Posting an FDMS Docket without a Federal Register Notice MEMORANDUM

SUBJECT: Posting EPA-HQ-OA-2013-0582 to Regula · ns.gov for Public Access FROM: Christopher Zarba

# ~a_::;; Acting Director, Scieav7so oard Staff Office, Office ofthe Administrator, US Envirorunental Protection Agency This memorandum authorizes the posting ofEPA-HQ-OA-2013-0582 to Regulations.gov for public access. Background: The EPA's Office ofResearch and Development (ORD) has dev eloped a draft report reviewing and synthesizing the peer-reviewed scientific literatur e on the connectivity or isolat ion ofstreams and wetlands relative to large water bodies such as rivers, lakes, estuaries and oceans. The purpose ofthe report, Connectivity of Streams and Wetlands to Downstream Waters: A R eview and Synthesis of the Scientific Evidence (September, 2013 External Review Draft, EPA/600R-ll/098B) is to summarize the current understanding about these connections, the factors that influence them, and the mechanisms by which connected waters singly or in aggregate, affect the function ofdownstream waters. A Panel ofthe EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) will be meeting December 16-18, 2013 to conduct a scientific peer review ofthe draft report. The draft report, charge to the Panel, and other meeting materials are available on SAB web site. This docket is created to receive public comments for the Panel to consider.

Public Comment: The docket opens September 17, 2012 Public comments should be received by November 6, 2013 in order to be considered by the Panel at its December 16- 18, 2013 meeting. Procedures for Providing Public Input: Public comment for consideration by EPA's federal advisory committees and panels has a different purpose from public comment provided to EPA program offices. The intended use ofcomments submitted to the SAB is different from the purpose ofcomments submitted to the EPA's program offices. Federal advi sory committees and panels , including scientific advisory committees, provide independent advice to EPA. Interested members ofthe public may submit relevant comments pertaining to review meeting materials, including the charge to the Panel, for the SAB Panel to consider during the advisory process . Input from the public to the SAB will have the most impact ifit provides specific scientific or technical infonnation or analysis for the 

### SAB to consider or ifit relates to the clarity or accuracy of the technical information. Members ofthe public wishing to provide written comments may submit them to the EPA Docket electronica lly via www.regulations.gov, by e-mail, Docket EPA-HQ-OA-2013-0582 Page 1by mail, by facsimile, or by hand delivery /courier. Please follow the detailed instructions below Written comments for the December 16-18,2013 meeting should be received in the EPA Docket by November 6, 2013 so that the information may be made available to the SAB Panel for its consideration. Comments received after November 6, 2013 will be marked late and may not be provided to the Panel in advance ofthe December 16-18, 2013 meeting. Written statements should be identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OA-2013- 0582 and submitted to the Docket at www.regulations.gov by one ofthe following methods:

• www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments. • E-ma il : Docket OEI@epa.gov. Include the docket number in the subject line of the message. • Fax: (202)566-9744 • Mail: Office ofEnvironmental Information (OEI) Docket (Mail Code: 28221T), Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OA-2013-0582, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460. The phone number is (202) 566-1752. • Hand Delivery: The OEI Docket is located in the EPA headquarters Docket Center, Room 3334, EPA West Building, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30a.m. to 4:30p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744. Deliveries are only accepted during the docket's normal hours ofoperation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries ofboxed information. It is EPA's policy to include all comments received in the public docket without change and to make the comments available on-line at www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided, unless a comment includes information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The www.regulations.gov website is an "anonymous access" system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body ofyour comment. Ifyou send an e-mail directly to EPA without going through www.regulations.gov, your e-mail address will be automatically captured and included as part ofthe comment that is placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. Ifyou submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. IfEPA cannot read your comments due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, the SAB Panel may not be able to consider your comments. Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters and any form ofencryption and be free of any defects or viruses. Documents in the docket are listed in the www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material will be publicly available only in hard copy. Publicly available docket materials Docket EPA-HQ-OA-2013-0582 Page 2are available either electronically at www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the OEI Docket in the EPA Headquarters Docket Center. For additional information about EPA ' s public docket, visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at www.epa.gov/epahome /dockets.htm.

Docket EPA-HQ-OA-2013

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