Conference on Air Quality Modeling

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[AD-FRL-5249-4; Docket No. AQM-95-01]

Conference on Air Quality Modeling

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

ACTION: Notice of Conference.

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SUMMARY: EPA announces the Sixth Conference on Air Quality Modeling.

Such a conference is required by Section 320 of the Clean Air Act (CAA)

to be held every 3 years. The purpose of the Sixth Conference is to

provide a forum for public review of modeling techniques that may be

candidates for use in regulatory applications.

DATES: The sixth conference will be held on August 9-10, 1995 from 9:00

a.m. to 5:00 p.m. As needed to allow for presentation of all verbal

comments, the conference may extend to noon of the next day. Requests

to speak at the conference should be submitted to the individuals

listed below by July 26, 1995. All written comments must be submitted

by COB October 10, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Conference: The conference will be held in the GSA

Auditorium, GSA National Capitol Region Building, 7th and D Streets,

SW., Washington, DC.

Comments: Written statements or comments not presented at the

conference should be submitted (in duplicate if possible) to: OAR

Regulatory Docket (6102), Room M-1500, Waterside Mall, Attention: OAR

Regulatory Docket AQM-95-01, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401

M Street, SW., Washington, DC 20460.

Copies of technical review materials may be obtained from several

sources. Copies of all materials may be obtained from the docket. Many

materials will also be available from the National Technical

Information Service (NTIS), U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Springfield, VA

22161; (703) 487-4650. In addition, many materials may be obtained from

the Support Center for Regulatory Air Models Bulletin Board System by

downloading the appropriate file. To register or access this electronic

bulletin board, users with a personal computer should dial (919) 541-

5742.

Docket: Items referenced in this notice as well as comments

received are maintained in Docket AQM-95-01. The docket is available

for public inspection and copying between 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.,

Monday through Friday, at the address above. A reasonable fee may be

charged for copying.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph A. Tikvart, Chief, Air Quality

Modeling Group (MD-14), Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards,

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711;

[[Page 33412]] telephone (919) 541-5562 or C. Thomas Coulter, telephone

(919) 541-0832.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Background

The Guideline on Air Quality Models (Revised)(hereafter,

``Guideline'' \1\) is used by EPA, States, and private industry in the

review and preparation of new source permits and SIP revisions. The

Guideline serves as a means by which consistency is maintained in air

quality analyses. It was first incorporated in the Code of Federal

Regulations in 1978 and was subsequently revised in 1986 to include

knowledge concerning modeling analyses that developed since the

original guidance was issued. In 1988 four techniques were added as

supplement A to the Guideline as a result of public comments on the

1986 revisions. In 1993, the Guideline was further revised with

supplement B, and supplement C is expected to be promulgated soon.

\1\ The Guideline is published as appendix W to 40 CFR part 51.

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To support the process of developing and revising the Guideline

during the period 1977-1988, the First, Second and Third Conferences on

Air Quality Modeling were held as required by Section 320 of the Clean

Air Act to help standardize modeling procedures. These modeling

conferences provided EPA with comments on the Guideline and associated

revisions, thereby facilitating introduction of improved modeling

techniques into the regulatory process.

In October 1988, the Fourth Conference on Air Quality Modeling was

held. Its purpose was to advise the public on new modeling techniques

and to solicit comments to guide EPA's consideration of any rulemaking

needed to further revise the Guideline. The new models provide

techniques for situations where specific procedures had not previously

been available, and also improve several previously adopted techniques.

The Fifth Conference on Air Quality Modeling, held in March 1991,

served as the public hearing for the proposed supplement B revisions to

the Guideline (aforementioned). Since the Fifth Conference and the

imminent adoption of supplement C, EPA believes it is time to consider

a wide range of modeling issues in order to update its available

modeling tools with state-of-the-science techniques. The Agency

believes the Sixth Conference will appropriately serve as an ideal

forum for the airing of these issues and the public offering of new

ideas. The public feedback from such a conference is invaluable.

Public Participation

The Sixth Conference on Air Quality Modeling will be open to the

public; no admission fee is charged. The conference will begin the

first morning with introductory remarks by EPA officials. The

conference will continue with prepared presentations on several key

modeling areas, i.e., long range transport modeling under the

Interagency Workgroup on Air Quality Modeling (IWAQM 2) and the

development of an enhanced Gaussian dispersion model with boundary

layer parameterization (AERMOD 3). In the afternoon, invited

speakers will discuss special topics, i.e., the Electric Power Research

Institute's building downwash program, as well as several new and

developing models (CAMRAQ, MODELS3, HPDM).

\2\ IWAQM was formed in 1991 to provide a focus for development

of technically sound regional air quality models for regulatory

assessments of pollutant source impacts on federal Class I areas.

IWAQM is an interagency collaboration that includes efforts by EPA,

U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and Fish and Wildlife

Service.

\3\ AMS/EPA Regulatory Model; AERMOD is being developed by

AERMIC: AMS/EPA Regulatory Model Improvement Committee.

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The second morning, discussion of special topics will continue

based on voluntary presentations. Such presentations may include topics

such as air models for accidental releases, fires, etc., air models for

risk assessment of toxic pollutants, model evaluation, candidate models

for Guideline appendix B, and miscellaneous models/data processing

systems. These presen-tations will be followed by a critical review/

discussion of the IWAQM and AERMOD modeling systems facilitated jointly

by the Air & Waste Management Association's AB-3 Committee and the

American Meteorological Society's Committee of Meteorological Aspects

of Air Pollution. That afternoon representatives of State and local air

pollution control agencies, appropriate Federal agencies, and

professional and constituency groups will be invited to make

statements. The conference will then be opened to statements and

comments from the general public.

For the new models and modeling techniques described, EPA will be

asking the public to address the following questions:

What is the scientific merit of the models presented?

What is their accuracy?

What should be the regulatory use of individual models for

specific applications?

What implementation issues are apparent and what

additional guidance is needed?

What are the resource requirements of modeling systems

presented?

What additional analyses or information are needed?

Persons wishing to speak at the conference, whether to volunteer a

presentation on a special topic or to offer general comment on any of

the modeling techniques scheduled for presentation, should contact EPA

at the address given in the FURTHER INFORMATION section no later than

July 26. Such persons should identify the organization (if any) on

whose behalf they are speaking and the length of presentation. An early

contact regarding voluntary presentations of special topics, as well as

time required and any materials that can be made publicly available,

would help facilitate organization of the conference. If a presentation

of general comments is projected to be longer than 10 minutes, the

presenter should also state why a longer period is needed. Persons

failing to submit a written notice but desiring to speak at the

conference should notify the presiding officer immediately before the

conference and will be scheduled on a time-available basis.

The conference will be conducted informally and chaired by an EPA

official. There will be no sworn testimony or cross examination. A

verbatim transcript of the conference proceedings will be produced and

placed in the docket. Speakers should bring extra copies of their

presentation for inclusion in the docket, for the convenience of the

reporter. Speakers will be permitted to enter into the record any

additional written comments that are not presented orally. Additional

written statements or comments should be sent to the OAR Regulatory

Docket (see ADDRESSES section). A transcript of the proceedings and a

copy of all written comments will be maintained in Docket AQM-95-01

which will remain open until October 10, 1995 for the purpose of

receiving additional comments.

Dated: June 21, 1995.

Mary D. Nichols,

Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation.

[FR Doc. 95-15875 Filed 6-27-95; 8:45 am]

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