[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 217 (Wednesday, November 10, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 69065]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-28381]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9224-5]


Draft Toxicological Review of Urea: In Support of Summary 
Information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of peer review meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: EPA is announcing that Versar, Inc., an EPA contractor for 
external scientific peer review, will convene an independent panel of 
experts and organize and conduct an external peer review meeting to 
review the draft human health assessment titled, ``Toxicological Review 
of Urea: In Support of Summary Information on the Integrated Risk 
Information System (IRIS)'' (EPA/635/R-10/005). The draft assessment 
was prepared by the National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) 
within the EPA Office of Research and Development.
    On September 28 EPA released this draft assessment [75 FR 59716] 
solely for the purpose of pre-dissemination peer review under 
applicable information quality guidelines. This draft assessment has 
not been formally disseminated by EPA. It does not represent and should 
not be construed to represent any Agency policy or determination.
    Versar, Inc. invites the public to register to attend this workshop 
as observers. In addition, Versar, Inc. invites the public to give 
brief oral comments and/or provide written comments at the workshop 
regarding the draft assessment under review. Time is limited, and 
reservations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. In 
preparing a final report, EPA will consider Versar, Inc.'s report of 
the comments and recommendations from the external peer review workshop 
and any written public comments that EPA receives in accordance with 
this notice.

DATES: The peer review panel workshop on the draft assessment for Urea 
will be held via teleconference on December 13, 2010, beginning at 1 
p.m. and ending at 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

ADDRESSES: The draft ``Toxicological Review of Urea: In Support of 
Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)'' 
is available primarily via the Internet on the NCEA home page under the 
Recent Additions and Publications menus at http://www.epa.gov/ncea. A 
limited number of paper copies are available from the Information 
Management Team (Address: Information Management Team, National Center 
for Environmental Assessment [Mail Code: 8601P], U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; 
telephone: 703-347-8561; facsimile: 703-347-8691). If you request a 
paper copy, please provide your name, mailing address, and the draft 
assessment title.
    The peer review meeting on the draft Urea assessment will be held 
via teleconference. To attend the teleconference, register no later 
than December 6, 2010, by contacting Versar Inc. by e-mail: 
[email protected] (subject line: Urea Peer Review Meeting), by phone: 
703-750-3000, ext. 545 or toll free at 1-800-2-VERSAR (1-800-283-7727), 
ask for Kathy Coon, the Urea Peer Review Meeting Coordinator, or by 
faxing a registration request to 703-642-6809 (please reference the 
Urea Peer Review Meeting and include your name, title, affiliation, 
full address and contact information). There will be limited time at 
the peer review workshop for comments from the public. Please inform 
Versar, Inc. if you wish to make comments during the workshop.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on registration, 
access or services for individuals with disabilities, or logistics for 
the external peer review workshop, please contact Versar, Inc. at 6850 
Versar Center, Springfield, VA 22151; by e-mail: [email protected] 
(subject line: Urea Peer Review Meeting), by phone: 703-750-3000, ext. 
545 or toll free at 1-800-2-VERSAR (1-800-283-7727), ask for Kathy 
Coon, the Urea Peer Review Meeting Coordinator, or by faxing a 
registration request to 703-642-6809 (please reference the Urea Peer 
Review Meeting and include your name, title, affiliation, full address 
and contact information).
    For information on the draft assessment, please contact Amanda 
Persad, National Center for Environmental Assessment [Mail Code: B-243-
01], U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Center for 
Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; 
telephone: 919-541 9781; facsimile: 919-541-2985; or e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Information About IRIS

    EPA's IRIS is a human health assessment program that evaluates 
quantitative and qualitative risk information on effects that may 
result from exposure to chemical substances 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. The IRIS database contains information for more than 540 
chemical substances that can be used to support the first two steps 
(hazard identification and dose-response evaluation) of the risk 
assessment process. When supported by available data, IRIS provides 
oral reference doses (RfDs) and inhalation reference concentrations 
(RfCs) for chronic noncancer health effects as well as assessments of 
potential carcinogenic effects resulting from chronic exposure. 
Combined with specific exposure information, government and private 
entities use IRIS to help characterize public health risks of chemical 
substances in a site-specific situation and thereby support risk 
management decisions designed to protect public health.

    Dated: November 4, 2010.
Darrell A. Winner,
Acting Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. 2010-28381 Filed 11-9-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P