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Final Information Products Bulletin Framework Plan
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: July 5, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 129)]
[Notices]
[Page 35422-35428]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05jy01-36]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-7006-6]
Final Information Products Bulletin Framework Plan
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Information Products Bulletin (IPB) is a new joint effort
between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and The
Environmental Council of the States (ECOS). The purpose of this
framework plan is to outline the basis and scope of the IPB. The IPB
will be launched in Summer 2001 and will be updated every four months,
both in hard copy and on the World Wide Web. It will inform
stakeholders and the public about upcoming significant information
products being produced by EPA and some of the states. This will
include, in some cases, the identification of opportunities for
stakeholder and public involvement in the development of such products.
ADDRESSES: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of
Environmental Information/Office of Information Analysis and Access,
Mail Code: 2843, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information about the
Information Products Bulletin (IPB), please contact the EPA's Office of
Information Analysis and Access/Information Access Division at (202)
260-2846, Fax: 202-401-1315.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
I. What is the Information Products Bulletin?
II. Changes Since Draft Framework Plan
III. Background on Creation of the IPB
IV. Criteria for Including and Excluding Products
V. State Products
VI. Stakeholder and Public Involvement Opportunities
VII. IPB Archive and Notification of Product Releases
VIII. Legal Status
IX. IPB Publication Schedule
X. Evaluation of IPB
XI. Response to Comments on the Draft IPB Framework Plan
I. What Is the Information Products Bulletin?
The Information Products Bulletin (IPB) is a joint effort between
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Environmental
Council of the States (ECOS) to inform stakeholders and the public
about upcoming significant information products being produced by EPA
and states. ECOS is the national nonprofit, nonpartisan association of
state and territorial environmental commissioners. EPA and the states
are committed to ensuring that the significant information products we
produce are accurate and useful, and that we clearly characterize the
data incorporated into these products.
The Information Products Bulletin will:
Notify interested parties about significant information
products under development or major modification by EPA and some
states.
Alert stakeholders and the public about opportunities to
provide input regarding the development of some significant information
products.
Be launched in Summer 2001 and will be updated every four
months.
Be available on the Web, as well as in hard copy for those
who do not have access to the Internet.
The IPB is NOT intended to provide a comprehensive list of the
information products that EPA or states have already completed and
released to the public.
EPA has already developed an interim IPB Web site. It is not as
detailed as the full IPB will be and does not include information about
stakeholder or public involvement opportunities for individual
products. You can view the interim IPB Web site at [www.epa.gov/
ipbpages].
II. Changes Since Draft Framework Plan
A draft IPB Framework Plan was published in the Federal Register on
November 30, 2000 (65 FR 71314). EPA received comments from five
organizations and individuals. This final Framework Plan reflects
changes made in response to the comments submitted, as well as
editorial changes made to clarify the purpose and scope of the IPB. A
Response to Comments document is included at the end of this Framework
Plan.
III. Background on Creation of the IPB
Each year, EPA and the states produce information products for the
general public that are derived from federal, state, local, tribal or
other organizations' data. These products may include analyses and/or
draw conclusions about primary data in order to describe environmental
conditions, trends, potential risks, and/or the performance of
companies, facilities and communities.
In November 1999, EPA and the Environmental Council of the States
(ECOS) met with representatives from states, tribes, industry,
environmental and public interest groups to discuss issues regarding
public access to information products. The IPB was initiated as an
outgrowth of discussions that took place at that meeting. It is one of
several efforts by EPA and the states to advance the creation and use
of data to enhance public health and environmental protection, inform
decision-making, and improve the public's access to information about
environmental conditions and trends. Informing the public and providing
access to sound environmental information, in formats that meet the
needs of major stakeholders and the public, are essential components of
a comprehensive environmental protection program. The IPB is intended
to notify the public of ``significant information products'' under
development, and identify opportunities for stakeholder and public
involvement during the development of certain products. The IPB is not
intended to be the initial or primary notification device for informing
state co-regulators about significant new products.
IV. Criteria for Including and Excluding Products
The IPB includes a description of the upcoming significant
information products being produced by EPA and some states. Only those
products currently under development that meet the following definition
of a ``significant information product'' will be included in the IPB:
A ``significant information product'' uses national or regional
data to describe environmental conditions, trends, and/or the
performance of companies, facilities and communities.
