[Federal Register: January 15, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 10)] [Notices] [Page 2640-2641] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr15ja99-61] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [OPPTS-00254; FRL-6041-6] Development of Voluntary Consensus Standards for Environmentally Preferable Goods and Services AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: In association with its efforts to implement Presidential Executive Order 12873, ``Federal Acquisition, Recycling and Waste Prevention,'' and Executive Order 13101, ``Greening the Government Through Waste Prevention, Recycling and Federal Acquisition,'' EPA is interested in working with non-governmental standards developers to promote the development of voluntary consensus standards for environmentally preferable goods and services. EPA is seeking opinions and comments on the availability of using voluntary consensus standards to implement the President's Order. The purpose of this notice is to help EPA determine the level of interest among standards developers in the development of environmental attributes and associated voluntary standards for specific product categories. EPA is seeking comments about what types of markets are most suited to incorporation of environmentally preferable products. EPA also seeks to gather information on the level of activity and expertise already available through standard setting organizations for determining environmental preferability in specific product categories and comment on whether EPA should adopt those standards. DATES: Comments must be postmarked by March 31, 1999. ADDRESSES: Each comment must bear the docket control number ``OPPTS- 00254.'' All comments should be sent in triplicate to: OPPT Document Control Officer (7407), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Rm. G-099, East Tower, Washington, DC 20460. Comments and data may also be submitted electronically to: oppt. ncic@epamail.epa.gov. Follow the instructions under Unit II. of this document. No Confidential Business Information (CBI) should be submitted through e-mail. All comments which contain information claimed as CBI must be clearly marked as such. Three sanitized copies of any comments containing information claimed as CBI must also be submitted and will be placed in the public record for this action. Persons submitting information on any portion of which they believe is entitled to treatment as CBI by EPA must assert a business confidentiality claim in accordance with 40 CFR 2.203(b) for each such portion. This claim must be made at the time that the information is submitted to EPA. If a submitter does not assert a confidentiality claim at the time of submission, EPA will consider this as a waiver of any confidentiality claim and the information may be made available to the public by EPA without further notice to the submitter. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lena Ferris, Pollution Prevention Division (7409), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20450, Telephone: (202) 260-2237, or e-mail: ferris.lena@epa.gov [[Page 2641]] SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background EPA is seeking general comments on the issues mentioned in the ``SUMMARY'' statement above. EPA is particularly interested in comments from persons who are already actively involved in voluntary standards development or if you are considering establishing a program for developing voluntary standards incorporating environmental attributes for products or services, please respond to the questions addressed and send all information, postmarked no later then March 31, 1999, to the docket listed under the ``ADDRESSES'' section above. All comments will be accepted and considered. To help EPA determine the level of interest among standards developers in the development of environmental attributes and associated voluntary standards for specific product categories and services, please provide responses to the following questions. 1. The name, address, and contact information for the organization. 2. Does the organization develop standards for specific business or industry sectors, e.g., automotive, telecommunications, etc., or does it develop standards in all areas? 3. Does the organization operate under procedures set forth by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) or do you have other written procedures that you use for standards development? If available, please provide a copy. 4. Does the organization currently have, or plan to have, standards development activities focusing on, or specifically integrating, environmental attributes as part of the scope of the standard(s)? 5. Does the organization do product certification? 6. Does the organization typically engage in product attribute development as well as standards development? If so, what kinds of products are generally involved? 7. Do members of government departments or agencies participate in your standards development activities? If so, are there any members from regulatory agencies or departments? 8. Has the organization done any assessment of the market needs for environmentally preferable products? If so, and the information is available, what is your assessment of product categories and/or market sectors where the interest is likely to be high for environmentally related standards? II. Public Record and Electronic Submissions The official record for this action, as well as the public version, has been established for this action under docket control number ``OPPTS-00254 '' (including comments and data submitted electronically as described below). A public version of this record, including printed, paper versions of electronic comments, which does not include any information claimed as CBI, is available for inspection from 12 noon to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The official record is located in the TSCA Nonconfidential Information Center, Rm. NE-B607, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC. Electronic comments can be sent directly to EPA at: oppt.ncic@epamail.epa.gov Electronic comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the use of special characters and any form of encryption. Comments and data will also be accepted on disks in WordPerfect 5.1/6.1 or ASCII file format. All comments and data in electronic form must be identified by the docket control number ``OPPTS-00254.'' Electronic comments on this action may be filed online at many Federal Depository Libraries. List of Subjects Environmental protection. Dated: December 23, 1998. William H. Sanders, III Director, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics. [FR Doc. 99-1027 Filed 1-14-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-F