[Federal Register: October 22, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 204)]
[Notices]
[Page 60386-60387]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22oc03-93]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPPT-2003-0034; FRL-7331-2]
Draft Instructions for Reporting for the 2006 Partial Updating of
the TSCA Chemical Inventory Database; Request for Comment; Notice of
Public Meeting
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: EPA is convening a 1-day public meeting to receive comments
from persons reporting data required by the Inventory Update Rule (IUR)
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 Toxic Substances
Control Act (TSCA) Chemical Inventory Database beginning in 2006.
DATES: The public meeting will commence at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday,
October 22, 2003, and end at approximately 2 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the Sheraton Suites
Houston, 2400 West Loop South, Houston, TX 77027.
Persons planning to attend the public meeting are encouraged to
register with the technical contact person identified below. 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 public meeting.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information contact:
Barbara Cunningham, 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.,
[[Page 60387]]
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 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 and 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 identification (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 EPA's Docket Center, Rm. B102-
Reading Room, EPA West, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC.
EPA's Docket Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday, excluding legal holidays. EPA's 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 to the 2006 partial updating of TSCA
Chemical Substance Inventory Database. EPA is required by section 8(b)
of 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 Substance Inventory have been required to report data
specified in the TSCA section 8(a) 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 lbs per year to 25,000 lbs per year
and established a new higher threshold of 300,000 lbs 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, 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.
There is no charge for attending this public meeting.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Chemicals, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
Dated: October 17,2003.
Charles M. Auer,
Director, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics.
[FR Doc. 03-26737 Filed 10-20-03; 2:26 pm]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S