In addition, the following criteria have been developed for
determining
[[Page 35423]]
which products developed by EPA and the states will be included in the
IPB:
Products that analyze and/or compare data collected by,
acquired by, or directly reported to EPA or states from various
agencies and organizations, including industry, as well as various
federal, state, tribal and local agencies;
Significant data collected by, acquired by, or directly
reported to EPA or states from various agencies and organizations that
EPA or the states have not interpreted or analyzed;
Products produced by one or more state environmental
agencies that are regional or national in scope and aggregate data from
more than one state;
Products that apply to a large segment of the population
or large geographic area;
Models used by the public to perform environmental
analyses based upon data from various agencies and organizations; and
Annual reports and other products released on a regular
basis that use national or regional data to describe environmental
conditions, trends, and/or the performance of companies, facilities and
communities.
The following are examples of the kind of products that meet the
definition of ``significant information product'' and would be listed
in the IPB while under development or major modification:
Sector Facility Indexing Project (SFIP)--a community-right-to-know
and data integration project that provides environmental performance
data for facilities within several industry sectors.
National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment (NATA)--characterizes the
potential health risks associated with inhalation exposures for 33
priority toxic air pollutants.
Water Quality Standards Database (WQSDB)--an integration of
Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and relational database
technologies employed to deliver information on specific water bodies
in 20 states (to be expanded to all U.S. states and territories in the
future).
The following are the kinds of products that will not be included
in the IPB, because they either: (1) Do not meet the definition of a
significant information product, (2) are used for internal purposes
only, and/or (3) must be released immediately to protect human health:
Action plans
Analytic tools used exclusively for internal purposes by
EPA
Announcements
Annual reports that provide only broad, general
information, program descriptions and/or accomplishments
Brochures
Chemical alerts
Citizen guides
Compliance guides
Conference summaries
Fact sheets
Information describing environmental threats that must be
released immediately in order to protect public health
Journal articles
Policy statements
Press releases
Products produced by organizations or agencies other than
EPA that are funded through EPA grants or cooperative agreements
Rulemakings and supporting documents (including guidance,
directives, studies, etc.)
Strategies, strategic plans
Training materials
The criteria and types of products listed above regarding which
products will and will not be included in the IPB are not exhaustive.
V. State Products
The IPB will include some significant information products produced
by the states and territories. Such products will be regional or
national in scope, including aggregated data from more than one state.
EPA might include products about one state, if the product is a
prototype or concerns national issues, or the data reflect national or
regional environmental conditions, risks, and/or trends.
VI. Stakeholder and Public Involvement Opportunities
For purposes of the IPB, ``stakeholders'' refers to individuals who
represent groups or specific segments of the public with a vested
interest in the development and use of a significant information
product. In many cases, stakeholders may be directly affected by the
use of such a product. ``Public involvement'' refers to soliciting
input and feedback from members of the public in the development of EPA
and state products and policies. ``Stakeholder involvement'' refers to
soliciting input and feedback from stakeholders, as described above.
Stakeholder involvement primarily includes representatives of industry
sectors, communities, government agencies and non-governmental
organizations (NGOs).
For further information on EPA policies regarding stakeholder and
public involvement, please refer to the EPA report released in December
2000, entitled: Engaging the American People: A review of EPA's Public
Participation Policy and Regulations with Recommendations for Action.
The report can be viewed at www.epa.gov/stakeholders/policy.htm. EPA is
also revising its 1981 Public Participation Policy for release in 2001.
How Will the IPB Affect EPA's and States' Current Stakeholder and
Public Involvement Processes?
The IPB will provide pre-publication notification of significant
information products being developed by the EPA, as well as some
states. The IPB also identifies opportunities for stakeholders and the
public to provide input into the development of some of these products.
Procedures have already been established for obtaining stakeholder and
public input for significant information products. The IPB will not
replace or duplicate existing stakeholder or public involvement
processes associated with the development of EPA or state products.
What the IPB does is identify existing stakeholder and public
involvement processes that are currently underway or are planned for
certain products.
