Document ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0024-0069
Agency: epa
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Product Noise Labeling; Hearing Protection Devices; Extension of comment period and rescheduled public hearing
Posted Date: 2009-08-21T04:00Z

[Federal Register: August 21, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 161)]
[Proposed Rules]               
[Page 42223-42224]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21au09-14]                         

[[Page 42223]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 211

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0024; FRL-8947-6]
RIN 2060-A025

 
Product Noise Labeling; Hearing Protection Devices

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Extension of comment period and rescheduled public hearing.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing an 
extension of the public comment period for the proposed rule ``Product 
Noise Labeling--Hearing Protection Devices'' (the proposed rule is 
hereinafter referred to as ``HPD Rule''). EPA published a notice of 
proposed rulemaking on August 5, 2009, in the Federal Register (74 FR 
39150) which included a request for comments and an offer to hold a 
public hearing if requested. The public comment period was to end on 
September 4, 2009, (30 days after publication in the Federal Register) 
and the public hearing, if requested, was to take place on August 25, 
2009. The purpose of this document is to extend the public comment 
period an additional 60 days until November 4, 2009, and to schedule a 
public hearing on this proposed rule will be held on October 7, 2009. 
This extension of the comment period and the holding of a public 
hearing are being provided to allow the public additional time to 
review the rule and provide EPA with comments on the proposed rule.

DATES: Comments. Written comments must be received on or before 
November 4, 2009.
    Public Hearing. The public hearing will be held on Wednesday, 
October 7, 2009, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Standard time. The 
meeting is scheduled for one day and will take place at EPA 
Headquarters, Room 1153--East building, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20460. Anyone that would like to speak at the hearing 
must notify the EPA by September 30, 2009, via the docket.
    Persons wishing to make a formal presentation for the record must 
provide a hard copy of their presentation to the docket not later than 
September 30, 2009. Scheduling of all presentations will be based on 
the order in which their request is received.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket ID number EPA-HQ-
OAR-2003-0024, by one of the following methods:
     http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the online instructions 
for submitting comments.
     E-mail: a-and-r-docket@epa.gov.
     Fax: (202) 566-1741.
     Mail: Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center, EPA 
Labeling Regulation, Docket Number EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0024, Environmental 
Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center, Mailcode 28221T, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
     Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center, Public Reading Room, EPA 
West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460. 
Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of 
operation (Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), 
excluding legal holidays and special arrangement should be made for 
deliveries of boxed information. The telephone number for the Public 
Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the Air 
Docket is (202) 566-1742.
     Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID Number 
EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0024. EPA's policy is that all comments received will 
be included in the public docket without change and may be made 
available online at http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal 
information provided, unless the 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 http://
www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The http://www.regulations.gov Web site 
is an ``anonymous access'' system, which means EPA will not know your 
identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of 
your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without 
going through http://www.regulations.gov, your e-mail address will be 
automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is 
placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you 
submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name 
or other content information in the body of your comment and with any 
disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to 
technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA 
may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid 
the use of special characters or any form of encryption, and be free of 
any defect or viruses. For additional information about EPA's public 
docket, visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www.epa.gov/
dockets.

How Can I Access the Docket?

    All documents in the docket are listed in the http://
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 are available either electronically 
in http://www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the Air and Radiation 
Docket and Information Center, EPA/DC, EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 
Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The Public Reading Room is open 
from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal 
holidays. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 
566-1744, and the telephone number for the Air Docket is (202) 566-
1742.

How Can I Get Copies of This Document, the Proposed Rule, and Other 
Related Information?

    The EPA has established a docket for this action under Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Catrice Jefferson, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air and Radiation, Mail Code 
6103A, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. Telephone 
Number--(202) 564-1668; Fax Number--(202) 564-1554; and e-mail 
Address_jefferson.catrice@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Extension of Comment Period: EPA received requests for an extension 
of the public comment period from various parties ranging from 60 to 90 
days. After considering all of these comments, EPA has determined that 
an extension of an additional 60 days is an appropriate amount of time 
to provide the public for submission of meaningful comments on the 
proposed rule. Accordingly, the public comment period for the HPD 
proposed rulemaking is extended until November 4, 2009. EPA does not 
anticipate any further extension of the comment period at this time.
    Reschedule of Public Hearing: EPA received requests for a public 
hearing. In view of the above extension of the comment period the EPA 
is establishing October 7, 2009 as the date for the public hearing that 
was originally scheduled for August 25, 2009. EPA believes that this 
postponement will provide adequate time for interested

[[Page 42224]]

parties to develop their verbal comments and presentations.

    Dated: August 17, 2009.
Gina McCarthy,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation.
[FR Doc. E9-20172 Filed 8-20-09; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P