Expediting Community Right-to-Know Initiatives

[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 155 (Friday, August 11, 1995)]

[Presidential Documents]

[Pages 41791-41792]

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[FR Doc No: 95-20111]

[[Page 41789]]

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Part VI

The President

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Memorandum of August 8, 1995--

Expediting Community Right-to-Know Initiatives

Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 155 / Friday, August 11, 1995 /

Presidential Documents

___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--

The President

[[Page 41791]]

Memorandum of August 8, 1995

Expediting Community Right-to-Know Initiatives

Memorandum for the Administrator of the Environmental

Protection Agency and the Heads of Executive

Departments and Agencies

The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act

of 1986 (42 U.S.C. 11001-11050) (``EPCRA'') and the

Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 13101-

13109) provide an innovative approach to protecting

public health and the environment by ensuring that

communities are informed about the toxic chemicals

being released into the air, land, and water by

manufacturing facilities. I am committed to the

effective implementation of this law, because Community

Right-to-Know protections provide a basic informational

tool to encourage informed community-based

environmental decision making and provide a strong

incentive for businesses to find their own ways of

preventing pollution.

The laws provide the Environmental Protection Agency

with substantial authority to add to the Toxics Release

Inventory under EPCRA: (1) new chemicals; (2) new

classes of industrial facilities; and (3) additional

types of information concerning toxic chemical use at

facilities. Community Right-to-Know should be enhanced

wherever possible as appropriate. EPA currently is

engaged in an on-going process to address potential

facility expansion and the collection of use

information. I am committed to a full and open process

on the policy issues posed by EPA's exercise of these

authorities.

So that consideration of these issues can be fully

accomplished during this Administration, I am directing

the Administrator of the Environmental Protection

Agency, in consultation with the Office of Management

and Budget and appropriate Federal agencies with

applicable technical and functional expertise, as

necessary, to take the following actions:

(a) Continuation on an expedited basis of the

public notice and comment rulemaking proceedings to

consider whether, as appropriate and consistent with

section 313(b) of EPCRA, 42 U.S.C. 11023(b), to add to

the list of Standard Industrial Classification

(``SIC'') Code designations of 20 through 39 (as in

effect on July 1, 1985). For SIC Code designations, see

``Standard Industrial Classification Manual'' published

by the Office of Management and Budget. EPA shall

complete the rulemaking process on an accelerated

schedule.

(b) Development and implementation of an expedited,

open, and transparent process for consideration of

reporting under EPCRA on information on the use of

toxic chemicals at facilities, including information on

mass balance, materials accounting, or other chemical

use date, pursuant to section 313(b)(1)(A) of EPCRA, 42

U.S.C. 11023(b)(1)(A). EPA shall report on the progress

of this effort by October 1, 1995, with a goal of

obtaining sufficient information to be able to make

informed judgments concerning implementation of any

appropriate program.

These actions should continue unless specifically

prohibited by law. The head of each executive

department or agency shall assist the Environmental

Protection Agency in implementing this directive as

quickly as possible.

[[Page 41792]]

This directive is for the internal management of the

executive branch and does not create any right or

benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable by any

party against the United States, its agencies or

instrumentalities, its officers or employees, or any

person.

The Director of the Office of Management and Budget is

authorized and directed to publish this Memorandum in

the Federal Register.

(Presidential Sig.)

THE WHITE HOUSE,

Washington, August 8, 1995.

[FR Doc. 95-20111

Filed 8-10-95; 11:00 am]

Billing code 3110-01-M