It should be noted that it may not be useful or appropriate to
provide an opportunity for stakeholder or public input for some
products on the IPB list. Examples of such products are those produced
on a routine or annual basis, or those that are technical, science-
based documents that undergo a rigorous peer review process.
How Does the Stakeholder and Public Involvement Process Work?
Stakeholders and the public can become involved in the development
of significant information products in different ways, depending upon
the individual product. Various methods are described in Table 1 and 2
below. In considering which method(s) to use for any given product, EPA
and states must consider the purpose of producing the product and the
target audience, as well as available resources, time frame, and other
possible limitations. For example, it might be more suitable to obtain
stakeholder and public input through face-to-face meetings. In other
cases, one or more electronic communication methods may reach a wider
interested audience, and thus be a more effective means of getting
feedback. EPA and the states often use a combination of stakeholder and
public involvement methods.
Table 1 below shows methods that EPA and the states use to present
information on upcoming significant
[[Page 35424]]
information products to stakeholders and the public. Table 2 below
describes methods that EPA and many states use to collect comments on a
specific product under development. Many of the methods described in
both tables have been used routinely by EPA and many states for years.
Electronic communication mechanisms may not be used routinely but their
use is growing.
Table 1.--Stakeholder and Public Involvement Methods Used by EPA and the
States for Developing Significant Information Products
[These may vary from state to state]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stakeholder/public involvement method Description
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A. Public meeting...................... Presentation by EPA or states
before a public gathering,
often with a question and
answer session.
B. Stakeholder meeting................. Brief discussion with
representatives of various
government agencies and/or
organizations, including
industry, trade associations,
environmental organizations,
local elected officials,
community activists, etc. with
a vested interest in the
development and use of a
significant information
product.
C. Forum/workshop...................... Discussion with stakeholders
and/or the public that
generally allows for more in-
depth discussion than a public
or stakeholder meeting.
D. Focus group......................... Discussion with potential users
about the usefulness of one or
more specific products, in
which participants generally
offer suggestions for
improvements.
E. Stakeholder or expert consultation.. Extended communication with
representatives of various
government agencies and/or
organizations as subject
experts, regarding specific
technical issues or data
related to the product.
F. Survey/questionnaire................ Quantitative and/or qualitative
input sought in writing from
the public and/or stakeholders
about a product from which key
comments can be extrapolated.
G. Federal Register notice............. Official method of notifying
the public about a particular
product, which often includes
a formal comment process.
Printed daily by the U.S.
Government.
H. E-mail/Listserv..................... E-mail = electronic messages
distributed through a computer
network or the Internet.
Listserv = e-mail-based
mailing list for a group of
people with a common interest.
E-mail and listservs can be
used for distributing
information about products,
and seeking input from
stakeholders and potential
product users.
I. Electronic bulletin board........... Electronic means of publically
posting questions and comments
submitted by stakeholders and/
or the public.
J. Web site/Web page................... Web site = groups of Web pages.
Web page = electronic means of
disseminating information
about one or more topics and/
or products globally on the
World Wide Web. Also can be
used to collect user comments.
K. Hotline/Public Information Line..... Telephone number supplied by
EPA/states that allows for
direct answering of caller
questions.
L. Media advertisement................. Announcement distributed
through various media outlets
that features a few key points
about the product to spark
interest in it.
M. Information fact sheet and other Brief description of the
similar materials. product (generally one page),
sometimes inviting public
comments.
N. Mailing to stakeholders............. Information about the product
targeted to specific
stakeholders and/or potential
product users.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 2.--Response Mechanisms Used by EPA and the States
[These may vary from state to state]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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A. Verbal comment(s) recorded during a public meeting, forum, workshop,
focus group session or stakeholder meeting.
B. Telephone hotline.
C. Telephone survey/questionnaire.
D. Written comment(s) submitted for a public meeting, forum, workshop,
focus group session or stakeholder meeting.
E. Formal written comment(s) sent to EPA in response to a Federal
Register Notice.
F. Written comment(s) sent to EPA by Fax, e-mail, listserv e-mail, or
through e-mail to an electronic bulletin board.
