[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 193 (Tuesday, October 6, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53654-53655]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-26791]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6173-1]


Draft Toxicological Review of Benzene (Noncancer Effects): In 
Support of Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information 
System

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of Peer-Review Panel Meeting and public comment period.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing 
an external peer-review panel meeting and a 45-day public comment 
period to review the external review draft document entitled, 
Toxicological Review of Benzene (Noncancer Effects): (NCEA-S-0455). The 
peer-review panel meeting will be organized, convened, and conducted by 
the American

[[Page 53655]]

Institute of Biological Sciences, contractor to the EPA for this 
external scientific peer consultation. The document was prepared by the 
EPA's National Center for Environmental Assessment-Washington Office 
(NCEA-W) of the Office of Research and Development. EPA will use 
comments and recommendations from the meeting to assist in revising the 
document.

DATES: The peer-review panel meeting will begin on Wednesday, October 
28, 1998, at 9:00 a.m. and end at 5:30 p.m. Members of the public may 
attend as observers, and there will be a limited time for comments from 
the public in the afternoon. The 45-day public comment period begins 
October 9, and ends November 24, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The external peer-review panel meeting will be held at the 
American Society of Association Executives, 1575 I Street, NW, 
Washington, DC. The American Institute of Biological Sciences, an EPA 
contractor, is organizing, convening, and conducting the peer-review 
panel meeting. To attend the meeting, register by October 23, 1998, by 
calling the American Institute of Biological Sciences, 107 Carpenter 
Drive, Suite 100, Sterling, Virginia 20164, at 703-834-0812, ext. 100, 
or fax to 703-834-1160. Space is limited, and reservations will be 
accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. There will be a limited 
time for comments from the public in the afternoon of the meeting. 
Please let the American Institute of Biological Sciences know if you 
wish to make a brief statement.
    The document is available on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/
ncea under the What's New and Publications menus. A limited number of 
paper copies are available from the Technical Information Staff 
(8623D), NCEA-W, telephone: 202-564-3261; facsimile: 202-565-0050. If 
you are requesting a paper copy, please provide your name, mailing 
address, and the document title and number, Draft Toxicological Review 
of Benzene (Noncancer Effects): (NCEA-S-0455). Copies are not available 
from the American Institute of Biological Sciences.
    Comments may be mailed to the Technical Information Staff (8623D), 
NCEA-W, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, SW, 
Washington, DC 20460, or delivered to the Technical Information Staff 
at 808 17th Street, NW, 5th Floor, Washington, DC 20074; telephone 
number: 202-564-3261; facsimile: 202-565-0050. Comments should be in 
writing and must be postmarked by November 15, 1998. Please submit one 
unbound original with pages numbered consecutively, and three copies. 
For attachments, provide an index, number pages consecutively with the 
comments, and submit an unbound original and three copies. Electronic 
comments may be sent to [email protected].
    Please note that all technical comments received in response to 
this notice will be placed in a public record. For that reason, 
commentors should not submit personal information (such as medical data 
or home address), Confidential Business Information, or information 
protected by copyright. Due to limited resources, acknowledgments will 
not be sent.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For workshop information, 
registration, and logistics, contact Kevin Rowan, American Institute 
for Biological Sciences, 107 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100, Sterling, 
Virginia 20164; telephone: 703-834-0812, ext. 100; facsimile: 703-834-
1160.
    For information on the public comment period, contact Bob Sonawane 
(202-564-3292) or David Bayliss, (202-564-3294); mailing address: NCEA-
W (8623D), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, SW, 
Washington, DC 20460; facsimile: 202-565-0078; e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This draft report provides the scientific 
basis for deriving an oral reference dose (RfD) and inhalation 
reference concentration (RfC) for the noncancer health risk from 
exposure to benzene.

    Dated: September 29, 1998.
William H. Farland,
Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. 98-26791 Filed 10-5-98; 8:45 am]
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