[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 86 (Wednesday, May 5, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24151-24153]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-11276]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPPTS-00270; FRL-6081-1]


High Production Volume (HPV) Chemical Initiative; Periodic Update 
Meetings

Agency: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Action: Notice of public meetings.

[[Page 24152]]

SUMMARY: Over the next 6 months, EPA plans to hold several meetings on 
the High Production Volume (HPV) Chemical Initiative. The purpose of 
these meetings is to provide an opportunity for periodic updates on the 
Initiative's HPV Chemical Challenge program, as well as to provide a 
forum where interested parties can contribute information, discuss and 
give individual perspectives on various topics related to the HPV 
Chemical Challenge program. The HPV Chemical Challenge program, which 
was established in partnership with industry and environmental groups, 
is a voluntary program that is intended to make basic toxicity data on 
widely used industrial chemicals available to the public over the next 
6 years. Prior to each meeting, EPA intends to develop an agenda for 
the meeting in consultation with the stakeholders. The meeting agenda 
will be made publicly available as early as possible prior to each of 
the meetings as described in Unit II. of this notice. Each meeting will 
be open to the public, but participation in discussions may be limited 
to those who pre-register with the Agency as described in Unit III. of 
this notice.

DATES: The first meeting will be held on May 20, 1999, from 1 p.m. to 
3:30 p.m. Requests to participate in this meeting, submitted according 
to the instructions in Unit III. of this notice, must be received by 
EPA 5 working days before each meeting. As discussed in Unit VI. of 
this notice, subsequent meetings will be held in July, September, and 
November, with dates and/or times still to be determined.

ADDRESSES: The first meeting, May 20, 1999, will be held at: API, 1220 
L St. NW., 9th floor, Washington, DC 20005. Metro stop: McPherson 
Square.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  For general information: Christine 
Augustyniak, Associate Director, Environmental Assistance Division 
(7408), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone 
numbers: 202-554-1404 and TDD: 202-554-0551; e-mail address: TSCA-
H[email protected].
    For technical information: David Sarokin, Environmental Assistance 
Division (7408), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (7408), 
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460, 
telephone number: 202-260-6396; fax number: 202-260-2219; e-mail 
address: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Does this Notice Apply to Me?

    This notice applies to the public in general. As such, the Agency 
has not attempted to specifically describe all the entities potentially 
affected by this notice. If you have any questions regarding the 
applicability of this notice to a particular entity, consult the 
technical person listed in the ``FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT'' 
section.

II. How Can I Get Additional Information or Copies of Documents 
Discussed in this Notice?

    1. Electronically. You may obtain electronic copies of this 
document and various other documents related to the Agency's HPV 
Chemical Initiative and the HPV Chemical Challenge program from the EPA 
Internet Home Page at http://www.epa.gov/. To access this document, on 
the Home Page select ``Laws and Regulations'' and then look up the 
entry for this document under the ``Federal Register - Environmental 
Documents.'' You can also go directly to the ``Federal Register'' 
listings at http://www.epa.gov/homepage/fedrgstr/. To access 
information about the HPV Chemical Initiative, go to http://
www.epa.gov/chemrtk.
    2. In person. If you have any questions or need additional 
information about this action, you may contact the technical person 
identified in the ``FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT'' section.
    In addition, the Agency has established an official record for the 
HPV Chemical Challenge program under administrative record number AR-
201. The official record consists of the documents specifically 
referenced in this document, any public comments received during an 
applicable comment period, and other information related to the HPV 
Chemical Initiative, including any information claimed as confidential 
business information (CBI). This official record includes the documents 
that are physically located in the docket, as well as the documents 
that are referenced in those documents. The public version of the 
official record does not include any information claimed as CBI. The 
public version of the official record, which includes printed, paper 
versions of any electronic comments that may be submitted during an 
applicable comment period, is available for inspection in the TSCA 
Nonconfidential Information Center, Rm. NE-B607, 401 M St., SW., 
Washington, DC. The Center is open from noon to 4 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number of the Center is 
(202) 260-7099.

III. How Can I Request to Participate in this Meeting?

    You may submit a request to participate in this meeting through the 
mail, in person, or electronically. Do not submit any information in 
your request that you consider to be CBI. Your request must be received 
by EPA no later than 5 working days before the meeting in which you 
would like to participate. EPA will make every attempt to accommodate 
requests received by this date, taking into account the time 
constraints of the agenda for the meeting, and on a first come basis. 
To ensure proper receipt by EPA, it is imperative that you identify 
administrative record number AR-201 in the subject line on the first 
page of your request.
    1. By mail. You may submit a written requests to: Irina Vaysman 
(7408), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Rm. 517 East Tower, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 
20460.
    2. In person or by courier. You may deliver a written request to: 
Irina Vaysman, Rm. 517 East Tower, Waterside Mall, 401 M St., SW., 
Washington, DC. Submissions can be delivered between 9 a.m. to 5:30 
p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays.
    3. Electronically. You may submit a request electronically by E-
mail to: http://www.epa.gov/chemrtk. Do not submit any information 
electronically that you consider to be CBI. You must avoid the use of 
any special characters and any form of encryption in your E-mail. All 
E-mail must be identified by the administrative record number AR-201.

IV. What is the HPV Chemical Challenge Program?

    The HPV Challenge Program, a key element of the Chemical Right-to-
Know initiative was announced last year on the eve of Earth Day, by 
Vice President Gore and EPA Administrator Carol Browner. As part of 
this initiative, EPA, in partnership with industry and environmental 
groups, created a voluntary chemical testing program which will make 
basic toxicity data on about 2,800 widely used industrial chemicals 
(chemicals produced in excess of one million pounds annually) available 
to the public over the next 6 years. Testing will ensue only when 
existing data are not adequate. The testing will be carried out in a 
manner consistent with the internationally-recognized testing protocol 
(as developed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and

[[Page 24153]]

Development (OECD) Screening Information Data Sets (SIDS) program) to 
ensure that testing can be contributed to the international effort and, 
conversely, that international SIDS testing and assessments can be used 
to fulfill the Challenge Program's requirements.

V. What Will be Discussed at the Public Meetings?

    The purpose of these meetings is to provide an opportunity for 
periodic updates on the HPV Chemical Challenge program, as well as to 
provide a forum where interested parties can contribute information, 
discuss and give individual perspectives on various topics related to 
the HPV Chemical Challenge program. Each meeting will be open to the 
public, but participation in discussions may be limited to those who 
pre-register with the Agency as described in Unit III. of this notice.
    An agenda for each meeting, which EPA will develop in consultation 
with the stakeholders, will be made publicly available as early as 
possible prior to the meeting. The agenda for each meeting will be 
distributed to the participants who registered for that meeting and 
will be posted on the EPA website at http://www.epa.gov/chemrtk.

VI. Where Will Subsequent Public Meetings be Held?

    EPA intends to hold additional meetings in July, September, and 
November, the dates, times, and locations for which still need to be 
determined. When scheduled, EPA will announce and provide relevant 
information about the meeting on the EPA website at http://www.epa.gov/
chemrtk. The dates, times, and locations for these subsequent meetings 
will not be published in the Federal Register. Interested parties 
should consult the EPA Internet site indicated above for up-to-date 
information about these subsequent meetings.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection.

    Dated: April 30, 1999.
Joseph A. Carra,
Acting Director, Environmental Assistance Division, Office of Pollution 
Prevention and Toxics.
[FR Doc. 99-11276 Filed 5-4-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F