G. Feedback form located on EPA or state Web site.
H. Survey and/or questionnaire distributed by mail, e-mail or Fax.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The IPB will list the stakeholder and public involvement method(s)
expected to be used for each of the products offering stakeholder and/
or public involvement opportunities. Table 3 below provides a template
that EPA and the states plan to use for each of the significant
information products listed in the IPB.
[[Page 35425]]
Table 3.--Information That Will Be Included in the IPB about Significant
Information Products that Provide an Opportunity for Stakeholder and/or
Public Involvement
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title............................. [The name of the significant
information product. Please note
that titles may be subject to
change for some products under
development.]
Description....................... [A brief explanation that provides a
basic understanding of the purpose
and content of the significant
information product.]
Contact........................... [Phone number to use to get further
information about the product and/
or the stakeholder/public
involvement process. When
practical, a specific contact name
will be listed and/or an e-mail
address.]
Expected Release Date............. [When the product is expected to be
made available to the public.
Please note that such dates are the
best estimates available to date;
schedules are subject to change.]
Comment Period.................... [The start and end date of the
public comment period if
applicable; OR the date that the
comment period ends if the comment
period has already begun. Please
note that the public comment period
may differ from the time frames
provided for other types of
stakeholder/public involvement.]
Stakeholder/Public Involvement [The method(s) that EPA or the
Methods. states plans to use to obtain
stakeholder/public input and/or
feedback on a specific significant
information product--see examples
of Stakeholder and Public
Involvement Methods in Table 1
above.]
How to Access the Draft Product [The various electronic and non-
(if available). electronic ways that stakeholders
and the public can use to access a
draft copy and/or prototype of the
product.]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
At What Stage in the Development of a Product Can I Get Involved?
The time frame for the development of each significant information
product varies. Thus the time frame for stakeholder and/or public
involvement varies as well. Some software models, for example, require
early and close collaboration with one or more groups of stakeholders
in order to produce an initial version of the product. In some cases,
various methods of stakeholder and/or public involvement may be used
during different stages of a product's development. Some input may be
sought early in the development of a product to determine how best to
meet the needs of the product's expected primary users. Then at a later
stage in the product's development, the product developer may obtain
additional feedback on a draft copy or product prototype.
As explained above, EPA and the states will provide general
information in the IPB about the timing of the product's development,
along with the time frame for submitting public comments. Specific
information regarding dates for public meetings, workshops, forums,
etc. may be obtained about individual products by contacting the number
listed under each product description.
Can I View a Draft Copy or Prototype of Products Under Development?
Where possible, efforts will be made on the IPB Web site to include
Web site links to draft copies and/or prototypes of EPA and some state
products under development. Those without access to the Internet may be
able to obtain hard copies of draft products listed in the IPB by
contacting the number listed for obtaining further information. Please
note that there will not always be a draft copy or prototype available
for every significant information product under development.
Stakeholder and Public Involvement Opportunities for State Significant
Information Products
The states generally use the same type of stakeholder and public
involvement methods as EPA, which are described in Tables 1 and 2.
While states may provide a range of opportunities for stakeholder and
public involvement, not all opportunities listed in Tables 1 and 2 may
be available in all states. As with EPA products, specific information
regarding dates for public meetings, workshops, forums, and other
public/stakeholder involvement activities may be obtained through the
contact information listed under appropriate product descriptions.
VII. IPB Archive and Notification of Product Releases
The IPB will develop an archival database that will include
previous IPB publications. The archive will be searchable by product
title and date. In addition, each IPB publication will list those
products that were completed and released since the last update.
VIII. Legal Status
The inclusion of a particular significant information product in
the IPB, in and of itself, does not confer any special legal status on
the product. The IPB is not intended to be used to publish regulatory
matters requiring publication in the Federal Register.
IX. IPB Publication Schedule
The IPB will be available on the Web [www.epa.gov/ipbpages]
and in
hard copy format. Both the Web site and the hard copy version will be
published every four months. Hard copies will be made available through
U.S. mail and/or Fax-on-Demand (202-651-2084) upon request. Contact
numbers will be supplied in each IPB publication.
