[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 121 (Friday, June 21, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 31883-31885]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-15880]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Chapter I

[AD-FRL-5523-6]


Notice of Intent to Form an Advisory Committee for the Industrial 
Combustion Coordinated Rulemaking and Request for Nomination of 
Candidates

AGENCY: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Intent to Form Industrial Combustion Coordinated Rulemaking 
Advisory Committee and request for nomination of candidates.

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SUMMARY: The EPA is planning to establish an Industrial Combustion 
Coordinating Rulemaking (ICCR) Advisory Committee under the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act (FACA). The purpose of this Federal Advisory 
Committee (hereafter referred to as ``Coordinating Committee'') is to 
advise and assist the EPA in coordinating the development of 
regulations to control emissions of air pollutants from industrial, 
commercial, and institutional combustion of fuels and non-hazardous 
solid wastes.
    The EPA is also requesting nominations for candidates for

[[Page 31884]]

membership on both the Coordinating Committee as well as several Work 
Groups. The Work Groups will work in concert with the Coordinating 
Committee to develop recommendations and provide advice to the EPA. The 
membership of both the Coordinating Committee and the Work Groups will 
include a balanced representation of interested persons with personal 
and professional qualifications and experience to contribute to the 
functions of the Coordinating Committee and the Work Groups. The EPA 
will hold a public meeting to discuss the ICCR and answer any questions 
on the nomination process.

DATES: A public meeting will be held on July 24, 1996. Submit 
nominations of candidates no later than August 20, 1996. Any interested 
person or organization may submit the names and information on the 
qualifications of persons who are interested in serving on the 
Coordinating Committee or a Work Group.

ADDRESSES: Inspection of Documents: Docket. A document entitled 
``Industrial Combustion Coordinated Rulemaking: Proposed Organizational 
Structure and Process'' (the ICCR document) which describes the ICCR 
Project and contains an example nomination form is available for public 
inspection at EPA Air Docket No. A-96-17 and is also available on the 
Technology Transfer Network (TTN) (see below). The docket is open for 
public inspection and copying between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except for Federal holidays, at the following address: 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air and Radiation Docket and 
Information Center (6102), 401 M Street SW, Washington, DC 20460; 
telephone: (202) 260-7548. The docket is located at the above address 
in Room M-1500, Waterside Mall (ground floor). A reasonable fee may be 
charged for copying.
    Technology Transfer Network. The ICCR document and other relevant 
materials are available electronically on the TTN. Choose the ``ICCR-
Industrial Combustion Coordinated Rulemaking Process'' selection from 
the Technical Information Areas menu. The TTN is one of the EPA's 
electronic bulletin boards and provides information and technology 
exchange in various areas of air pollution control. The service is free 
except for the cost of a phone call. Dial (919) 541-5472 for up to a 
14,400 bits-per-second (bps) modem. The TTN is also accessible through 
the Internet at ``TELNET ttnbbs.rtpnc.epa.gov.'' If more information on 
the TTN is needed, call the help desk at (919) 541-5384. The help desk 
is staffed from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern time. The help desk 
utilizes a voice menu system at other times.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the Sheraton City Center, 
Washington, D.C. Submit nominations for candidates to: U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Air and Radiation Docket and 
Information Center (6102), Attention: Docket Number A-96-17, Room M-
1500, 401 M Street SW, Washington, DC 20460, and to Ms. Amanda Agnew, 
Combustion Group (MD-13), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711. Nominations may also be 
submitted to Ms. Agnew electronically through the TTN.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Fred Porter, Combustion Group (MD-
13), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, 
North Carolina 27711, phone number (919) 541-5251; Mr. Sims Roy, phone 
number (919) 541-5263; Ms. Agnew, phone number (919) 541-5268; or Mr. 
Jim Eddinger, phone number (919) 541-5426, all at the same address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Scope of ICCR Project

    Seven categories of Industrial-Commercial-Institutional (ICI) 
combustion sources (industrial boilers, commercial-institutional 
boilers, process heaters, industrial-commercial solid waste 
incinerators, other solid waste incinerators, stationary gas turbines, 
and stationary internal combustion [IC] engines) are listed for 
regulatory development under section 112 (national emission standards 
for hazardous air pollutants [NESHAP]) or section 129 (solid waste 
combustion) of the Clean Air Act (the Act). The Act requires the EPA to 
develop these regulations by the year 2000. Furthermore, existing 
section 111 (new source performance standards [NSPS]) regulations 
affecting some of these source categories are periodically reviewed and 
may be developed or revised as part of this project. These seven 
combustion source categories encompass thousands of combustion units at 
a wide range of industries, institutions, and businesses.
    An Industrial Combustion Coordinated Rulemaking that addresses the 
seven combustion source categories at the same time will result in more 
consistent regulations with greater environmental benefits at a lower 
cost than regulating each source category individually. It will avoid 
the potential for conflicting or duplicative regulations for the 
various combustion sources. Furthermore, by involving knowledgeable 
stakeholders in the regulatory development process, the scientific 
basis for the regulations will be improved. The major advantages of the 
ICCR are that stakeholders will have substantial input in a very direct 
way into the final regulations, and that they will be allowed to 
leverage resources by working in concert with other groups in gathering 
information, analyzing alternatives, and recommending actions. The goal 
of the ICCR is to develop a unified set of Federal air emissions 
regulations that will result in maximum gains to the environment at 
reasonable cost to ICI sources and, ultimately, to the public.

