Meetings: Resource Conservation and Recovery Act program; waste facility social siting criteria stakeholders' roundtable,

[Federal Register: July 13, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 133)]

[Notices]

[Page 37784-37785]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr13jy99-104]

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6376-8]

RCRA Subtitle C Waste Facility Social Siting Criteria Stakeholders' Roundtable

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Office of Solid Waste will hold a roundtable discussion on community quality of life issues (i.e. cultural, social, economic, and nuisance) related to the siting of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle C hazardous waste facilities. The roundtable panel will include individuals who have substantial experience in many aspects of facility siting. The purpose of the roundtable panel is to offer their own evaluations and suggestions on an EPA draft social siting criteria brochure and possible mechanisms and tools for conflict resolution regarding facility siting. The discussion is necessary to ensure that quality of life issues in the siting of RCRA Subtitle C facilities are accurately developed and addressed in the EPA brochure. The public is welcome to observe the discussions among participants and will be afforded some opportunities to express their views. However, this meeting is not intended to be a full public meeting.

DATES: The meeting will be held on July 27, 1999, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Crystal City Gateway Marriott at Crystal City, 1700 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22202.

A copy of the draft brochure is available and meeting notes will be available for viewing in the RCRA Information Center (RIC), located at Crystal Gateway I, First Floor, 1235 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA. The Docket Identification number is F-1999-SSRN-FFFFF. The RIC is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays. To review docket materials, it is recommended that the public make an appointment by calling (703) 603-9230. The public may copy a maximum of 100 pages from any regulatory docket at no charge. Additional copies cost $0.15/page.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For more detailed information on specific aspects of the meeting please contact Freya Margand, Office of Solid Waste, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Mail Code 5303W), 401 M Street SW, Washington, DC 20460, (703) 605-0633), margand.freya@epamail.epa.gov.

General information on RCRA Subtitle C facility siting and public participation can be found through EPA's OSW web site, http:// www.epa.gov/osw and EPA's RCRA Hotline at (800) 824-9346 or TDD (800) 553-7672 (hearing impaired) or in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, call (703) 412-9810 or TDD (703) 412-3323; internet address, http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hotline.htm.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Registration

Full participation in roundtable discussions is limited to the roundtable panel. No advanced registration is required to listen to the round table discussions. Observers may register at

[[Page 37785]]

the registration desk outside the reserved room the day of the roundtable.

Background

As hazardous waste facilities are sited and permitted, local communities often have a variety of legitimate concerns involving perceived and/or real changes in their quality of life (i.e., cultural/ social, economic, location, and nuisance concerns). Quality of life concerns encompass a broad array of issues from those that are human health and environmental in nature, to those concerns which are primarily social or economic. Issues regarding human health and the environment should be considered as part of the permitting process for RCRA facilities. However, many of the community quality of life concerns, such as those of a social or economic nature, fall outside of the scope of RCRA and may not be covered by state laws and regulations.

The EPA has developed a draft brochure intended to be used as a vehicle to increase the awareness of community quality of life issues and concerns when dealing with facility siting and operational issues. This brochure will be the subject of roundtable discussions planned for July 27, 1999. The panel will be composed of individuals from State, Tribal, and Local governments/agencies, environmental justice communities, industry, environmental advocacy groups, and other federal agencies with experience in many aspects of facility siting (for example, land use planning, permitting, community outreach, and environmental justice concerns).

To have the most effective discussions, EPA will limit participation in the roundtable panel to invited panel members. However, EPA will provide one brief designated time slot for the general public to provide comments as time allows. EPA will try to accommodate as many requests as possible.

Information concerning this roundtable, including the draft brochure, agenda, and background information will be available, in limited quantities, at the registration desk the day of the roundtable.

Dated: June 28, 1999. Elizabeth A. Cotsworth, Acting Director, Office of Solid Waste.

[FR Doc. 99-17771Filed7-12-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P