X. Evaluation of IPB
EPA and ECOS recognize the importance of, and are committed to,
evaluating the effectiveness of the IPB. Within two years of the
publication of the first full IPB volume this summer, we will evaluate
whether the IPB is improving the public's access to information
products under development. The resulting documentation will be
publicly available.
XI. Response to Comments on the Draft IPB Framework Plan
The following Response to Comments section provides EPA's responses
to the concerns raised by commenters regarding the draft IPB Framework
Plan, published in the Federal Register on November 30, 2000 (65 FR
71314). EPA received comments from five organizations and individuals
on the draft IPB Framework Plan. Copies of the original comments can be
viewed on the Interim IPB Web site at [www.epa.gov/ipbpages].
1. Support for IPB
A. One commenter stated that the value of the IPB had already been
established since it enabled them to identify several information
products under development on the Interim IPB Web site that they would
not have known about otherwise. Another comment expressed support for
the IPB as a new public access tool for accessing, analyzing and using
information collected by EPA.
[[Page 35426]]
Response: Thank you for your comment.
2. Products Defined as ``Significant Information Products''
A. One commenter requested that we add the following to the
definition of ``significant information product'': ``Products that
characterize the performance of particular companies, facilities or
products, or that characterize environmental conditions in particular
communities.''
Response: The definition of ``significant information product''
has been revised as follows: ``A significant information product
uses national or regional data to describe environmental conditions,
trends, and/or the performance of companies, facilities and
communities.'' While a significant information product may contain
data about individual facilities, the data are presented on a
national or regional scale, and the product does not solely
characterize a particular company, facility or community.
B. One commenter requested that we include compliance guides in the
IPB, particularly since the July 1999 Aiming for Excellence report
announced a new commitment to develop compliance guides for new,
``economically significant'' regulations, and to seek input from
States, the regulated community and other stakeholders. The commenter
further noted that compliance guides should be interpreted broadly to
include products like the Sector Facility Indexing Project. Two
commenters requested that we include citizen guides, training materials
and annual reports in the IPB. They argued that these type of products
should be evaluated on their individual merits. One comment stated that
the Risk Screening Environmental Indicators project might be considered
a citizen guide.
Response: Neither compliance guides, citizen guides or training
materials use national or regional data to describe environmental
conditions, trends, and/or the performance of companies, facilities
and communities. Thus, none of these information products fall
within the definition of ``significant information products.''
Compliance guides help the regulated community understand and comply
with their obligations under EPA regulations. Citizen guides are
generally used to explain EPA's regulations and programs, and
training materials are generally used to train people about such
regulations and programs. The Sector Facility Indexing Project meets
the definition of a significant information product; it is not a
compliance guide. The Risk Screening Environmental Indicators
project also meets the definition; it is not a citizen guide.
The framework plan explains which types of annual reports will
and will not be listed in the IPB.
C. Two commenters recommended that we exclude from the definition
of significant information products, analytic tools used by EPA to
create analyses and comparisons.
Response: The IPB includes significant information products that
are developed for use by the public. It is not intended to include
products used for internal EPA or state purposes only.
D. Two commenters recommended that we exclude from the definition
of significant information products, ``raw'' underlying data, such as
data collected under TRI or the Biennial Reporting System.
Response: ``Raw'' data are not expected to be published
separately in the IPB, and even if they were, they would be subject
to quality assurance and error correction procedures, but not
stakeholder or public review. Often, however, raw data are
incorporated into the kind of information products that will be
listed in the IPB. Stakeholder and/or public involvement
opportunities are often provided during the development of these
products.
E. Two commenters recommended that we exclude from the definition
of significant information products, data elements whose specific
purpose is to identify and locate specific facilities or entities that
provide environmental reports to EPA and the states.
Response: Facility identification data and other data elements
are not expected to be included in the IPB per se. However, the
products that will be listed in the IPB may contain data elements
for facility identification. EPA and the States may receive comments
about these data elements during the product development process.
F. Two commenters recommended that we exclude from the
definition of significant information products, information
describing imminent public health or environmental threats.
Response: This language has been added to the list of items
excluded from the IPB.
G. One commenter stated that the definition of a significant
information product was unclear, especially with the long list of
excluded products.
