[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 27 (Wednesday, February 10, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6660-6661]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-3190]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
[ATSDR-143]


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: The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and 
Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), as amended by the Superfund Amendments 
and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA), Section 104(i)(3) [42 U.S.C. 
9604(i)(3)] directs the Administrator of ATSDR to prepare toxicological 
profiles of priority hazardous substances and to revise and publish 
each updated toxicological profile as necessary. This notice announces 
the availability of the draft toxicological profile for polychlorinated 
biphenyls, prepared by ATSDR for review and comment.

DATES: In order to be considered, comments on this draft toxicological 
profile must be received on or before April 26, 1999. Comments received 
after the close of the public comment period will be considered at the 
discretion of ATSDR based upon what is deemed to be in the best 
interest of the general public.

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 profiles 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 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 profiles should bear the docket 
control number ATSDR-143. Send one copy of all comments and three 
copies of all supporting documents to Dr. Ganga Choudhary at the above 
stated address by the end of the comment period. 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) (Pub. L. 99-499) amends the Comprehensive Environmental 
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund) (42 
U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) by establishing certain responsibilities for the 
ATSDR and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with regard to 
hazardous substances which are most commonly found at facilities on the 
CERCLA National Priorities List (NPL). Among these responsibilities is 
that the Administrator of ATSDR prepare toxicological profiles for 
substances included on the priority lists of hazardous substances. 
These lists identified 275 hazardous substances that ATSDR and EPA 
determined pose the most significant potential threat to human health. 
The availability of the revised priority list of 275 hazardous 
substances was announced in the Federal Register on November 17, 1997 
(62 FR 61332). For prior versions of the list of substances see Federal 
Register notices dated April 17, 1987 (52 FR 12866); October 20, 1988 
(53 FR 41280); October 26, 1989 (54 FR 43619); October 17, 1990 (55 FR 
42067); October 17, 1991 (56 FR 52166); October 28, 1992 (57 FR 48801); 
February 28, 1994 (59 FR 9486); and April 29, 1996 (61 FR 18744). 
[CERCLA also requires ATSDR to assure the initiation of a research 
program to fill data needs associated with the substances.]
    Section 104(i)(3) of CERCLA [42 U.S.C. 9604(i)(3)] outlines the 
content of these profiles. Each profile will include an examination, 
summary and interpretation of available toxicological information and 
epidemiologic evaluations. This information and these data are to be 
used to identify the levels of significant human exposure for the 
substance and the associated health effects. The profiles must also 
include a determination of whether adequate information on the health 
effects of each

[[Page 6661]]

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 the initiation of 
research to determine these health effects.
    Although key studies for each of the substances 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 profiles now or in the future.
    The draft toxicological profile was made available to the public on 
January 22, 1999.

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           Document              Hazardous substance         CAS No.
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1............................  POLYCHLORINATED               001336-36-3
                                BIPHENYLS.
                               AROCLOR 1016...........       012674-11-2
                               AROCLOR 1221...........       011104-28-2
                               AROCLOR 1232...........       011141-16-5
                               AROCLOR 1242...........       053469-21-9
                               AROCLOR 1248...........       012672-29-6
                               AROCLOR 1254...........       011097-69-1
                               AROCLOR 1260...........       011096-82-5
                               AROCLOR 1262...........       037324-23-5
                               AROCLOR 1268...........       011100-14-4
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    All profiles issued as ``Drafts for Public Comment'' represent 
ATSDR's best efforts to provide important toxicological information on 
priority hazardous substances. We are seeking public comments and 
additional information which may be used to supplement these profiles. 
ATSDR remains committed to providing a public comment period for these 
documents as a means to best serve public health and our clients.

    Dated: February 4, 1999.
Georgi Jones,
Director, Office of Policy and External Affairs, Agency for Toxic 
Substances and Disease Registry.
[FR Doc. 99-3190 Filed 2-9-99; 8:45 am]
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