Re: Community/EJ Discussion: EPA's Lead "TSCA 403 Rulemaking"

[Center for Public Environmental Oversight <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

On June 3, 1998, the U.S. EPA Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics
published a proposed rule that would increase the allowable amount of
lead contamination in soil from 400 ppm to 2000 ppm. The proposed rule
would allow soil contamination five times greater than currently
permissible before cleanup would be required. The rule would directly
affect the cleanup at federal sites, such as closing military bases where
lead paint has caused soil contamination, but the standard is likely to
influence lead paint cleanup throughout the country. (Please read go to
http://www.cpeo.org/pubs/index.html for more information) Fortunately,
many concerned citizens and community groups were able to get EPA to
extend the comment period deadline to November 30, 1998 (the date may be
moved back).

ARC Ecology, the Center for Public Environmental Oversight, and the Urban
Habitat Program are working together to make sure that community members
can take advantage of this extended comment period. We would like to
announce two upcoming meetings where stakeholders may discuss this
proposed rule in detail. The first meeting on Wednesday November 4, 1998
is sponsored by the three organizations and is targeted towards the
community stakeholder: Restoration Advisory Board members, environmental
justice activists, and concerned community residents. You will have the
opportunity to learn how this proposed rule will affect your base or
community. Details for this meeting can be found at CPEO's WWW page
http://www.cpeo.org/action/index.html .

U.S. EPA Region 9 will convene the second meeting at San Francisco
sometime before the end of the year. Nationally, it will be the ONLY
public stakeholder meeting where EPA will hear comments on the proposed
Lead Standards. Please call 1-800-424-LEAD for more details and updated
information.

We encourage you to attend either or both of these meetings. If you are
unable to attend EPA's meeting please be sure to use your opportunity to
submit comments to the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics by
November 30, 1998 (the deadline may be pushed back).

Instructions For Submitting Comments

Public comment must bear the docket control number OPPTS-62156. Three
copies of all documents should be sent to:

OPPT Document Control Officer (7407)
Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics
Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW, Room G099
East Tower, Washington, DC 20460.

Comments and data may also be submitted electronically to:
oppt.ncic@epamail.epa.gov.

For further information regarding these meetings or this issue please
contact either Chris Shirley, ARC Ecology (415) 495-1786 or Tony
Chenhansa, CPEO (415) 904-7751.