Response: The definition of ``significant information product''
has been revised to make it clearer (see IV. Criteria for Including
Products in the IPB above). The lists were intended to provide
useful examples of the types of products that will and will not be
included in the IPB, and to help provide context for the definition.
We have thus retained them in the final framework plan. However, the
lists are not all-inclusive. The major factor that will be used to
determine whether or not an item is included in the IPB is whether
or not it meets the definition of ``significant information
product.''
H. One commenter requested that we include some examples of
products that meet the definition of ``significant information
product.''
Response: The final framework plan includes several examples of
the types of products that are considered to be significant
information products. A longer list of significant information
products is available for viewing on the Interim IPB Web site at
www.epa.gov/ipbpages.
3. Delay of Product Completion
A. Two commenters requested that the framework plan include a
statement that the IPB will not delay the release of any information
product. One commenter stated that it might be necessary to release a
product upon short notice, before it can be listed in the IPB. Another
commenter asked if EPA would delay a product's release, if for some
reason the product was not listed in the IPB prior to completion. If
not, how could the IPB be a ``comprehensive vehicle?''
Response: The IPB is not expected to delay release of a product
that has gone through the appropriate product development process.
Neither is there a legal requirement that products be listed in the
IPB prior to release. EPA will make case-by-case determinations
regarding whether to delay releasing a significant information
product not yet listed in the IPB. Significant information products
released since the last IPB publication will be listed in the
following IPB publication (see comment 9. C. below).
4. Stakeholder/Public Involvement
A. One commenter recommended that EPA clarify that the IPB is not
intended to replace or amend formal notification and public
participation procedures. The comment further stated that all questions
of participation should be dealt with under other EPA initiatives.
Response: The primary purpose of the IPB is to provide pre-
publication notification of products under development. While some
information is provided in the IPB about the public and stakeholder
involvement processes used by EPA and some states, the IPB is not
intended to replace any of EPA's or the states' formal notification
and public involvement processes.
B. One commenter stated that the IPB should include, at minimum,
the following options related to public participation for all products
listed in the IPB: (1) A contact for each product and an opportunity
for stakeholders to submit written or oral comments, and (2) an
electronic bulletin board so that comments can be viewed by everyone.
Furthermore, the commenter stated that IPB Web site should be the home
for electronic comments about individual products, placed in a format
that encourages stakeholder input and ``cyber-discussions.''
Response: As stated above, the primary purpose of the IPB is to
provide pre-publication notification of products under
[[Page 35427]]
development. The IPB is not intended to be the vehicle that
stakeholders and the public use to provide comments about individual
products. Contact information will be provided so that readers can
contact the originating EPA or state program office about a
particular product. We believe that such an approach provides the
fastest, most direct and comprehensive way for stakeholders and the
public to provide input into the development of significant
information products, and allows the IPB to be an efficient entry
point for the process.
C. One commenter asked if a product undergoing modification would
be subject to stakeholder and/or public involvement procedures. Two
examples were included: (1) adding a GIS front end to OTIS from OECA,
and (2) adding a new TRI report to Envirofacts.
Response: Only products that meet the definition for significant
modifications will be included in the IPB. Some of the products
listed in the IPB that are undergoing significant modifications will
provide opportunities for stakeholder and/or public involvement.
Data added through the formal regulatory review process, e.g., lead
reports added to TRI, do not qualify for inclusion in the IPB.
D. Two commenters requested that we define stakeholder broadly to
include any member of the general public. One further stated that the
general public has a vested interest in the outcomes of environmental
policies and programs.
Response: The IPB Framework Plan applies to both stakeholders
and the general public, though these terms are not interchangeable.
We agree that the general public has a vested interest in the
outcomes of environmental policies and programs, and we are working
on a variety of efforts to address public involvement. (See VI
above.)
E. One commenter requested that we seek input early in the
development of a product from both primary and secondary users.
Response: The primary purpose of the IPB is to provide pre-
publication notification of products under development. Since
products differ widely in design and purpose, they are not developed
in a uniform way. As described under VI. Stakeholder and Public
Involvement Opportunities above, EPA and the states employ various
stakeholder and public involvement methods for individual products,
which differ in scope and timing.
