[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 67 (Thursday, April 6, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 18018-18020]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-8407]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 761

[OPPTS-66009G; FRL-6553-6]
RIN 2070-AD27


Use Authorization for, and Distribution in Commerce of, Non-
liquid Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Notice of Availability; Partial 
Reopening of Comment Period; Extension of Comment Period

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: EPA is extending the comment period for the proposed rule 
which published in the Federal Register of December 10, 1999. That 
action solicited additional information on the use and concentration of 
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) found in certain non-liquid PCB 
(NLPCB) applications. It also announced the availability, for comment, 
of data that were submitted to EPA after the comment period closed for 
the December 6, 1994 proposal. In addition to authorizing certain NLPCB 
uses, the proposed provision (Sec. 761.30(q)) would have required 
compliance with several conditions (e.g., notification, marking, air 
monitoring and standard wipe tests, remediation, repair and/or removal, 
reporting and recordkeeping requirements). EPA is extending the 120-day 
data submission period, as well as the 90-day comment period on 
existing and new data submissions. In response to a request for more 
time to develop the requested data, EPA is extending the comment 
periods to obtain data that may support an authorization which would 
require few, if any, conditions but is protective of health and the 
environment.

DATES: Data submissions, identified by docket control number OPPTS-
66009G, must be received on or before October 10, 2000. Comments on any 
of the data submissions and/or relevant docket materials, identified by 
docket control number OPPTS-66009G, must be received on or before 
January 10, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Submit data and comments by mail, electronically, or in 
person. Please follow the detailed instructions for each method as 
provided in Unit III. of the ``SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.'' To ensure 
proper receipt by EPA, it is imperative that you identify docket 
control number OPPTS-66009G in the subject line on the first page of 
your response.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information contact: 
Barbara Cunningham, Director, Office of Program Management and 
Evaluation, (7401), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Ariel Rios Bldg., 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone numbers: (202) 554-1404; e-
mail address: [email protected].
    For technical information contact: Peggy Reynolds, Office of 
Pollution Prevention and Toxics, National Program Chemicals Division, 
(7404), Environmental Protection Agency, Ariel Rios Bldg., 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 
260-3965; e-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  

I. Does this Action Apply to Me?

    You may be affected by this supplemental action if you own, use, 
process, or distribute PCBs in commerce. Affected categories and 
entities include:

 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                          Examples of
           Categories                 NAICS Codes         Potentially
                                                       Affected Entities
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Industry                          31-33, 211, 5133    Electroindustry
                                                       manufacturers,
                                                       oil and gas
                                                       extraction, end-
                                                       users of
                                                       electricity,
                                                       telecommunication
                                                       s and general
                                                       contractors
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Utilities and rural electric      2211                Electric power and
 cooperatives                                          light companies
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individuals, Federal, State       921, 622, 6113      Individuals and
 Municipal Governments,                                agencies which
 hospitals and colleges                                own, use, process
                                                       and distribute
                                                       PCBs in commerce
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    This listing is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather provides 
a guide for readers regarding entities likely to be affected by this 
action. Other types of entities not listed in the table in this unit 
could also be affected. The North American Industrial Classification 
System (NAICS) codes have been provided to assist you and others in 
determining whether or not this action applies to certain entities. To 
determine whether you or your business is affected

[[Page 18019]]

by this action, you should carefully examine the applicability 
provisions in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), part 
761. If you have any questions regarding the applicability of this 
action to a particular entity, consult the technical person listed 
under ``FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.''

II. How Can I Get Additional Information, Including Copies of this 
Document or Other Related Documents?

    1. Electronically. You may obtain electronic copies of this 
document, and certain other related documents that might be available 
electronically, from the EPA Internet Home Page at http://www.epa.gov/. 
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/fedrgstr/. To access information about the PCB 
Program, go directly to the PCB Home Page at http://www.epa.gov/pcb.
    2. In person. The Agency has established an official record for 
this action under docket control number OPPTS-66009G. The combined 
record also includes all material and submissions filed under docket 
control number OPPTS-66009C. The official record consists of the 
documents specifically referenced in this action, any public comments 
received during an applicable comment period, and other information 
related to this action, 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 submitted during an 
applicable comment period, is available for inspection in the TSCA 
Nonconfidential Information Center, North East Mall Rm. B-607, 
Waterside Mall, 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 for the Center is (202) 260-7099.