Organization Structure

    In order to realize the potential of the ICCR, all interested 
stakeholders must play a key role in all phases of regulatory 
development. The proposed organizational structure consists of Source 
Work Groups working in concert with a Coordinating Committee to make 
recommendations directly to the EPA decision makers. Members must be 
chosen for the Coordinating Committee and the various Source Work 
Groups.
    It is expected that there will be five Source Work Groups to 
represent all seven source categories, and two Work Groups to address 
issues that cut across all source categories; however, this proposed 
structure may be refined by the Coordinating Committee. The Source Work 
Groups are the focus of regulatory development activities for each 
source category. The five Source Work Groups are for boilers, process 
heaters, stationary gas turbines, stationary IC engines, and waste 
incineration. The boilers Work Group combines two of the source 
categories (industrial boilers with commercial/institutional boilers) 
and the Waste Incinerators Work Group combines two of the source 
categories (industrial/commercial incinerators with other solid waste 
incinerators) into one Work Group. The function of the Source Work 
Groups is to carry out information collection and analyses, identify 
regulatory alternatives, assess the impacts of the regulatory 
alternatives, and make preliminary recommendations for their source 
category. The Testing and Monitoring Protocol Work Group and the 
Economic Analysis Work Group are responsible for dealing with the named 
issues as they relate to all source categories. These Work Groups will 
provide support and assistance to all of the Source Work Groups. The 
EPA will select recommended members from nominations and place these 
recommendations before the

[[Page 31885]]

Coordinating Committee, who will choose the members of the Work Groups.
    The Coordinating Committee will be chartered under the FACA and 
will serve the role of planning and coordinating the regulatory 
development process. The committee will communicate with the Source 
Work Groups to ensure general consistency and thoroughness of data 
analyses and preliminary regulatory recommendations. The Coordinating 
Committee will consider and discuss the regulatory recommendations made 
by the Source Work Groups and present final recommendations to the EPA 
management. The Source Work Groups and Coordinating Committee will 
strive for consensus, but if consensus is not reached, the Coordinating 
Committee will present majority and minority recommendations to the EPA 
management. The FACA requires that the Coordinating Committee members 
be chosen by the EPA Administrator.

Criteria for Work Group and Coordinating Committee Membership

    Source Work Group members should meet the following criteria: 
represent an affected party and, preferably, be able to represent the 
interests of other affected parties; commit to spending a significant 
amount of their time (perhaps 20 to 25 percent) over a multiple year 
period; and possess insight, understanding, and technical knowledge of 
the source category. It is preferable that Source Work Group members 
also have regulatory process experience. Source Work Groups should 
include representatives of sources affected by the rule, State/local 
regulatory agencies, environmental groups, and the EPA. Criteria for 
membership in the testing and monitoring protocol and economic analyses 
work groups are similar, but also require expertise in the named 
technical areas.
    Criteria for membership on the Coordinating Committee includes the 
ability to: represent an affected party; be able to represent the 
interests of other affected parties; communicate with other affected 
parties; commit a significant amount of their time (perhaps 20 to 25 
percent) over a multi-year period; and have substantive experience with 
the EPA air programs regulatory process (particularly NSPS or NESHAP 
regulatory development). The Coordinating Committee should be made up 
of representatives of the following: environmental, public health, and 
environmental justice groups; State/local regulatory agencies; affected 
sources; manufacturers of combustion, emission control, and emission 
monitoring/testing equipment; fuel producers and suppliers; labor; and 
the EPA.

Nomination Process

    Nominations are being solicited for members of the Coordinating 
Committee as well as members of the Work Groups. The nominations must 
indicate whether the nomination is for one of the Work Groups or for 
the Coordinating Committee. Each nomination must discuss and explain 
how the nominee meets or satisfies the membership criteria discussed 
above. A brief resume and several current references should be 
included. The ICCR document includes an example nomination form. It is 
recommended that this form be used in order to assure that the 
nomination includes all of the necessary information.
    Before submitting a nomination, individuals or organizations should 
obtain and thoroughly read the ICCR document. This document is 
available on the TTN or may be obtained by calling or writing the Air 
and Radiation Docket and Information Center. See Inspection of 
Documents section for more details.

Public Information

    The EPA plans to accomplish several tasks at a public meeting to be 
held in July. The ICCR project will be discussed in general, and 
information will be provided on how to follow the progress of this 
rulemaking. The EPA also plans to describe the roles and membership 
criteria for the various Work Groups and the Coordinating Committee, 
along with an explanation of the nomination process. The EPA will try 
to answer any questions raised by the public on any of these processes.
    There will also be a satellite video presentation to discuss the 
ICCR at 190 sites across the United States. This video presentation 
will serve to educate the public on the same topics to be covered at 
the public meeting. Viewers of the satellite presentation will also 
have the opportunity to have their questions answered by the EPA. This 
video presentation will be shown at the public meeting.

    Dated: June 14, 1996.
Mary D. Nichols,
Assistant Administrator For Air and Radiation.
[FR Doc. 96-15880 Filed 6-20-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P