5. Publication Frequency and Dissemination
A. One commenter stated that the IPB should be published quarterly
since many information products can be developed much more quickly than
rulemakings, which are listed semi-annually in EPA's Regulatory Agenda.
Another commenter stated that the draft IPB Framework Plan was unclear
about whether ``soon to be released'' products would be listed in the
IPB every 3 or 6 months.
Response: In response to comments submitted, we decided to
change the frequency at which the IPB will be published to every
four months. This will eliminate the originally proposed hybrid of
producing a full publication every six months and partial updates
every three months. We recognize that such an approach could have
been confusing for many IPB readers, and that a shorter interval
between full publications would be helpful.
B. One commenter stated that the IPB should be a living document
that can be modified at any time. The comment also included the
following statements: ``The digital divide problem should not restrain
EPA from updating the IPB regularly. Those without a computer can
access the Web site in public libraries. Web updates serve computer and
non-computer users better than `a policy that simply defers public
release of information.' There is no reason to withhold information
about new products under development until the next IPB cycle occurs.''
Response: Collecting and assembling the information necessary to
produce every IPB publication is a resource intensive effort. EPA
does not have the resources it would take to adequately update the
IPB more than every four months. In addition, we believe that many
users lack the resources necessary to keep a daily watch on the IPB
Web site for constant changes. Thus, we believe it is best to
publish the IPB at regular, reliable intervals to reduce the burden
on the public and the Agency.
C. Two commenters supported the draft IPB Framework Plan's proposal
to make the IPB available in both print and electronic forms as a means
to ``pre-empt `digital divide' issues.'' One commenter opposed such an
approach, stating that the IPB should be maintained exclusively as an
electronic service, in order to save trees and keep costs down. This
commenter asked if the IPB were to be made available in hard copy,
where the hard copies would be placed.
Response: EPA wants to encourage electronic access to the IPB.
However, we believe that it is important to provide hard copies of
the IPB to those without access to a computer or the Internet, so
that they have equal access to information about significant
information products under development by EPA and some of the
states. Hard copies will be produced at the same time the IPB Web
site is updated and will be made available upon request through Fax-
on-Demand or by mail.
D. Two commenters requested that EPA disseminate the IPB via email.
Response: EPA does not plan to distribute the IPB via email. EPA
believes that the IPB Web site will be easily accessible
electronically through various links on EPA's Web site, as well
through the ECOS Web site and several state Web sites. IPB updates
will also be made available by request through Fax-on-Demand and by
mail.
6. Interim IPB List
A. One commenter stated that ``Some important initiatives are
missing from the Interim IPB, such as `Window to My Environment,' as
well as some products that are undergoing major modifications, such as
various OW watershed-related Web sites, and potentially significant
changes to AIRNOW and EMPACT.''
Response: The Interim IPB Web site was intended to provide an
``initial'' list of significant information products and did not
provide as much detail as will be provided in the full IPB. ``Window
to My Environment'' was included in the Interim IPB as part of the
description for the ``Information Integration Initiative.''
Although some design features were changed for AIRNOW on EPA's
Web site this past Fall, no new significant information or data sets
were added. Thus, AIRNOW was not included in the Interim IPB.
The EMPACT program is not a significant information product. It
is an EPA program that helps communities to collect, manage, and
present real-time environmental information to the public. EPA has
produced several significant information products through the EMPACT
program. In addition, many locally sponsored projects have been
funded through EPA's EMPACT Metro Grant Projects Initiative. Only
future non-grant-funded EMPACT products will be listed in the IPB,
as explained below under 6.C.
B. One commenter asked why the TRI annual report was included in
the Interim IPB, but not the Fuel Economy Guide, and why the New Jersey
Pesticide Exposure Study was included, but no other such local/state
studies.
Response: The only significant information products listed in
the Interim IPB were those that were to be released between the time
when the Web site was launched in October 2000 and Summer 2001, when
the first, full IPB was expected to be launched. The Fuel Economy
Guide was not included in the Interim IPB because it was released in
September 2000, prior to the release of the Interim Web site. Future
annual publications of the Fuel Economy Guide will be included in
the IPB.
