82 FR 43539 - Availability of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Assessment Plans for Nitrate/Nitrite, Chloroform, and Ethylbenzene

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 179 (September 18, 2017)

Page Range		43539-43540
FR Document		2017-19707

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a 30- day public comment period associated with the draft IRIS Assessment Plans for Nitrate/Nitrite, Chloroform, and Ethylbenzene. These documents communicate information on the scoping needs identified by EPA program and regional offices and the IRIS Program's initial problem formulation activities. Specifically, the assessment plans outline the objectives for each assessment and the type of evidence considered most pertinent to address the scoping needs. EPA is releasing these draft IRIS Assessment Plans for public comment. These assessment plans will also be discussed during the September 27-28 Science Advisory Board (SAB) Chemical Assessment Advisory Committee (CAAC) peer consultation meeting. These documents were prepared by the National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD).

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 179 (Monday, September 18, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 179 (Monday, September 18, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43539-43540]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-19707]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9967-48-ORD; Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2017-0496, ORD-2017-0497, 
ORD-2014-0526]


Availability of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) 
Assessment Plans for Nitrate/Nitrite, Chloroform, and Ethylbenzene

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of public comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a 30-
day public comment period associated with the draft IRIS Assessment 
Plans for Nitrate/Nitrite, Chloroform, and Ethylbenzene. These 
documents communicate information on the scoping needs identified by 
EPA program and regional offices and the IRIS Program's initial problem 
formulation activities. Specifically, the assessment plans outline the 
objectives for each assessment and the type of evidence considered most 
pertinent to address the scoping needs.
    EPA is releasing these draft IRIS Assessment Plans for public 
comment. These assessment plans will also be discussed during the 
September 27-28 Science Advisory Board (SAB) Chemical Assessment 
Advisory Committee (CAAC) peer consultation meeting. These documents 
were prepared by the National Center for Environmental Assessment 
(NCEA) within EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD).

DATES: The 30-day public comment period begins September 18, 2017, and 
ends October 18, 2017. Comments must be received on or before October 
18, 2017.

ADDRESSES: The IRIS Assessment Plan for Nitrate/Nitrite, will be 
available via the Internet on IRIS' Recent Additions at http://www.epa.gov/iris/iris-recent-additions and in the public docket at 
http://www.regulations.gov, Docket ID: EPA-HQ-ORD-2017-0496.
    The IRIS Assessment Plan for Chloroform will be available via the 
Internet on IRIS' Recent Additions at http://www.epa.gov/iris/iris-recent-additions and in the public docket at

[[Page 43540]]

http://www.regulations.gov, Docket ID: EPA-HQ-ORD-2017-0497.
    The IRIS Assessment Plan for Ethylbenzene will be available via the 
Internet on IRIS' Recent Additions at http://www.epa.gov/iris/iris-recent-additions and in the public docket at http://www.regulations.gov, Docket ID: EPA-HQ-ORD-2014-0526.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the public comment 
period, contact the ORD Docket at the EPA Headquarters Docket Center; 
telephone: 202-566-1752; facsimile: 202-566-9744; or email: 
[email protected].
    For technical information on the IRIS Assessment Plans, contact Dr. 
James Avery, NCEA; telephone: 703-347-8668; or email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background Information on IRIS Assessment Plans

    EPA's IRIS Program is a human health assessment program that 
evaluates quantitative and qualitative risk information on effects that 
may result from exposure to chemicals found in the environment. Through 
the IRIS Program, EPA provides the highest quality science-based human 
health assessments to support the Agency's regulatory activities and 
decisions to protect public health. As part of scoping and initial 
problem formulation activities prior to the development of a draft 
assessment, the IRIS Program carries out a broad, preliminary 
literature survey to assist in identifying health effects that have 
been studied in relation to the chemical or substance of interest as 
well as science issues that may need to be considered when evaluating 
its toxicity. This information, in conjunction with scoping needs 
identified by EPA program and regional offices, are used to inform the 
development of an IRIS Assessment Plan (IAP).
    The IAP communicates to the public the plan for reviewing each 
individual chemical assessment and includes summary information on the 
IRIS Program's scoping and initial problem formulation, objectives and 
specific aims for the assessment, and a PECO (Population, Exposure, 
Comparators, and Outcomes) framework for the systematic review. The 
PECO provides the framework for developing literature search strategies 
and inclusion/exclusion criteria, particularly with respect to evidence 
stream (i.e., human, animal, mechanistic), exposure measures and 
outcome measures. The IAP serves to inform the subsequent development 
of chemical specific systematic review protocols, which will be made 
publicly available. For more information, visit EPA's IRIS Program Web 
site at https://www.epa.gov/iris.

