[Federal Register: October 3, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 192)]
[Notices]
[Page 57446-57447]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03oc03-67]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPPT-2003-0034; FRL-7328-9]
Draft Instructions for Reporting for the 2006 Partial Updating of
the TSCA Chemical Inventory Database; Request for Comment and Notice of
Public Meeting
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: EPA is convening a public meeting to receive comments from
persons reporting data required by the Inventory Update Rule on the
draft instructions for reporting in 2006. The instructions have been
revised in response to amendments to 40 CFR part 710 promulgated on
January 7, 2003, which substantially modify the information which must
be reported for the partial updating of the TSCA Chemical Inventory
Database beginning in 2006. The meeting is open to the public.
DATES: The public meeting will commence at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday,
October 15, 2003, and end at approximately 3 p.m. on the same day.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the Le Meridien Chicago,
521 North Rush Street, at Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611. This
meeting is being held in conjunction with the 2003 TSCA Fundamentals
Workshop sponsored by the Synthetic Organic Chemicals Manufacturing
Association. Information on this workshop is available at
http://www.socma.com/Conferences/TSCAWorkshop.htm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information contact:
Barbara Cunningham, Acting Director, Environmental Assistance Division
(7408M), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-
0001; telephone number: (202) 554-1404; e-mail address: TSCA-Hotline@epa.gov.
For technical information contact: Fredric C. Arnold, Economics,
Exposure, and Technology Division (7406M), Office of Pollution
Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 564-8521; e-mail address:arnold.fred@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Does this Action Apply to Me?
You may be potentially affected by this action if you manufacture
chemical substances currently subject to reporting under the Inventory
Update Rule (IUR) as amended on January 7, 2003, and codified as 40 CFR
part 710. Persons who process chemical substances but who do not
manufacture or import chemical substances are not required to comply
with the requirements of 40 CFR part 710. Potentially affected entities
may include, but are not limited to:
Chemical manufacturers and importers currently subject to IUR
reporting, including manufacturers and importers of inorganic chemical
substances (NAICS codes 325, 32411).
This listing is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather provides
a guide for readers regarding entities likely to be affected by this
action. Other types of entities not listed in this unit could also be
affected. The North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS)
codes have been provided to assist you and others in determining
whether this action might apply to certain entities. To determine
whether you or your business may be affected by this action, you should
carefully examine the applicability provisions at 40 CFR 710.48. If you
have any questions regarding the applicability of this action to a
particular entity, consult the technical contact person listed under
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
B. How Can I Get Copies of this Document and Other Related Information?
1. Docket. EPA has established an official public docket for this
action under docket ID number OPPT-2003-0034. The official public
docket consists of the documents specifically referenced in this
action, any public comments received, and other information related to
this action. Although, a part of the official docket, the public docket
does not include Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. The official
public docket is the collection of materials that is available for
public viewing at the EPA Docket Center, Rm. B102-Reading Room, EPA
West, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket
Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday,
excluding legal holidays. The EPA Docket Center Reading Room telephone
number is (202) 566-1744 and the telephone number for the OPPT Docket,
which is located in EPA Docket Center, is (202) 566-0280.
2. Electronic access. You may access this Federal Register document
electronically through the EPA Internet under the ``Federal Register''
listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/.
An electronic version of the public docket is available through
EPA's electronic public docket and comment system, EPA Dockets. You may
use EPA Dockets at: http://www.epa.gov/edocket/ to submit or view
public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the
official public docket, and to access those documents in the public
docket that are available electronically. Although, not all docket
materials may be available electronically, you may still access any of
the publicly available docket materials through the docket facility
identified in Unit I.B.1. Once in the system, select ``search,'' then
key in the appropriate docket ID number.
II. Background
EPA is convening a public meeting to receive comments on the
Instructions for Reporting for the 2006 Partial Updating of the TSCA
Chemical Substance Inventory. EPA is required by section 8(b) of the
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to compile and update an inventory
of chemical substances manufactured or imported in the United States.
Every 4 years, manufacturers (including importers) of certain chemical
substances on the Chemical Substances Inventory have been required to
report data specified in the TSCA section 8(a) Inventory Update Rule
(IUR), 40 CFR part 710. Past updates included information on the
chemical's production volume, site-limited status, and plant site
information. Amendments to the IUR promulgated on January 7, 2003 (68
FR 848) (FRL-6767-4) expanded the data reported on certain chemicals to
assist EPA and others in screening potential exposures and risks
resulting from manufacturing, processing, and use of TSCA chemical
substances. At the same time, EPA amended the IUR regulations to
increase the production volume threshold which triggers reporting
requirements from 10,000 pounds per year to 25,000 pounds per year and
established a new higher threshold of 300,000 pounds per year above
which manufacturers must report additional information on down-stream
processing and use of their chemical substances. The 2003 amendments to
the IUR also revoked the exemption from reporting for inorganic
chemical substances,
[[Page 57447]]
provided a partial exemption from reporting of processing and use
information for chemical substances of low current interest, and
continued the current exemption from reporting for polymers,
microorganisms, and naturally occurring chemical substances. These
changes modify requirements for information collected in calendar year
2005 and submitted in 2006 and thereafter. The public meeting may be of
interest to persons currently reporting under the IUR and to
manufacturers of inorganic chemical substances.
The public meeting will include a series of presentations by
representatives of EPA on the instructions for reporting for the 2006
partial updating of the TSCA chemical inventory database. Presentation
topics will include reporting requirements, instructions for completing
the reporting form, how to assert confidentiality claims, and how to
submit completed reports to EPA. After each presentation, persons
attending the public meeting will be invited to comment on the clarity,
completeness, and usefulness of the instructions. Comments may also be
submitted in writing following the public meeting; comments should be
submitted within 30 days after the meeting to receive timely attention.
The purpose of the public meeting is to receive input for improving the
instructions; subsequent meetings are planned for 2004 to provide
training to persons who must report in 2006 under the IUR.
Persons planning to attend the public meeting are encouraged to
register with the technical contact person identified under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT. Persons registering for the meeting will receive
by e-mail a copy of the draft instructions prior to the meeting. Prior
registration is not required to attend the focus group meeting. There
is no charge for attending this public meeting.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, chemicals, reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
Dated: September 25, 2003.
Margaret Schneider,
Acting Director, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics.
[FR Doc. 03-25275 Filed 10-2-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S