The New Jersey Pesticide Exposure Study was included in the
Interim IPB because it was originally expected to be used as a pilot
for a nation-wide project. However, expansion of the project will
depend upon results from field tests conducted in the New Jersey
project. We will make case-by-case determinations regarding the
likelihood that a product being piloted or tested in a particular
state will eventually be expanded nation-wide, and thus eligible for
inclusion in the IPB.
C. One commenter stated that projects that cross several states or
regions, like
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many of the EMPACT projects, should be included.
Response: Many EMPACT products are funded through EPA grants and
cooperative agreements. According to the EPA financial assistance
regulations, products produced under grants and cooperative
agreements belong to the financial assistance recipient, not EPA.
The Agency can use a product produced with financial assistance for
federal purposes but cannot unilaterally decide on the content of
the product. Thus products produced with EPA financial assistance
will not be included in the IPB. Non-grant-funded EMPACT products
that cross several states or regions and meet the definition of
significant information product will be included in the IPB.
7. Special Status/Legal Standing
A. One commenter recommended that EPA clearly state that products
included in the IPB have no special status or standing beyond their
inclusion in the IPB, and that they will not be subject to additional
review by the agency, the courts or other entities beyond the processes
for public participation and review already in place.
Response: The inclusion of a particular information product in
the IPB, in and of itself, does not confer any special legal status
on the product. In addition, it should be noted that the IPB is not
intended to be used to publish regulatory matters requiring
publication in the Federal Register.
8. State Participation
A. One commenter asked if the states that are participating in the
IPB will be listed as participants. The commenter further noted that
not all states participate in ECOS.
Response: Any state can participate in the IPB, regardless of
whether or not it is a member of ECOS. State participation is,
however, entirely voluntary. The IPB will include only those
significant information products produced by one or more states,
that are regional or national in scope and include aggregated data
from more than one state.
9. Product Listings and Descriptions
A. One commenter requested that all product descriptions include a
brief statement about the origins of each product, and statutory
citations where appropriate. The commenter recommended that it would
also be helpful to include some type of policy context/link to an
aspect of EPA's mission, and a reference to appropriate GPRA strategic
objective.
Response: The IPB is a notification mechanism. It is not
intended to provide detailed information about each product. Contact
information will be provided for all those interested in getting
more in-depth information about individual products.
B. One commenter recommended that in addition to including product
prototypes for review and comment, EPA should post explanations of
methodologies used in modeling components and/or analytical tools.
Response: As explained above, the IPB is not intended to provide
detailed information about each product. Contact information will be
provided for all those interested in getting more in-depth
information about individual products.
C. One commenter requested that the IPB allow users to view
already-released, as well as upcoming significant information products.
The commenter further stated: ``We support initiatives to provide more
finder tools to the public, such as an index of information products
that would be more comprehensive in scope and an information locator
system.''
Response: The primary purpose of the IPB is to provide pre-
publication notification of significant information products under
development. The IPB is not intended to provide a list of EPA's
completed information products. However, EPA plans to archive
previous IPB publications, and each new IPB publication will list
those products completed and released since the previous update.
D. One commenter recommended that the IPB be edited in order to
``normalize the submissions'' and ensure completeness.
Response: The EPA or state program responsible for producing an
individual information product is most familiar with it, and is thus
best able to describe it. However, EPA's Office of Environmental
Information will review and edit items to ensure that they are
written in plain English and use a consistent format.
10. IPB and the EPA Web Site
A. One commenter recommended that the IPB serve as a ``hub'' site,
i.e., a gateway to other information and web pages, with links to key
supporting documents and program descriptions associated with the
listed documents.
Response: The IPB is not intended to be an EPA hub site.
However, links to key supporting documents will be provided as
appropriate.
B. One commenter stated that EPA's home page should be improved to
better track new developments at the Agency and on EPA's various Web
sites.
Response: The IPB is a separate initiative from the EPA home
page. EPA has several initiatives in place to improve the usefulness
of the EPA homepage, as well as the Agency's various Web sites.
Dated: June 4, 2001.
Elaine G. Stanley,
Director, Office of Information Analysis and Access.
[FR Doc. 01-16808 Filed 7-3-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P