[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 23, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 7495]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-1889]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

[ATSDR-165]


Availability of Chemical Specific Consultation for Tremolite-
Related Asbestos

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)(4) [42 U.S.C. 
9604(i)(4)], directs the Administrator of ATSDR to provide 
consultations upon request on health issues relating to exposure to 
hazardous or toxic substances to the Administrator of EPA, State 
officials, and local officials. A health consultation provides advice 
on a specific public health issue related to real or possible human 
exposure to toxic material and is a method ATSDR uses to respond 
rapidly to requests for assistance and public health needs.
    This notice announces that a chemical-specific public health 
consultation, Tremolite-related Asbestos, is now available for public 
comment. This ATSDR consultation reviews the scientific literature 
describing the relationship between exposure to tremolite-related 
asbestos and resultant health effects.

DATES: In order to be considered, comments on this draft consultation 
must be received by March 9, 2001. 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 consultation should be sent 
to the ATSDR Information Center, Division of Toxicology, Agency for 
Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Mailstop E-57, 1600 Clifton 
Road, NE., Atlanta, Georgia 30333. Written comments regarding the draft 
consultation should be sent to the same address. ATSDR reserves the 
right to provide only one copy of the draft consultation free of 
charge.
    Written comments submitted in response to this notice should bear 
the docket control number ATSDR-165. Because all public comments 
regarding ATSDR-165 health consultations will be available for 
inspection, no confidential business information or personal medical 
information should be submitted in response to this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan L. Kess, MD, MPH, Division of 
Toxicology, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Mailstop 
E-29, 1600 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, telephone (404) 
639-6300.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Given the uniqueness of tremolite and 
related asbestos and the paucity of information about them, ATSDR 
prepared this substance-specific consultation to support technical 
decision-making for public health activities at Libby, Montana where 
the vermiculite ore was mined, and at other sites across the country 
where the contaminated vermiculite was mined, distributed, and 
processed.
    Workers, household contacts, and the general public who come in 
contact with contaminated products may be at risk of exposure and 
potential health effects.

    Dated: January 16, 2001.
Georgi Jones,
Director, Office of Policy and External Affairs, Agency for Toxic 
Substances and Disease Registry.
[FR Doc. 01-1889 Filed 1-22-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-70-P