An invitation by the Ministry of the Environment to participate in pre-consultation involving science discussion documents and science discussion meetings leading to the development of proposed air standards for the following eight (8) substances:

1. uranium
2. nickel (Revised since posted under EBR Registry Number PA04E0029 on June 21, 2004)
3. chromium (hexavalent) and other compounds (divalent& trivalent), (Revised since posted under EBR Registry Number PA04E0016 on June 21, 2004)
4. benzene,
5. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs),
6. 1,3, butadiene,
7. dioxins and dioxin-like compounds, and
8. manganese and compounds

There is no decision associated with this notice. It is an invitation to pre-consultations only.  

The Ministry is moving forward on developing new or updated air standards for 15 substances over the next few years. The ministry is about to engage in pre-consultation on the first eight (8) of these substances.

The ministry’s consultation process, designed in consultation with stakeholders, involves two steps:

1. Step one: ‘pre-consultation’. This step involves sending a ‘science discussion document’ by e-mail to interested parties for each of the eight substances, and subsequently holding a science discussion meeting with these interested parties approximately one month later. These science discussion documents contain a comprehensive discussion on the scientific considerations for the derivation of a regulatory limit, but do not propose a regulatory limit. Science discussion documents will be sent to stakeholders over a two month period.  Interested parties will also be encouraged to submit written comments within one month of the science meeting.
   
   
2. Step two: consultation on the ministry’s proposed air standards. This involves posting on the Environmental Registry a Notice of Proposal related to a ‘rationale document’ for each substance that proposes a regulatory standard for that substance, supported by a detailed scientific rationale.
   
   The rationale document will have considered the critical comments from stakeholders received during the pre-consultation stage. Posting on the Environmental Registry would be for up to 90 days, during which time the public would submit written comments. The ministry may offer an additional substance-specific science meeting where there appears to be an interest among stakeholders.

Throughout the fall of 2008, the ministry will send by e-mail to parties who have specifically indicated their interest, the science discussion documents on the following eight substances: uranium, nickel, chromium (hexavalent) and other compounds (divalent and trivalent), benzene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 1,3, butadiene, dioxins and dioxin-like compounds, and manganese and compounds.

The order and specific date of release of the science discussion documents for the different substances  yet to be determined. However, the science discussion document for the first substance is expected to be released in October 2008 and the science discussion document on the last of the eight substances in November 2008.

A concurrent science discussion meeting on each specific substance will be scheduled to take place approximately one month following the release of the science discussion document on that substance – thus these meetings are expected to take place in November 2008 through early 2009.

These meetings will be of a scientific nature, focused on the discussion of the scientific studies the ministry has relied on and the ministry’s scientific analysis of these studies. The purpose of these discussions is to assist the ministry in the derivation of a proposed regulatory limit for the substances in question. Each of the proposed regulatory limits, in the form of a Rationale Document, will be made available for full public consultation through the Environmental Registry.

To participate in this pre-consultation step, please indicate the specific substance(s) in which you have an interest, and for which you wish to participate in a scientific discussion. You would do this by sending an e-mail to the following address, no later than Friday, October 17, 2008.

Sdb-ebr.moe@ontario.ca

Please provide the following information in your e-mail:

Your name
E-mail address
Phone number
Mail address

The ministry will send by e-mail to those that expressed an interest, the science discussion document for the specific substance of interest, along with the details related to the science meeting on that substance, such as the date, time, and location.

If you have any questions regarding the above, please send an e-mail to Sdb-ebr.moe@ontario.ca or to gail.brown@ontario.ca

Gail Brown
Air Standards Development Officer
Ministry of the Environment
Environmental Sciences and Standards Division
Standards Development Branch
Human Toxicology and Air Standards Section
40 St. Clair Avenue West
Toronto Ontario
M4V 1M2
Phone: (416) 327-5772