II. How To Submit Technical Comments to the Docket at 
www.regulations.gov

    Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2017-
0496 for Nitrate/Nitrite, EPA-HQ-ORD-2017-0497 for Chloroform, and EPA-
HQ-ORD-2014-0526 for Ethylbenzene, by one of the following methods:
     www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for 
submitting comments.
     Email: [email protected].
     Fax: 202-566-9744.
     Mail: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket 
Center (ORD Docket), Mail Code: 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20460. The phone number is 202-566-1752.
     Hand Delivery: The ORD Docket is located in the EPA 
Headquarters Docket Center, EPA West Building, Room 3334, 1301 
Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC.
    The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The 
telephone number for the Public Reading Room is 202-566-1744. 
Deliveries are only accepted during the docket's normal hours of 
operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of 
boxed information. If you provide comments by mail or hand delivery, 
please submit three copies of the comments. For attachments, provide an 
index, number pages consecutively with the comments, and submit an 
unbound original and three copies.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to EPA-HQ-ORD-2017-0496 for 
Nitrate/Nitrite, EPA-HQ-ORD-2017-0497 for Chloroform, and EPA-HQ-ORD-
2014-0526 for Ethylbenzene. Please ensure that your comments are 
submitted within the specified comment period. Comments received after 
the closing date will be marked ``late,'' and may only be considered if 
time permits. It is EPA's policy to include all comments it receives in 
the public docket without change and to make the comments available 
online at www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided, unless a comment includes information claimed to be 
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information for which 
disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information through 
www.regulations.gov or email that you consider to be CBI or otherwise 
protected. The www.regulations.gov Web site is an ``anonymous access'' 
system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact 
information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you 
send an email comment directly to EPA without going through 
www.regulations.gov, your email address will be automatically captured 
and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket 
and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic 
comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact 
information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you 
submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties 
and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to 
consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special 
characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or 
viruses. For additional information about EPA's public docket visit the 
EPA Docket Center homepage at www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.
    Docket: Documents in the docket are listed in the 
www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some 
information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information 
whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other materials, 
such as copyrighted material, are publicly available only in hard copy. 
Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically 
in www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the ORD Docket in the EPA 
Headquarters Docket Center.

    Dated: August 30, 2017.
Mary Ross,
Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. 2017-19707 Filed 9-15-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P

Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 179 / Monday, September 18, 2017 / Notices 43539

