[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 213 (Wednesday, November 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 59568]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-29505]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
[ATSDR-139]


Availability of Draft Toxicological Profile

AGENCY: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), 
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This notice, prepared by ATSDR for the Department of Defense, 
announces for review and comment, the availability of one new draft 
toxicological profile on unregulated hazardous substances. Profiles 
issued as ``Drafts for Public Comment'' represent the agency's best 
efforts to provide important toxicological information on priority 
hazardous substances. We are seeking public comments and additional 
information or reports on studies about the health effects of 
petrochemical substances and their components for review and potential 
inclusion in the profile.

DATES: In order to be considered, comments on this draft toxicological 
profile must be received on or before February 22, 1999. Comments 
received after the close of the public comment period will be 
considered at the discretion of ATSDR based upon scientific relevance 
and public health significance.

ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the draft toxicological profile 
should be sent to the attention of Ms. Loretta Norman, Division of 
Toxicology, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Mailstop 
E-29, 1600 Clifton Road, NE., Atlanta, Georgia 30333. Comments 
regarding the draft toxicological profile should be sent to the 
attention of Dr. Ganga Choudhary, Division of Toxicology, Agency for 
Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Mailstop E-29, 1600 Clifton 
Road, NE., Atlanta, Georgia 30333.
    Requests for the draft toxicological profile must be in writing, 
and must specifically identify the profiled hazardous substance(s) 
profile(s) that you wish to receive. ATSDR reserves the right to 
provide only one copy of each profile requested, free of charge. In 
case of extended distribution delays, requestors will be notified.
    Written comments and other data submitted in response to this 
notice and the draft toxicological profile should bear the docket 
control number ATSDR-139. Send one copy of all comments and three 
copies of all supporting documents to Dr. Ganga Choudhary at the above 
address by the end of the comment period. All written comments and the 
draft toxicological profile will be available for public inspection at 
ATSDR, Building 4, Executive Park Drive, Atlanta, Georgia (not a 
mailing address), from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except for legal holidays. Because all public comments 
regarding ATSDR toxicological profiles are available for public 
inspection, no confidential business information should be submitted in 
response to this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Loretta Norman, Division of 
Toxicology, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Mailstop 
E-29, 1600 Clifton Road, NE., Atlanta, Georgia 30333, telephone (404) 
639-6322.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization 
Act (SARA) of 1986 (Pub. L. 99-499) amended the Comprehensive 
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or 
Superfund). Section 211 of SARA also amended Title 10 of the U.S. Code, 
creating the Defense Environmental Restoration Program. Section 2704(a) 
of Title 10 of the U.S. Code directs the Secretary of Defense to notify 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) of not less than 25 of 
the most commonly found unregulated hazardous substances at defense 
facilities. The Secretary of HHS is to prepare toxicological profiles 
of these substances. Each profile includes an examination, summary and 
interpretation of available toxicological information and epidemiologic 
evaluations. This information is used to ascertain the level of 
significant human exposure for the substance and the associated health 
effects. The profiles include a determination of whether adequate 
information on the health effects of each substance is available or in 
the process of development. When adequate information is not available, 
ATSDR, in cooperation with the National Toxicology Program (NTP), is 
required to assure initiation of research to determine these health 
effects.
    Although key studies for the substance were considered during the 
profile development process, this Federal Register notice seeks to 
solicit any additional studies, particularly unpublished data and 
ongoing studies, which will be evaluated for possible addition to the 
profile now or in the future.
    The draft toxicological profile will be made available to the 
public on or about October 17, 1998.

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          Document                  Hazardous substance         CAS No.
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1...........................  Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons
                               (TPHs).
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    Dated: October 29, 1998.
Donna Garland,
Acting Director, Office of Policy and External Affairs, Agency for 
Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
[FR Doc. 98-29505 Filed 11-3-98; 8:45 am]
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