III. How and to Whom Do I Submit Comments?

    As described in Unit III. of the proposed rule published in the 
Federal Register of December 10, 1999 (64 FR 69358) (FRL-6064-7), you 
may submit your comments through the mail, in person, or 
electronically. Please follow the instructions that are provided in the 
proposed rule. Do not submit any information electronically that you 
consider to be CBI. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to 
identify docket control number OPPTS-66009G in the subject line on the 
first page of your response.

IV. How Should I Handle CBI Information That I Want to Submit to 
the Agency?

    Do not submit any information electronically that you consider to 
be CBI. You may claim information that you submit to EPA in response to 
this document as CBI by marking any part or all of that information as 
CBI. Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance 
with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2. In addition to one complete 
version of the comment that includes any information claimed as CBI, a 
copy of the comment that does not contain the information claimed as 
CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public version of the 
official record. Information not marked confidential will be included 
in the public version of the official record without prior notice. If 
you have any questions about CBI or the procedures for claiming CBI, 
please consult the technical person identified under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

V. What Should I Consider as I Prepare My Comments for EPA?

    In preparing comments and/or developing data for EPA's 
consideration, you should keep in mind that your NLPCB use is not 
currently authorized. Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and 
the existing PCB regulations, the use is prohibited and you would be 
required to dispose of that material. In addition to completing 
rulemaking to authorize the NLPCB use(s), EPA is required to make a no 
unreasonable risk finding for the distribution in commerce of the NLPCB 
material (i.e., the sale, donation or transfer of the unauthorized 
NLPCB). Therefore, you should keep in mind that you will not be able to 
avoid the prohibitions by simply selling, transferring or donating to 
another entity, equipment and property which contain the unauthorized 
NLPCB uses, unless the NLPCBs have been removed. You should weigh the 
costs of the TSCA PCB prohibitions (i.e., disposal and/or the loss of 
revenue) against the cost of providing useful data and comments to the 
Agency. For example, if the material is approaching the end of its life 
cycle, you may decide that it is not worth the effort to take samples 
of the material and therefore you would prefer to simply dispose of the 
item(s). In that event, you should remember that the PCB disposal 
requirements may apply regardless of whether the item is authorized for 
use and distribution in commerce. Conversely, you may determine that 
the item still has value and provides reliable service. In that 
instance, you may want to take advantage of this extension in order to 
develop the information which is needed to support the authorizations 
for the use and distribution in commerce of the NLPCB item(s).
    In order for the Agency to make the no unreasonable risk finding 
and to develop a broad, generic use authorization and accompanying 
distribution in commerce provision, you should consider providing the 
data described in the December 10, 1999 Federal Register document 
(i.e., matching bulk, surface and air sample results so that EPA can 
examine the dermal and inhalation risks; matching bulk sample results 
and surface results so that relationships between bulk and surface 
concentrations can be better defined; summary statistics to better 
determine if the results are representative of the sample population; 
and population characteristics to determine how the results represent 
the overall population of the items in use; see the discussions at 
Units VII. and VIII. of the December 10, 1999 document at pages 64 FR 
69360-69363).
    Finally, you should make sure to submit your comments by the 
deadline in this document; i.e., October 10, 2000, for data 
submissions, and January 10, 2001, for comments on the docket 
materials. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the 
docket control number assigned to this action (i.e., OPPTS-66009G) in 
the subject line on the first page of your response. You may also 
provide the name, date, and Federal Register citation.

VI. What Action is EPA Taking?

    EPA is extending the period for public input to allow individuals 
an additional opportunity to complete sample collection and testing 
programs, to compile the results of the testing and to submit the 
results to EPA. EPA intends to use the data in support of an 
authorization which would require few, if any, conditions but is 
protective of health and the environment.

VII. What is the Agency's Authority for Taking this Action?

    The authority for this action is section 6(e) of the Toxic 
Substances Control Act, 15 U.S.C. 2605(e).

[[Page 18020]]

VIII. Do Any Regulatory Assessment Requirements Apply to this 
Action?

    No. This action is not a rulemaking, it merely extends the date by 
which public comments on a proposed rule must be submitted to EPA on a 
proposed rule that previously published in the Federal Register of 
December 6, 1994 (59 FR 62788) and extended by the Federal Register of 
December 10, 1999 (64 FR 69358). For information about the 
applicability of the regulatory assessment requirements to the proposed 
rule, please refer to the discussion in Unit VI. of that document (59 
FR 62788, December 6, 1994).

List of Subjects

40 CFR Part 761

    Environmental protection, Hazardous substances, Polychlorinated 
biphenyls, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Dated: March 30, 2000.
Susan H. Wayland,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic 
Substances.
[FR Doc. 00-8407 Filed 4-5-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F