Notice2024-19305
Public Engagement Webinars; Pre-Prioritization and Consideration of Existing Chemical Substances for Future Prioritization Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
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Published
August 28, 2024
Issuing agencies
Environmental Protection Agency
Abstract
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) is announcing the scheduling of two virtual public meetings to provide information regarding existing chemical pre-prioritization and prioritization activities under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Prioritization is the initial step in the process of evaluating existing chemicals under TSCA and implementing regulations. The purpose of prioritization is to designate a chemical substance as being either high priority for immediate further risk evaluation, or low priority, for which risk evaluation is not warranted at the time. The webinars will take place on two separate days, but the content presented at each meeting will be identical. EPA will explain the prioritization process and provide an overview of information that may be used to inform the considerations that ultimately support a High- or Low-Priority Substance designation, such as information on conditions of use and health effects resulting from exposure to the chemicals of interest. In addition, the list of candidate chemical substances currently being considered for future prioritization actions will be presented for stakeholders to comment on the data and scientific research available that may be used to help EPA determine which chemical substances may undergo prioritization in the near term. EPA is committed to engaging with the public to identify potentially relevant information on chemical substances being considered for future prioritization actions during pre-prioritization timeframes.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 167 (Wednesday, August 28, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 167 (Wednesday, August 28, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68894-68896]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-19305]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2023-0606; FRL-11581-04-OCSPP]
Public Engagement Webinars; Pre-Prioritization and Consideration
of Existing Chemical Substances for Future Prioritization Under the
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) is
announcing the scheduling of two virtual public meetings to provide
information regarding existing chemical pre-prioritization and
prioritization activities under the Toxic Substances Control Act
(TSCA). Prioritization is the initial step in the process of evaluating
existing chemicals under TSCA and implementing regulations. The purpose
of prioritization is to designate a chemical substance as being either
high priority for immediate further risk evaluation, or low priority,
for which risk evaluation is not warranted at the time. The webinars
will take place on two separate days, but the content presented at each
meeting will be identical. EPA will explain the prioritization process
and provide an overview of information that may be used to inform the
considerations that ultimately support a High- or Low-Priority
Substance designation, such as information on conditions of use and
health effects resulting from exposure to the chemicals of interest. In
addition, the list of candidate chemical substances currently being
considered for future prioritization actions will be presented for
stakeholders to comment on the data and scientific research available
that may be used to help EPA determine which chemical substances may
undergo prioritization in the near term. EPA is committed to engaging
with the public to identify potentially relevant information on
chemical substances being considered for future prioritization actions
during pre-prioritization timeframes.
DATES:
Webinars: Monday, September 30, 2024, (2 p.m.-4 p.m. ET), and
Tuesday, October 1, 2024 (10 a.m.-12 p.m. ET).
Registration: You must register on or before September 25, 2024, to
receive the webcast meeting link and audio teleconference information
before the meeting, and to make oral comments during the meeting.
Special accommodations: Submit requests for special accommodations
on or before September 13, 2024, to allow EPA time to process the
request before the meeting.
Oral comments: To provide an oral comment during the webinar,
register on or before September 25, 2024.
Written comments: Following the public webinars, written comments
may be submitted during a 30-day public comment period that will open
following the second public webinar on October 1, 2024.
ADDRESSES:
Webinar: Register online for each webinar as follows:
<bullet> For the webinar on Monday, September 30, 2024, register
at: <a href="https://usepa.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItduuoqzgvH1QTU561mR9PaHoG91WhfnA">https://usepa.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItduuoqzgvH1QTU561mR9PaHoG91WhfnA</a>;
<bullet> For the webinar on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, register at:
<a href="https://usepa.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsfCrrzMqHJshuXmH7qTusPv-lURNA4M">https://usepa.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsfCrrzMqHJshuXmH7qTusPv-lURNA4M</a>.
