Notice2021-18030
Request for Nominations of Experts for the Review of EPA's Draft Toxicological Reviews of Perfluorodecanoic Acid (PFDA), Perfluorononanoic Acid (PFNA), Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA), Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), and Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA)
Primary source
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Published
August 23, 2021
Issuing agencies
Environmental Protection Agency
Abstract
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment (CPHEA) requests public nominations of scientific experts for the upcoming peer reviews of five Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) assessments including: Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA; CASRN 335-76-2), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA; CASRN 375- 24-4), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA, CASRN 307-24-4), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS, CASRN 355-46-4), and perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA, CASRN 375-22-4), and their related salts which are all members of the group per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Each assessment will undergo independent external scientific peer review managed by Eastern Research Group, Inc. (ERG), a contractor to EPA. A single peer review panel will review all five (5) PFAS IRIS assessments. Interested stakeholders will be provided 30-days to submit nominations for expert reviewers to ERG for their consideration.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 160 (Monday, August 23, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 160 (Monday, August 23, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47101-47102]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18030]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-8881-01-ORD]
Request for Nominations of Experts for the Review of EPA's Draft
Toxicological Reviews of Perfluorodecanoic Acid (PFDA),
Perfluorononanoic Acid (PFNA), Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA),
Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), and Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA)
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice; request for nominations.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Center for Public
Health and Environmental Assessment (CPHEA) requests public nominations
of scientific experts for the upcoming peer reviews of five Integrated
Risk Information System (IRIS) assessments including: Perfluorodecanoic
acid (PFDA; CASRN 335-76-2), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA; CASRN 375-
24-4), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA, CASRN 307-24-4),
perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS, CASRN 355-46-4), and
perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA, CASRN 375-22-4), and their related salts
which are all members of the group per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
(PFAS). Each assessment will undergo independent external scientific
peer review managed by Eastern Research Group, Inc. (ERG), a contractor
to EPA. A single peer review panel will review all five (5) PFAS IRIS
assessments. Interested stakeholders will be provided 30-days to submit
nominations for expert reviewers to ERG for their consideration.
DATES: The 30-day public comment period to provide nominations begins
August 23, 2021 and ends September 22, 2021. Comments must be received
on or before September 22, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Submit nominations by emailing them to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#42322727303027342b2735022730256c212d2f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="22524747505047544b4755624750450c414d4f">[email protected]</span></a>
(subject line: EPA PFAS assessments peer review) at ERG no later than
September 22, 2021. Please be advised that public comments are subject
to release under the Freedom of Information Act, including
communications on these nominations.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For general information please contact: Vicki Soto, CPHEA; email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f2819d869ddc849b91999bb2978293dc959d84"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3f4c504b501149565c54567f5a4f5e11585049">[email protected]</span></a>.
For questions about the peer review, including the nomination
process, please contact: Laurie Waite, ERG, by email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#daaabfbfa8a8bfacb3bfad9abfa8bdf4b9b5b7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3f4f5a5a4d4d5a49565a487f5a4d58115c5052">[email protected]</span></a> (subject line: EPA PFAS assessments peer review); or
by phone: (781) 674-7362.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Information on IRIS PFAS Assessments
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large class of
man-made chemicals widely used in consumer products and industrial
processes. The basic structure of PFAS consists of a carbon chain
surrounded by fluorine atoms, with different chemicals possessing
different end groups. The five IRIS toxicity assessments are being
developed according to the scope and methods outlined in the publicly
posted systematic review protocol (<a href="https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris_drafts/recordisplay.cfm?deid=345065">https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris_drafts/recordisplay.cfm?deid=345065</a>) and they build upon several
other PFAS assessments that have already been developed, and represent
only one component of the broader PFAS action plan underway at the U.S.
EPA (<a href="https://www.epa.gov/pfas/epas-pfas-action-plan">https://www.epa.gov/pfas/epas-pfas-action-plan</a>).
