much as possible. EPA

envisions establishing a form of

reciprocity for all equivalent state and

national elements. For each element

designated as equivalent, qualification

at the state level would mean automatic

qualification at the national level, and

vice versa. EPA welcomes the interest

expressed by many states that want to

participate actively in the national

program. These states can also play a

major role in informing participants in

existing programs of the opportunities

and eligibility requirements of the

Achievement Track, as well as in

evaluating and monitoring the national

program over time.

EPA will work closely with states that

are establishing new programs, to

achieve maximum compatibility

between state and national efforts. For

example, EPA could facilitate peer

exchanges among states, and facilitate

contact with EPA Performance Track

and program office personnel. EPA will

work with these states to develop

complementary application procedures.

EPA will invite all states, including

those without similar programs, to

support the national program as much

as they are able. In these cases, EPA will

consider providing support for

compliance screening and selected site

visits in the event that a state cannot

perform these activities. At a minimum,

these states will be asked to designate a

contact to receive notification of EPA

actions.

In the near term, after consulting with

states, EPA will decide which

applicants qualify for the national

program. As the program matures, EPA

will work with the states to determine

the most appropriate long term state role

in implementing the program.

E. Small Business Participation

Any program for improving

environmental performance must aim

for participation by small businesses

and other small entities, such as local

governments. EPA is making every effort

to make the Achievement Track

accessible for small entities. This effort

is reflected in several aspects of the

design. For example, depending on the

nature and extent of a facility’s

operations, the EMS for a small facility

may be simpler than one for a larger,

more complex facility. For the same

reason, a small facility may have fewer

environmental aspects. In addition, a

small facility is not asked to make as

many performance commitments as

other participants.

EPA has held numerous discussions

with representatives of small business

interests and is encouraging

participation by qualified small

businesses and their facilities. In

addition, EPA may create a more active

and focused developmental program for

small businesses and other small

entities, with the goal of helping to

expand their capacities for participation

in the Achievement Track and, later, in

the Stewardship Track. This program

would build upon existing EPA

activities, such as the Sustainable

Industry Program, Design for the

Environment, EMS projects with local

governments, other partnership

programs, and compliance assistance

programs for small entities.

III. The National Environmental

Stewardship Track

In the National Environmental

Stewardship Track, to be implemented

in 2001, EPA envisions a higher level of

performance and commitment than in

the Achievement Track. The

Stewardship Track would also involve

more substantial recognition and

flexibility for participating facilities and

companies. Applicants for the

Stewardship Track would be expected

to have met the qualifications of the

Achievement Track but also to have

demonstrated their qualifications in

other areas.

EPA considers it appropriate to

develop a Stewardship Track that

allows for participation by companies as

well as individual facilities within a

company. These could be designed as

two related but separate programs or as

an integrated one that links facility- and

company-level performance.

The Stewardship Track could also

differ from the Achievement Track by

incorporating differences among

economic sectors in the program’s

design. In this aspect, EPA will build

upon sector-based initiatives already

underway, such as Design for the

Environment and the Sustainable

Industry Program.

EPA intends to develop the

Stewardship Track while it is

implementing the Achievement Track.

In developing the Stewardship Track,

EPA intends to follow these steps:

• Hold focus group discussions with

stakeholders to discuss design elements,

including appropriate incentives.

• Assess existing sector initiatives

focused on improving environmental

performance among sectors to determine

their applicability.

• Hold public meetings to present

and discuss the preliminary program

design.

• Release a draft document for public

comment.

• Make a formal announcement of the

Stewardship Track program.

• Solicit the initial round of

applications.

IV. The EPA Administrator’s

Environmental Awards Program

Concurrent with the launch of the

National Environmental Performance

Track program, EPA is establishing an

Administrator’s environmental awards

program to recognize the highest level of

environmental performance and

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 130 / Thursday, July 6, 2000 / Notices 41663

leadership in the business sector. The

awards will be given once a year to a

select number of organizations whose

exemplary environmental

accomplishments deserve special

attention and recognition. Building on

the tenets of the Performance Track, the

Administrator’s environmental awards

will spotlight companies whose

innovations, technological

advancements, or integrated

management systems achieve significant

breakthroughs in environmental

performance and management. The

criteria for determining winners and the

selection process will be announced in

the spring of 2001, with the first award

presented approximately six months

later.

Dated: June 28, 2000.

Richard T. Farrell,

Associate Administrator, Office of Policy and

Reinvention.

