[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 134 (Monday, July 14, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41576-41577]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-17729]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPPT-2003-0034; FRL-7318-3]


Draft Instructions for Reporting for the 2006 Partial Updating of 
the TSCA Chemical Inventory Database; Request for Comment; Notice of 
Public Meeting

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: EPA is convening a focus group to receive comments from 
persons reporting data required by the Inventory Update Rule on the 
draft instructions for reporting in 2006. The instructions have been 
revised in response to amendments to 40 CFR part 710 promulgated on 
January 7, 2003, which substantially modify the information which must 
be reported for the partial updating of the TSCA Chemical Inventory 
Database beginning in 2006. The meeting of the focus group is open to 
the public.

DATES: The focus group meeting will be held on Friday, August 1, 2003, 
from 9 a.m to approximately 2 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, EPA East Bldg., Rm. 4225, 1201 Constitution Avenue, 
NW., Washington, DC.
    Persons planning to attend the meeting of the focus group are 
encouraged to register with the technical contact person identified 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT to facilitate entrance into the 
EPA building and ensure that all interested persons can be 
accommodated. Prior registration is not required to attend the focus 
group meeting.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information contact: 
Barbara Cunningham, Director, Environmental Assistance Division 
(7408M), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-
0001; telephone number: (202) 554-1404; e-mail address: [email protected].
    For technical information contact: Fredric C. Arnold, Economics, 
Exposure, and Technology Division (7406M), Office of Pollution 
Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: 
202-564-8521; e-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this Action Apply to Me?

    You may be potentially affected by this action if you manufacture 
chemical substances currently subject to reporting under the Inventory 
Update Rule (IUR) as amended on January 7, 2003, and codified at 40 CFR 
part 710. Persons who process chemical substances but who do not 
manufacture or import chemical substances are not required to comply 
with the requirements of 40 CFR part 710. Potentially affected entities 
may include, but are not limited to:
    Chemical manufacturers and importers currently subject to IUR 
reporting, including manufacturers and importers of inorganic chemical 
substances (NAICS codes 325, 32411).
    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 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 this action might apply to certain entities. To determine 
whether you or your business may be affected by this action, you should 
carefully examine the applicability provisions at 40 CFR 710.48. If you 
have any questions regarding the applicability of this action to a 
particular entity, consult the technical contact person listed under 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

[[Page 41577]]

B. How Can I Get Copies of this Document and Other Related Information?

    1. Docket. EPA has established an official public docket for this 
action under docket identification (ID) number OPPT-2003-0034. The 
official public docket consists of the documents specifically 
referenced in this action, any public comments received, and other 
information related to this action. Although a part of the official 
docket, the public docket does not include Confidential Business 
Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted 
by statute. The official public docket is the collection of materials 
that is available for public viewing at the EPA Docket Center, Rm. 
B102-Reading Room, EPA West, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, 
DC. The EPA Docket Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The EPA Docket Center Reading 
Room telephone number is (202) 566-1744 and the telephone number for 
the OPPT Docket, which is located in EPA Docket Center, is (202) 566-
0280.
    2. Electronic access. You may access this Federal Register document 
electronically through the EPA Internet under the ``Federal Register'' 
listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/.
    An electronic version of the public docket is available through 
EPA's electronic public docket and comment system, EPA Dockets. You may 
use EPA Dockets at http://www.epa.gov/edocket/ to submit or view public 
comments, access the index listing of the contents of the official 
public docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that 
are available electronically. Although not all docket materials may be 
available electronically, you may still access any of the publicly 
available docket materials through the docket facility identified in 
Unit I.B.1. Once in the system, select ``search,'' then key in the 
appropriate docket ID number.

II. Background

    EPA is convening a focus group to receive comments on the 
Instructions for Reporting for the 2006 Partial Updating of the TSCA 
Chemical Substances Inventory. EPA is required by section 8(b) of the 
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to compile and update an inventory 
of chemical substances manufactured or imported in the United States. 
Every 4 years, manufacturers (including importers) of certain chemical 
substances on the Chemical Substances Inventory have been required to 
report data specified in the TSCA Section 8(a) Inventory Update Rule 
(IUR), 40 CFR part 710. Past updates included information on the 
chemical's production volume, site-limited status, and plant site 
information. Amendments to the IUR published in the Federal Register of 
January 7, 2003 (68 FR 848) (FRL-6767-4), expanded the data reported on 
certain chemicals to assist EPA and others in screening potential 
exposures and risks resulting from manufacturing, processing, and use 
of TSCA chemical substances. At the same time, EPA amended the IUR 
regulations to increase the production volume threshold which triggers 
reporting requirements from 10,000 pounds per year to 25,000 pounds per 
year and established a new higher threshold of 300,000 pounds per year 
above which manufacturers must report additional information on down-
stream processing and use of their chemical substances. The 2003 
amendments to the IUR also revoked the exemption from reporting for 
inorganic chemical substances, provided a partial exemption from 
reporting of processing and use information for chemical substances of 
low current interest, and continued the current exemption from 
reporting for polymers, microorganisms, and naturally occurring 
chemical substances. These changes modify requirements for information 
collected in calendar year 2005 and submitted in 2006 and thereafter. 
The meeting of the focus group may be of interest to persons currently 
reporting under the IUR and to manufacturers of inorganic chemical 
substances.
    The meeting of the focus group will include a series of 
presentations by representatives of EPA on the Instructions for 
Reporting for the 2006 Partial Updating of the TSCA Chemical Inventory 
Database. Presentation topics will include reporting requirements, 
instructions for completing the reporting form, how to assert 
confidentiality claims, and how to submit completed reports to EPA. 
After each presentation, members of the focus group will be invited to 
comment on the clarity and completeness of the Instructions. 
Subsequently, other persons attending the meeting will be invited to 
comment on the Instructions. The purpose of the focus group is to 
receive input for improving the Instructions; subsequent meetings are 
planned for 2004 to provide training to persons who must report in 2006 
under the IUR.
    There is no charge for attending this meeting.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Chemicals, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements.


    Dated: July 7, 2003.
Margaret Schneider,
Acting Director, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics.

[FR Doc. 03-17729 Filed 7-11-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S