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]

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Part VI

The President

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Memorandum of August 8, 1995--

Expediting Community Right-to-Know Initiatives

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Title 3--
The President

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.

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.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

Washington, August 8, 1995.