[FR Doc. 00–17070 Filed 7–5–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[OPPTS–00296; FRL–6596–9]

National Advisory Committee for Acute

Exposure Guideline Levels for

Hazardous Substances; Notice of

Public Meeting

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: A meeting of the National

Advisory Committee for Acute Exposure

Guideline Levels for Hazardous

Substances (NAC/AEGL Committee)

will be held on July 26–28, 2000, in

Washington, DC. At this meeting, the

NAC/AEGL Committee will address, as

time permits, the various aspects of the

acute toxicity and the development of

Acute Exposure Guideline Levels

(AEGLs) for the following chemicals:

Acetonecyanohydrin; acrolein; acrylic

acid; Agent GA (tabun): ethyl N,Ndimethylphosphoramidocyanidate;

Agent GB (sarin): O-isopropyl

methylphosphonofluoridate; Agent GD

(soman): O-pinacolyl

methylphosphonofluoridate; Agent GF:

O-cyclohexyl-methylfluorophosphonate;

Agent VX: O-ethyl S-(2-

diisopropylaminoethyl) methylphosphonothiolate; allyl alcohol; boron

trichloride; chlorine trifluoride;

diborane; epichlorohydrin;

ethyleneimine; ethylene oxide; furan;

hydrogen cyanide; hydrogen fluoride;

iso-butyronitrile; methacrylonitrile;

methanol; peracetic acid;

perchloromethyl mercaptan; phosgene;

propionitrile; propyleneimine;

propylene oxide; tetrachloroethylene;

uranium hexafluoride; and xylene.

There will also be a discussion of public

comments as applicable and the setting

of interim AEGL values for the

following chemicals: Allylamine; cisand trans-crotonaldehyde;

cyclohexylamine;

dimethyldichlorosilane;

ethylenediamine; hydrogen chloride;

iron pentacarbonyl; methyl isocyanate;

methyltrichlorosilane; nickel carbonyl;

phosphine; and 2,4- and 2,6-toluene

diisocyanate. There may also be a

discussion regarding any further

National Academy of Sciences/National

Research Council/Committee on

Toxicology/AEGL Subcommittee

comments on the NAC/AEGL

Committee Standing Operating

Procedures.

DATES: A meeting of the NAC/AEGL

Committee will be held from 10 a.m. to

5:30 p.m. on July 26; from 8:30 a.m. to

5:30 p.m. on July 27, 2000; and from

8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 28, 2000.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at

the U. S. Department of Transportation,

DOT Headquarters, Nassif Bldg., Rooms

8236–8240, 400 7th St., SW.,

Washington, DC (L’Enfant Center Metro

stop). Visitors should bring a photo ID

for entry into the building and should

contact the Designated Federal Officer

(DFO) to have their names added to a

security entry list. Visitors must enter

the building at the Southwest Entrance/

Visitor’s Entrance, 7th and E Sts.

quadrant.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

general information contact: Barbara

Cunningham, Director, Office of

Program Management and Evaluation,

Office of Pollution Prevention and

Toxics (7401), Environmental Protection

Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,

Washington, DC 20460; telephone

number: (202) 554–1404 and TDD: (202)

554–055; e-mail address: TSCAHotline@epa.gov.

For technical information contact:

Paul S. Tobin, DFO, Office of

Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic

Substances (7406), 1200 Pennsylvania

Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460;

telephone number: (202) 260–1736; email address: tobin.paul@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this Action Apply to Me?

This action is directed to the public

in general. This action may be of

particular interest to anyone who may

be affected if the AEGL values are

adopted by government agencies for

emergency planning, prevention, or

response programs, such as EPA’s Risk

Management Program under the Clean

Air Act and Amendments Section 112r.

It is possible that other Federal agencies

besides EPA, as well as State agencies

and private organizations, may adopt

the AEGL values for their programs. As

such, the Agency has not attempted to

describe all the specific entities that

may be affected by this action. If you

have any questions regarding the

applicability of this action to a

particular entity, consult the DFO listed

under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT.

B. How Can I Get Additional

Information, Including Copies of this

Document or Other Related Documents?

1. Electronically. You may obtain

electronic copies of this document, and

certain other related documents that

might be available electronically, from

the EPA Internet Home Page at http://

www.epa.gov/. To access this

document, on the Home Page select

‘‘Laws and Regulations’’ and then look

up the entry for this document under

the ‘‘Federal Register—Environmental

Documents.’’ You can also go directly to

the Federal Register listings at http://

www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/.

2. In person. The Agency has

established an official record for this

action under docket control number

OPPTS–00296. The official record

consists of the documents specifically

referenced in this action, any public

comments received during an applicable

comment period, and other information

related to this action, including any

information claimed as Confidential

Business Information (CBI). This official

record includes the documents that are

physically located in the docket, as well

as the documents that are referenced in

those documents. The public version of

the official record does not include any

information claimed as CBI. The public

version of the official record, which

includes printed, paper versions of any

electronic comments submitted during

an applicable comment period, is

available for inspection in the TSCA

Nonconfidential Information Center,

North East Mall Rm. B–607, Waterside

Mall, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC.

The Center is open from noon to 4 p.m.,

Monday through Friday, excluding legal

holidays. The telephone number of the

Center is (202) 260–7099.

II. Meeting Procedures

For additional information on the

scheduled meeting, the agenda of the

NAC/AEGL Committee, or the

submission of information on chemicals