39934 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 133 / Tuesday, July 13, 2010 / Notices 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[FRL–9175–2; Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–ORD– 

2009–0934] 

The Effects of Mountaintop Mines and 

Valley Fills on Aquatic Ecosystems of 

the Central Appalachian Coalfields and 

a Field-Based Aquatic Life Benchmark 

for Conductivity in Central 

Appalachian Streams 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Extension of public comment 

period to August 13, 2010. 

SUMMARY: EPA is announcing a second 

extension of the public comment period 

for two related draft documents: 

(1) ‘‘The Effects of Mountaintop Mines 

and Valley Fills on Aquatic Ecosystems 

of the Central Appalachian Coalfields’’ 

(EPA/600/R–09/138A) and (2) ‘‘A Fieldbased Aquatic Life Benchmark for 

Conductivity in Central Appalachian 

Streams’’ (EPA/600/R–10/023A). We are 

specifically extending the comment 

period to give the public additional time 

to evaluate the data used to derive a 

benchmark for conductivity. The 

original Federal Register notice 

announcing the public comment period 

was published on April 12, 2010 (75 FR 

18499), and an extension of the public 

comment period was published on June 

1, 2010 (75 FR 30393). By following the 

link below, reviewers may download 

the initial data and EPA’s derivative 

data sets that were used to calculate the 

conductivity benchmark. These reports 

were developed by the National Center 

for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) 

within EPA’s Office of Research and 

Development as part of a set of actions 

taken by EPA to further clarify and 

strengthen environmental permitting 

requirements for Appalachian 

mountaintop removal and other surface 

coal mining projects, in coordination 

with federal and state regulatory 

agencies (http://www.epa.gov/owow/ 

wetlands/guidance/mining.html). 

Both documents will be reviewed by 

an independent Mountaintop Mining 

Advisory Panel convened by EPA’s 

Science Advisory Board (SAB). The 

SAB’s public meeting is scheduled for 

July 20–22, 2010, and was announced in 

the Federal Register on May 25, 2010 

(75 FR 29339). The public comment 

period described above and the SAB 

meeting follow separate processes and 

provide separate opportunities for all 

interested parties to comment on the 

document. EPA intends to forward to 

the SAB those comments received as of 

July 13, 2010 for consideration by the 

SAB Panel. Those comments received 

after July 13 will also be made available 

to the SAB review panel for their 

consideration as they complete their 

Panel report. When finalizing the draft 

documents, EPA will consider the 

comments from the SAB review as well 

as any significant public comments that 

it receives in accordance with this 

notice. 

EPA is releasing these draft 

documents for the purpose of predissemination peer review under 

applicable information quality 

guidelines. The documents have not 

been formally disseminated by EPA. 

They do not represent and should not be 

construed to represent a final Agency 

policy or determination; however, the 

documents reflect EPA’s best 

interpretation of the available science. 

The draft documents are available via 

the Internet on NCEA’s home page 

under the Recent Additions and 

Publications menus at http:// 

www.epa.gov/ncea. 

DATES: The public comment period 

began on April 12, 2010 and ends on 

August 13, 2010. Technical comments 

should be in writing and must be 

received by EPA by August 13, 2010. 

ADDRESSES: The draft reports, ‘‘The 

Effects of Mountaintop Mines and 

Valley Fills on Aquatic Ecosystems of 

the Central Appalachian Coalfields’’ and 

‘‘A Field-based Aquatic Life Benchmark 

for Conductivity in Central Appalachian 

Streams’’ are 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. A limited number of 

paper copies are available, contact the 

EPA; telephone: (703–347–8629); 

facsimile: (703–347–8691). If you are 

requesting a paper copy, please provide 

your name, your mailing address, and 

the document titles (1) ‘‘The Effects of 

Mountaintop Mines and Valley Fills on 

Aquatic Ecosystems of the Central 

Appalachian Coalfields’’ and (2) ‘‘A 

Field-based Aquatic Life Benchmark for 

Conductivity in Central Appalachian 

Streams.’’ 

Comments may be submitted 

electronically via www.regulations.gov, 

by mail, by facsimile, or by hand 

delivery/courier. Please follow the 

detailed instructions provided in the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of 

Federal Register Notice (75 FR 30393). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

information on submitting comments to 

the docket, please contact the Office of 

Environmental Information Docket; 

telephone: 202–566–1752; facsimile: 

202–566–1753; or e-mail: 

ORD.Docket@epa.gov. For technical 

information, please leave a message at 

703–347–8629 or send e-mail to 

MTM-Cond@epa.gov. 

Dated: July 6, 2010. 

Rebecca Clark, 

Acting Director, National Center for 

Environmental Assessment. 

[FR Doc. 2010–17045 Filed 7–12–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[EPA–HQ–OAR–2010–0505; FRL–9174–8] 

Oil and Natural Gas Sector—Notice of 

Public Meeting 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting. 

SUMMARY: EPA will be conducting 

public meetings to provide an 

opportunity for public involvement 

during EPA’s review of air regulations 

affecting the oil and natural gas 

industry. The review in progress covers 

oil and natural gas exploration and 

production, as well as natural gas 

processing, transmission, storage, and 

distribution. The primary purpose of 

these meetings is to establish a dialog 

among government, the affected 

industry, and other interested members 

of the public early in the rule 

development process, as well as to 

receive information that may be useful 

to EPA in its review. At these meetings, 

EPA will explain the regulatory process, 

provide a brief overview of its 

regulatory review, solicit information 

that may be useful to EPA in the review 

of these rules, and provide an 

opportunity for participants to ask 

questions and submit comments. These 

meetings will be open to the public. 

DATES: Meetings: There will be daytime 

and evening meetings to provide greater 

public access. The first pair of meetings 

will be held on August 2, 2010, from 12 

p.m. to 4 p.m., and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., 

in the Council Chamber of the Arlington 

Municipal Building, Arlington, Texas. 

The second pair of meetings will be 

held on August 3, 2010, from 12 p.m. to 

4 p.m., and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., in the 

ballroom of the Holiday Inn Denver 

East-Stapleton, Denver, Colorado. 

Meetings may end earlier than the 

scheduled times based on participation. 

Participation: Although not required 

for attendance, we ask that anyone who 

plans to attend one or more of the 

meetings provide name, affiliation, and 

sessions attending to the meeting 

information contact listed under FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT at least 


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