Document ID: EPA-HQ-ORD-2010-0709-0005
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Meetings: Method to Assess Climate-Relevant Decisions; Application in Chesapeake Bay; Peer Review Workshop
Posted Date: 2011-01-25T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 16 (Tuesday, January 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4345-4346]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1468]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9257-2]

A Method To Assess Climate-Relevant Decisions: Application in the 
Chesapeake Bay

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of Peer Review Workshop.

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SUMMARY: EPA is announcing that Eastern Research Group, Inc. (ERG), an 
EPA contractor for external scientific peer review, will convene an 
independent panel of experts and organize and conduct an external peer 
review workshop to review the external review draft document titled, 
``A Method to Assess Climate-Relevant Decisions: Application in the 
Chesapeake Bay'' (EPA/600/R-10/096a). The draft document was prepared 
by EPA's National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA), which is 
situated in the Office of Research and Development.
    EPA will forward public comments that were submitted in accordance 
with a previous notice (Federal Register Volume 75, Number 168 
[Tuesday, August 31, 2010]) to the external peer-review panel for 
consideration prior to the meeting. When finalizing the draft document, 
EPA will consider any public comments that EPA received in accordance 
with the August 31, 2010 Federal Register Notice.
    EPA released this draft document solely for the purpose of peer 
review under applicable information quality guidelines. This document 
has not been formally disseminated by EPA. It does not represent and 
should not be construed to represent any Agency policy or 
determination.
    EPA invites the public to register and attend this workshop and to 
give oral and/or provide written comments of the draft document under 
review. The draft document and EPA's peer review charge are available 
via the Internet on NCEA's home page under the Recent Additions and the 
Data and Publications menus at http://www.epa.gov/ncea. In preparing a 
final report, EPA will consider the comments and recommendations from 
the external peer review workshop and any public comments received in 
accordance with this notice.

DATES: The peer review panel workshop will begin on Friday, March 11, 
2011, at 8:30 a.m. and end at 4 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The peer review workshop will be held at The Navy League 
Building, 2300 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201. The EPA 
contractor, ERG, is organizing, convening, and conducting the peer 
review workshop. To attend the workshop, register by Friday, March 4, 
2011 by calling ERG at 781-674-7374 or toll free at 800-803-2833 (ask 
for the Chesapeake Bay peer review coordinator, Laurie Waite), sending 
a facsimile to 781-674-2906 (please reference: ``Chesapeake Bay peer 
review workshop'' and include your name, title, affiliation, full 
address, and contact information, and whether you wish to make oral 
comments), or sending an e-mail to meetings@erg.com (subject line: 
``Chesapeake Bay peer review workshop'' and include your name, title, 
affiliation, full address, and contact information, and whether you 
wish to make oral comments). You may also register via the Internet at 
https://www2.ergweb.com/projects/conferences/peerreview/register-chesapeake.htm. The draft ``A Method to Assess Climate-Relevant 
Decisions: Application in the Chesapeake Bay'' is available via the 
Internet on NCEA's home page under the Recent Additions and the Data 
and Publications menus at http://www.epa.gov/ncea. A limited number of 
paper copies are available from the Information Management Team (IMT), 
NCEA; telephone: 703-347-8561; facsimile: 703-347-8691. If you are 
requesting a paper copy, please provide your name, mailing address, and 
the document title, ``A Method to Assess Climate-Relevant Decisions: 
Application in the Chesapeake Bay.'' Copies are not available from ERG.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding information, 
registration, access or services for individuals with disabilities, or 
logistics for the external peer review workshop should be directed to 
ERG, 110 Hartwell Avenue, Lexington, MA 02421-3136; telephone: 781-674-
7374; facsimile: 781-674-2906; or e-mail: meetings@erg.com (subject 
line: Chesapeake Bay peer review workshop), preferably at least 10 days 
prior to the meeting, to give as much time as possible to process your 
request.
    If you need technical information about the document, please 
contact Susan Julius, National Center for Environmental Assessment 
(NCEA); telephone: 703-347-8619; facsimile: 703-347-8694; e-mail 
Julius.susan@epa.gov.

[[Page 4346]]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Summary of Information About the Project/Document

    Climate change is a global phenomenon that affects natural and 
human systems in all parts of the world. The goal of this study was to 
develop a way to inventory and analyze management decisions to provide 
information to effectively adapt to climate change. This report will be 
useful to officials who make environmental management decisions related 
to the Chesapeake Bay.
    The major steps of the approach used in this pilot study of the 
Chesapeake Bay Program were to: (1) Select a study area and compile a 
list of key decisions; (2) develop criteria for evaluating the climate-
relevance of decisions; (3) apply the criteria to select decisions that 
are potentially sensitive to climate change; (4) solicit expert 
judgment regarding the decisions selected; and (5) test alternative 
prioritization schemes.

II. Workshop Information

    Members of the public may attend the workshop as observers, and 
there will be a limited time for comments from the public in the 
afternoon. Please let ERG know if you wish to make comments during the 
workshop. Space is limited, and reservations will be accepted on a 
first-come, first-served basis.

    Dated: January 19, 2011.
Joseph A. DeSantis,
Acting Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. 2011-1468 Filed 1-24-11; 8:45 am]
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