

[Federal Register: July 27, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 144)]
[Notices]               
[Page 41325-41326]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27jy07-45]                         

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-2006-0735; FRL-8446-7]

 
Draft Risk Assessment Report for Lead

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of a draft for public review and comment.

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SUMMARY: On or about July 31, 2007, the Office of Air Quality Planning 
and Standards (OAQPS) of EPA will make available for public review and 
comment a draft technical support document in EPA's review of the 
national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for lead, Lead Human 
Exposure and Health Risk Assessments for Selected Case Studies (Draft 
Risk Assessment Report). The purpose of the Draft Risk Assessment 
Report is to describe the design, methodology and results of the human 
exposure and health risk assessments for lead.

DATES: Comments on the Draft Risk Assessment Report must be received on 
or before August 29, 2007.

ADDRESSEES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2006-0735, by one of the following methods:
     http://www.regulations.gov: follow the on-line instructions for 

submitting comments.
     E-mail: Comments may be sent by electronic mail (e-mail) 
to a-and-r-Docket@epa.gov, Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2006-
0735.
     Fax: Fax your comments to: 202-566-9744, Attention Docket 
ID. No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2006-0735.
     Mail: Send your comments to: Air and Radiation Docket and 
Information Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code: 6102T, 
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC, 20460, Attention Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2006-0735.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: Deliver your comments to: EPA 
Docket Center, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Room 3334, Washington, DC. 
Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of 
operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of 
boxed information.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2006-0735. The 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 www.regulations.gov 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 
and other contact 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, any form of encryption, and be free of 
any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA's public 
docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm
.

    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 Docket in the EPA 

Docket Center, (EPA/DC) EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., 
NW., Washington, DC. This Docket Facility is open from 8:30 a.m. to 
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The Docket 
telephone number is (202) 566-1742; fax (202) 566-9744.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Zachary Pekar, Office of Air 
Quality Planning and Standards (mail code C504-06), U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; e-mail: 
pekar.zachary@epa.gov; telephone: (919) 541-3704; fax: (919) 541-0237.


General Information

A. What Should I Consider as I Prepare My Comments for EPA?

    1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this information to EPA through 
http://www.regulations.gov or e-mail. Clearly mark the part or all of the 

information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI information in a disk or 
CD ROM that you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the disk or CD ROM as 
CBI and then identify electronically within the disk or CD ROM the 
specific information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to one 
complete version of the comment that includes information claimed as 
CBI, a copy of the comment that does not contain the information 
claimed as CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public docket. 
Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with 
procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2.
    2. Tips for Preparing Your Comments. When submitting comments, 
remember to:

[[Page 41326]]

     Identify the rulemaking by docket number and other 
identifying information (subject heading, Federal Register date and 
page number).
     Follow directions--The agency may ask you to respond to 
specific questions or organize comments by referencing a Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) part or section number.
     Explain why you agree or disagree; suggest alternatives 
and substitute language for your requested changes.
     Describe any assumptions and provide any technical 
information and/or data that you used.
     If you estimate potential costs or burdens, explain how 
you arrived at your estimate in sufficient detail to allow for it to be 
reproduced.
     Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns, and 
suggest alternatives.
     Explain your views as clearly as possible, avoiding the 
use of profanity or personal threats.
     Make sure to submit your comments by the comment period 
deadline identified.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under section 108(a) of the Clean Air Act 
(CAA), the Administrator identifies and lists certain pollutants which 
``cause or contribute to air pollution which may reasonably be 
anticipated to endanger public health or welfare.'' The EPA then issues 
air quality criteria for listed pollutants, which are commonly referred 
to as ``criteria pollutants.'' The air quality criteria are to 
``accurately reflect the latest scientific knowledge useful in 
indicating the kind and extent of all identifiable effects on public 
health or welfare which may be expected from the presence of [a] 
pollutant in the ambient air, in varying quantities.'' Under section 
109 of the CAA, EPA establishes NAAQS for each listed pollutant, with 
the NAAQS based on the air quality criteria. Section 109(d) of the CAA 
requires periodic review and, if appropriate, revision of existing air 
quality criteria. The revised air quality criteria reflect advances in 
scientific knowledge on the effects of the pollutant on public health 
or welfare. The EPA is also required to periodically review and revise 
the NAAQS, if appropriate, based on the revised criteria.
    Lead is one of six criteria pollutants for which EPA has 
established air quality criteria and NAAQS. Presently, EPA is reviewing 
the air quality criteria and NAAQS for lead. The EPA completed its Air 
Quality Criteria for Lead (``Criteria Document'') in October, 2006 (71 
FR 57508; September 29, 2006).
    As part of its review of the NAAQS, EPA is preparing a human 
exposure and health risk assessment.
    In December 2006, a first draft of a technical support document, 
Lead Human Exposure and Health Risk Assessments and Ecological Risk 
Assessment for Selected Areas (Pilot Phase) was released by EPA for 
public review and comment and for review by the Clean Air Scientific 
Advisory Committee (CASAC) of EPA's Science Advisory Board (71 FR 
69117; November 29, 2006) at a public meeting held in February 2007. An 
analysis plan for the risk assessment was previously reviewed by CASAC 
and the public. Comments received from review of the draft plan and 
draft pilot phase risk assessment technical support document have been 
considered in developing the Draft Risk Assessment Report being 
released at this time.
    The draft report, Lead Human Exposure and Health Risk Assessment 
for Selected Case Studies, describes the design, methodology and 
results of the human exposure and health risk assessments for lead. It 
describes and presents the results from a lead exposure analysis and 
health risk assessment involving several case studies. The draft 
document will be available online at: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/pb/s_pb_cr_td.html
.

    The EPA is soliciting advice and recommendations from the CASAC by 
means of a review on the draft Risk Assessment Report at an upcoming 
public meeting of the CASAC. A Federal Register notice will inform the 
public of the date and location of that meeting. Following the CASAC 
meeting, EPA will consider comments received from the CASAC and the 
public in preparing a final Risk Assessment Report.

    Dated: July 19, 2007.
Stephen D. Page,
Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards.
[FR Doc. E7-14601 Filed 7-26-07; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