rulemaking process in which objection is therefore outside the scope Dated: July 27, 2017.
regulations may be revised. of the June 21 NODA. Karen L. Orehowsky,
EPA has confirmed that the units in Finally, the fourth written objection Acting Director, Clean Air Markets Division,
question are not eligible to receive Office of Atmospheric Programs, Office of
seeks modifications to the total amount
Air and Radiation.
allocations of NUSA allowances under of the NUSA for Oklahoma under the
[FR Doc. 2017–19822 Filed 9–15–17; 8:45 am]
the regulations for the CSAPR NOX CSAPR NOX Ozone Season Group 2
Ozone Season Group 2 Trading BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
Trading Program. Again, EPA’s
Program. Under § 97.812(a)(3), first- determinations regarding the NUSA
round allocations are determined for total amounts were made in the CSAPR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
‘‘each CSAPR NOX Ozone Season Group Update rulemaking; further, the actual AGENCY
2 unit described in paragraph (a)(1) of amounts are codified in the CSAPR
this section’’—i.e., § 97.812(a)(1). This regulations.11 The total amount of the [FRL–9967–48–ORD; Docket ID No. EPA–
paragraph of the regulations identifies NUSA for Oklahoma can be revised only HQ–ORD–2017–0496, ORD–2017–0497,
three categories of units eligible for first- ORD–2014–0526]
through another rulemaking, not
round allocations: First, units that have through the administrative process of
not been allocated allowances as Availability of the Integrated Risk
allocating NUSA allowances, so the Information System (IRIS) Assessment
existing units pursuant to § 97.811(a)(1); objection is outside the scope of the
second, units that have been allocated Plans for Nitrate/Nitrite, Chloroform,
June 21 NODA. and Ethylbenzene
allowances as existing units from a
given state’s budget for a given control In addition to the written objections AGENCY: Environmental Protection
period but have lost those allocations discussed above, EPA also received a Agency (EPA).
under the trading program’s correction telephone inquiry that led to the
ACTION: Notice of public comment
provisions (because the units either are discovery of an error in the preliminary
period.
not located in that state or are not calculations for NUSA allocations of
subject to the program at the start of that CSAPR SO2 Group 2 allowances. SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection
control period); and third, units that Specifically, because of incorrect Agency (EPA) is announcing a 30-day
have ceased operation for a sufficient processing of a change in the plant code public comment period associated with
length of time to lose their allocations used to identify certain existing units at the draft IRIS Assessment Plans for
as existing units and have subsequently the Wansley power plant in Georgia, Nitrate/Nitrite, Chloroform, and
resumed operation.9 As discussed Wansley CC units 6A, 6B, 7A, and 7B Ethylbenzene. These documents
above, the units in question meet the were incorrectly identified as new units communicate information on the
criteria established in the CSAPR eligible to receive NUSA allocations. We scoping needs identified by EPA
Update rulemaking to be considered have corrected the error and these units program and regional offices and the
existing units for purposes of the are not allocated allowances as new IRIS Program’s initial problem
CSAPR NOX Ozone Season Group 2 units in the final calculations. formulation activities. Specifically, the
Trading Program, and the units assessment plans outline the objectives
The final unit-by-unit data and for each assessment and the type of
accordingly have been allocated
allowances as existing units pursuant to allowance allocation calculations are set evidence considered most pertinent to
§ 97.811(a)(1). The units do not fall forth in Excel spreadsheets titled address the scoping needs.
within one of the categories of units ‘‘CSAPR_NUSA_2017_NOx_Annual_ EPA is releasing these draft IRIS
eligible for NUSA allocations as set 1st_Round_Final_Data’’, ‘‘CSAPR_ Assessment Plans for public comment.
forth in § 97.812(a)(1), and the NUSA_2017_NOx_OS_1st_Round_ These assessment plans will also be
regulations do not provide us with the Final_Data’’, and ‘‘CSAPR_NUSA_2017_ discussed during the September 27–28
authority either to grant exceptions for SO2_1st_Round_Final_Data’’, available Science Advisory Board (SAB) Chemical
individual units or to identify on EPA’s Web site at https:// Assessment Advisory Committee
additional categories of eligible units www.epa.gov/csapr/csapr-compliance- (CAAC) peer consultation meeting.
beyond those set forth in § 97.812(a)(1). year-2017-nusa-nodas. The three These documents were prepared by the
spreadsheets show our final National Center for Environmental
As an alternative to having the
determinations of first-round 2017 Assessment (NCEA) within EPA’s Office
facility’s units reclassified as new units
NUSA allocations under the CSAPR of Research and Development (ORD).
for purposes of the CSAPR NOX Ozone
Season Group 2 Trading Program, the NOX annual, CSAPR NOX ozone season DATES: The 30-day public comment
third written objection also seeks (Group 1 and Group 2), and CSAPR SO2 period begins September 18, 2017, and
modifications to the data used to (Group 1 and Group 2) trading ends October 18, 2017. Comments must
compute the units’ allocations of programs, respectively. be received on or before October 18,
allowances as existing units under that EPA notes that an allocation or lack 2017.
program. However, like the January 1, of allocation of allowances to a given ADDRESSES: The IRIS Assessment Plan
2015 cutoff date, EPA’s determinations unit does not constitute a determination for Nitrate/Nitrite, will be available via
of which data should be used to that CSAPR does or does not apply to the Internet on IRIS’ Recent Additions at
determine allowance allocations to the unit. We also note that allocations http://www.epa.gov/iris/iris-recent-
existing units were made in the CSAPR additions and in the public docket at
sradovich on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with NOTICES

are subject to potential correction.
Update rulemaking 10 and can be revised http://www.regulations.gov, Docket ID:
only through another rulemaking, not (Authority: 40 CFR 97.411(b), 97.511(b), EPA–HQ–ORD–2017–0496.
through the administrative process of 97.611(b), 97.711(b), and 97.811(b).) The IRIS Assessment Plan for
allocating NUSA allowances. The Chloroform will be available via the
Internet on IRIS’ Recent Additions at
9 See § 97.812(a)(1)(i), (ii), and (iii), respectively. http://www.epa.gov/iris/iris-recent-
10 See 81 FR at 74564–65. 11 See 81 FR at 74565; 40 CFR 97.810(a)(17)(ii). additions and in the public docket at

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Document Created: 2017-09-16 00:52:51
Document Modified: 2017-09-16 00:52:51

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice of public comment period.
Dates		The 30-day public comment period begins September 18, 2017, and ends October 18, 2017. Comments must be received on or before October 18, 2017.
Contact		For information on the public comment period, contact the ORD Docket at the EPA Headquarters Docket Center; telephone: 202-566-1752; facsimile: 202-566-9744; or email: [email protected]
FR Citation		82 FR 43539