Special Accommodations: Please submit these requests to the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Oral comments: Register with the person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
Written comments: Submit written comments, identified by docket
identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2023-0606, online at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. Follow the online instructions for submitting
comments. Do not submit electronically any information you consider to
be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose
disclosure is restricted by statute. Additional instructions on
commenting or visiting the docket, along with more information about
dockets generally, is available at <a href="https://www.epa.gov/dockets">https://www.epa.gov/dockets</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah Soliman, Office of Pollution
Prevention and Toxics (7201M), Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution
Prevention (OCSPP), Environmental
[[Page 68895]]
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460-
0001; telephone number: (202) 748-0251 email address:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#01726e6d686c606f2f7260736069416471602f666e77"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ef9c808386828e81c19c8e9d8e87af8a9f8ec1888099">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Executive Summary
A. Does this action apply to me?
This action is directed to the public in general and may be of
interest to entities that may manufacture (including import) a chemical
substance regulated under TSCA (e.g., entities identified under North
American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) codes 325 and
324110). The action may also be of interest to chemical processors,
distributors in commerce, users, non-profit organizations in the
environmental and public health sectors, state and local government
agencies, and members of the public. Since other entities may also be
interested, the Agency has not attempted to describe all the specific
entities and corresponding NAICS codes for entities that may be
interested in or affected by this action.
B. What is the Agency's authority for taking this action?
TSCA section 6, 15 U.S.C. 2605, requires EPA to evaluate existing
chemicals via a three-stage process. The three stages of EPA's process
for existing chemicals are prioritization, risk evaluation, and risk
management. See also the implementing procedural regulations at 40 CFR
part 702. For more information about the TSCA risk evaluation process
for existing chemicals, go to <a href="https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca">https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca</a>.
C. What action is the agency taking?
EPA is announcing the scheduling of two virtual public meetings to
provide information regarding existing chemical pre-prioritization and
prioritization activities under TSCA. Prioritization is the initial
step in the process of evaluating existing chemicals under TSCA and
implementing regulations. The purpose of prioritization is to designate
a chemical substance as being either high priority for immediate
further risk evaluation, or low priority, for which risk evaluation is
not warranted at the time. The webinars will take place on two separate
days, but the content presented at each meeting will be identical. EPA
will explain the prioritization process and provide an overview of
information that may be used to inform the considerations that
ultimately support a High- or Low-Priority Substance designation, such
as information on conditions of use and health effects resulting from
exposure to the chemicals of interest. In addition, the list of
candidate chemical substances currently being considered for future
prioritization actions will be presented for stakeholders to comment on
the data and scientific research available that may be used to help EPA
determine which chemical substances may undergo prioritization in the
near term.
D. Why is the Agency taking this action?
EPA is committed to engaging with the public to identify
potentially relevant information on chemical substances being
considered for future prioritization actions during pre-prioritization
timeframes. This action is intended to increase transparency in the
TSCA prioritization process by encouraging public engagement in earlier
activities.
EPA values broad external input, which is critical to the
prioritization process. EPA is committed to developing a sustainable
program where information is continually collected by the Agency on
chemicals of interest so that prioritization occurs on an annual basis
to replace High-Priority Substances for which EPA has completed risk
evaluations. Information provided during and following these public
meetings will inform EPA's determination regarding whether chemical
substances have sufficient information to support either a High- or Low
Priority Substance designation during prioritization or a risk
evaluation, should a chemical substance be designated as a High-
Priority Substance during prioritization.
E. What is the purpose of the pre-prioritization and prioritization
phases?
Pre-prioritization represents the Agency's commitment to fostering
a transparent collaborative effort with the public by allowing
stakeholders to engage with EPA on its list of potential prioritization
candidates; learn about the type of information EPA seeks to support
the proposed and final designations as either High- or Low-Priority
Substances; and how stakeholders can provide that information.
Prioritization is the initial step in the process of evaluating
existing chemicals under TSCA section 6(b) and implementing regulations
at 40 CFR part 702. The purpose of prioritization is to designate a
chemical substance as either high priority for immediate further risk
evaluation, or low priority, for which risk evaluation is not warranted
at the time.
To identify candidates for the prioritization process, TSCA
requires that at least 50 percent of all chemical substances on which
risk evaluations are being conducted by the Administrator are drawn
from the TSCA Work Plan for Chemical Assessments: 2014 Update available
at: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/tsca-work-plan-chemical-assessments-2014-update">https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/tsca-work-plan-chemical-assessments-2014-update</a>, until that list has
been exhausted. EPA also gives preference to chemical substances from
the TSCA Work Plan chemicals with the following characteristics:
<bullet> Persistence and bioaccumulation scores of three; and
<bullet> Known human carcinogens, and high acute or chronic
toxicity.
Aside from these statutory directions, EPA has discretion to
determine which chemical substances will undergo prioritization.
