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Science Panel To Discuss Model for Cleanup Alternatives for "Rest of River" in Housatonic River

Release Date: 06/19/2006
Contact Information: David Deegan, (617) 918-1017

(Boston, Mass. - June 19, 2006) - Members of the public are invited to attend a meeting of an independent scientific Peer Review Panel evaluating the Model Validation Report for the GE/Housatonic River Site.

The Model is one of the tools which will be used to evaluate cleanup alternatives for the Rest of River. During the Peer Review Meeting, Panel Members will deliberate on the Model Validation Report, following questions laid out in the Charge for the Model Validation. Following the Peer Review meeting, EPA will consider and respond to the comments from the Peer Review Panel members prior to finalizing the Model Validation Report.

The Model Validation Peer Review Meeting will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, June 28-29, 2006 at the Cranwell Resort in Lenox, Massachusetts.

Members of the public who register by June 21st will have an opportunity to address the Panel on questions laid out in the Charge on Wednesday, June 28th beginning at 9:00 a.m. However, once the Panel begins its deliberations, there will no longer be an opportunity for public comment or input of any kind during the meeting.

Individuals who wish to provide comment at the Model Validation Peer Review Meeting, are reminded to register by the June 21, 2006. Time for comment is limited, and only those who have registered by the June 21 deadline will be allowed to provide comment at the meeting.

Public comments must be related to the questions posed in the Charge for the Model Calibration. Each entity will be allotted an equal amount of time to comment, however this time will not exceed 30 minutes. Members of the Peer Review Panel may ask questions of public commentors; however time for question and response does not count against the commentor’s allotted time.

EPA has retained SRA International, Inc. to independently administer the Peer Review process. To register to comment, provide your contact information no later then Wednesday, June 21, 2006 to:

Beth Ragnauth, SRA Housatonic Peer Review
Telephone: (800) 584-1454
Fax: (703) 516-9108
Email: [email protected];
Online: http://ems-mx4.sradev.com/ge_housatonic/

Everyone who has registered will be informed by phone or e-mail by June 23 on the maximum amount of time that they will have to speak.

The full text of the Charge for the Model Validation, the Model Validation Report, EPA’s Peer Review Handbook and Appendix J to the Consent Decree, as well as other related documents including a list of the panel members and public comments on the Model Validation Report received during the comment period are available on EPA’s Housatonic River Cleanup website ( epa.gov/ne/ge/publiccomment.html ).

Copies of the Model Validation Report and the full text of the Charge for the Model Validation, as well as other information on the site are available for review at the following locations:

§ Berkshire Athenaeum Public Library Reference Depart., 1 Wendell Ave., Pittsfield MA
§ Cornwall Public Library, Pine St., Cornwall CT
§ Kent Memorial Library (Kent Library Association), 32 North Main St., Kent CT
§ Housatonic Valley Association, Cornwall Bridge CT
§ EPA Records Center, One Congress St., Suite 1100, Boston MA
§ Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, 436 Dwight St., Suite 500, Springfield MA
§ Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, 79 Elm St., Hartford CT

For technical and logistical questions about the Peer Review process, contact Beth Ragnauth at the SRA Housatonic Peer Review toll-free line at (800) 584-1454 or by e-mail at [email protected] .

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