EPA is releasing the announcement to notify the public of upcoming
peer review activities related to five IRIS five per- and
polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) Integrated Risk Information System
(IRIS) assessments including: Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA; CASRN 335-
76-2), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA; CASRN 375-24-4), perfluorohexanoic
acid (PFHxA, CASRN 307-24-4), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS,
CASRN 355-46-4), and perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA, CASRN 375 22 4), and
their related salts which are all members of the group per- and
polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These documents will undergo
independent external scientific peer review managed by ERG, a
contractor to EPA. EPA has instructed ERG to formulate a single pool of
eighteen (18) candidate external reviewers to provide independent
external reviews of all five PFAS IRIS assessments. After consideration
of peer reviewer nominations submitted to ERG in response to this FRN
and after consideration of public comments on the List of Candidates
(to be announced in a future FRN), ERG will select from this pool the
final list of up to nine (9) peer reviewers in a manner consistent with
EPA's Peer Review Handbook 4th Edition, 2015 (EPA/100/B-15/001). EPA
will provide updates on the status of the peer review via the IRIS
website (<a href="https://www.epa.gov/iris">https://www.epa.gov/iris</a>). EPA encourages all interested
stakeholders to register for the IRIS listserv by visiting the IRIS
website at <a href="https://www.epa.gov/iris/forms/staying-connected-integrated-risk-information-system#connect">https://www.epa.gov/iris/forms/staying-connected-integrated-risk-information-system#connect</a>. Specific questions or comments on the
peer review process should be directed to ERG.
II. Information About This Peer Review
ERG is seeking nominations of nationally and internationally
recognized scientists with demonstrated expertise and research on per-
and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in one or more of the following
areas: Environmental epidemiology with experience in the application of
systematic review principles to environmental exposures and/or
immunotoxicity expertise; experimental toxicology with experience in
the application of systematic review principles to environmental
exposures and/or immunotoxicity expertise, hepatic effects, thyroid
effects, developmental effects, biological mechanisms of human disease/
health effects, and absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion
(ADME) knowledge; and physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK)
modeling, toxicokinetics, and dose-response modeling of animal data.
Questions regarding this review should be directed to Laurie Waite,
ERG, by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#22524747505047544b4755624750450c414d4f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6a1a0f0f18180f1c030f1d2a0f180d44090507">[email protected]</span></a> (subject line: EPA PFAS assessments
peer review); or by phone: (781) 674-7362. For EPA, a balanced review
panel includes candidates who possess the necessary domains of
knowledge, the relevant scientific perspectives (which, among other
factors, can be influenced by work history and affiliation), and the
collective breadth of experience to adequately address the peer review
charge. In forming this expert panel, ERG will consider public comments
on the List of Candidates, information provided by the candidates
themselves, and background information. Selection criteria to be used
for panel membership include: (a) Scientific and/or technical
expertise, knowledge, and experience (primary factors); (b)
availability and willingness to serve; (c) absence of any potential
organizational or personal conflicts of interest; (d) skills working in
committees, subcommittees and advisory panels; and, (e) for the panel
as a whole, diversity of expertise and scientific points of view.
Process and Deadline for Submitting Nominations: Any interested
person or organization may nominate qualified
[[Page 47102]]
individuals in the areas of expertise described above. Nominations
should be submitted in electronic format to ERG via email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#63130606111106150a0614230611044d000c0e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="09796c6c7b7b6c7f606c7e496c7b6e276a6664">[email protected]</span></a> (subject line: EPA PFAS assessments peer review). To
receive full consideration, nominations should include all of the
information requested below. ERG requests contact information about the
person making the nomination; contact information about the nominee;
the nominee's disciplinary and specific areas of expertise; the
nominee's resume or curriculum vitae; sources of recent grant and/or
contract support; and a biographical sketch of the nominee indicating
current position, educational background, research activities, and
recent service on other national advisory committees or national
professional organizations. Persons having questions about the
nomination procedures, or who are unable to submit nominations via
email, should contact Laurie Waite, ERG, as noted above. ERG will
acknowledge receipt of nominations. The names and biosketches of
qualified nominees identified by respondents to this Federal Register
Notice along with additional experts identified by ERG will be posted
on the IRIS website and will be available for public comment. The
process for public comment on the pool of nominees will be announced in
a subsequent Federal Register Notice, on the IRIS website, and through
the IRIS Listserv.
Timothy Watkins,
Acting Director, Center for Public Health & Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. 2021-18030 Filed 8-20-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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