II. Virtual Public Meetings
A. What is the planned agenda for the meetings?
EPA is announcing its intention to hold virtual public meetings on
September 30 and October 1, 2024, to seek individual input from the
public on the proposed efforts regarding pre-prioritization and the
consideration of existing chemical substances for future prioritization
actions under the TSCA. The virtual public meetings will take place on
two separate days, but the content presented at each meeting will be
identical. EPA intends to explain the prioritization process and
provide an overview of information that may be used to inform the
considerations that ultimately support a High- or Low-Priority
Substance designation, such as information on conditions of use and
health effects resulting from exposure to the chemicals of interest. In
addition, the Agency intends to share the list of candidate chemical
substances currently being considered for future prioritization
actions, along with relevant information available to EPA, and intends
to open a comment period to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to
comment on the data and scientific research available that may be used
to help EPA determine which chemical substances may undergo
prioritization in the near term.
Following EPA's presentation during the public webinars, interested
persons will have opportunities to provide feedback and/or potentially
relevant information regarding the prioritization efforts, with
priority given to those who registered for oral comments. Instructions
on registering for the public
[[Page 68896]]
meetings and contacting EPA to communicate an interest in providing an
oral comment are detailed in this document.
B. How can I participate the virtual public meetings?
The public meetings are virtual and will be accessible via webcast.
To receive a virtual meeting link via email, use the public virtual
meeting respective registration links provided under ADDRESSES, and be
sure to register by the deadline under DATES. A virtual meeting link
will be sent via email to persons who register. EPA will make every
effort to present the information and allow for as many entities as
possible to provide a brief oral comment within the allotted time on
the day of the webinar, but please plan for the webinars to run either
ahead of or behind schedule.
Following EPA's presentation during the public webinars, interested
persons will have opportunities to provide comments and/or potentially
relevant information regarding upcoming prioritization efforts. You
will also have the opportunity to provide written comments to the
docket after the public meetings. Instructions on registering to attend
or present at the public meetings, and to submit written comments
following the virtual public meetings are detailed under DATES and
ADDRESSES.
Each individual or group wishing to make brief oral comments during
the virtual public meetings should first register for the public
meetings, and then also email their request to make oral comments with
their name, affiliation, and contact information, to the person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Interested persons who have
registered to provide a comment during the public meeting will each
have approximately three minutes to do so. EPA also encourages you to
submit a written copy of their oral comments to the docket.
Written statements and supporting information submitted to the
docket during the comment period will be considered with the same
weight as oral comments and supporting information presented at the
public meeting.
C. How can I access the materials shared at the meeting?
After the conclusion of the webinar on October 1, 2024, the
material presented at the webinars, including the EPA presentation, the
list of candidate chemical substances currently being considered for
future prioritization actions, and related supporting information about
those chemicals will be added to the docket, along with other materials
provided by participants or that may become available. In addition,
after the meetings, EPA intends to prepare meeting minutes summarizing
the individual comments received at the meetings, which will be added
to the docket as soon as they are available.
D. What should I consider as I prepare my comments for EPA?
1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit CBI information to EPA through
<a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> or email. If you wish to include CBI in
your comment, please follow the applicable instructions at <a href="https://www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets#rules">https://www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets#rules</a> and clearly mark the
part or all of the information that you claim to be CBI. In addition to
one complete version of the comment that includes information claimed
as CBI, a copy of the comment that does not contain the information
claimed as CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public docket.
Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with
procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2 and/or 40 CFR part 703, as
applicable.
2. Tips for preparing your comments. When preparing and submitting
your comments, see Tips for Effective Comments at <a href="https://www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets#tips">https://www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets#tips</a>.
3. Multimedia submissions. Multimedia submissions (audio, video,
etc.) must be accompanied by a written comment. The written comment is
considered the official comment and should include discussion of all
points you wish to make. The EPA will generally not consider comments
or comment contents located outside of the primary submission (i.e., on
the web, cloud, or other file sharing systems).
Please note that any updates made to any aspect of the webinar will
be communicated with a document being added to the docket. While EPA
expects the webinar to go forward as set forth above, please monitor
our website, <a href="https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/us-epa-webinar-next-round-chemicals-substances-being">https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/us-epa-webinar-next-round-chemicals-substances-being</a>, or see
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT to determine if
there are any updates. EPA does not intend to publish update
announcements in this action.
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.
Dated: August 22, 2024.
Michal Freedhoff,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2024-19305 Filed 8-27-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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