[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 187 (Friday, September 26, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 55611]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-24408]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7564-1]


IRIS Needs Assessment

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of a report titled, 
Needs Assessment for U.S. EPA's Integrated Risk Information System 
(EPA/635/R-02/004), prepared by the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency's (EPA) Office of Research and Development, National Center for 
Environmental Assessment (NCEA). The purpose of this report is to 
characterize the needs of users for new or updated health effect 
assessments provided on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) 
data base.

ADDRESSES: The document is available electronically on the IRIS Web 
site at www.epa.gov/iris, under the What's New menu. A limited number 
of paper copies are available through the IRIS Hotline, c/o ASRC, 6301 
Ivy Lane, Suite 300, Greenbelt, MD 20770; Telephone: 301-345-2870, E-
mail: [email protected]. Please provide your name and mailing 
address and the title and EPA number of the requested publication.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on the IRIS 
Needs Assessment, please contact the IRIS Hotline, c/o ASRC, 6301 Ivy 
Lane, Suite 300, Greenbelt, MD 20770; telephone: 301-345-2870, E-mail: 
[email protected], or Susan Rieth, National Center for Environmental 
Assessment (8601D), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave, NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; Telephone: 202-564-
1532, Facsimile: 202-565-0075; E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EPA's IRIS is a data base containing 
Agency consensus scientific positions on potential adverse health 
effects that may result from chronic (or lifetime) exposure to chemical 
substances found in the environment. The IRIS data base contains 
qualitative and quantitative health effects information for more than 
500 chemical substances in support of the first two steps of the risk 
assessments process, i.e., hazard identification and dose-response 
evaluation. The information in IRIS is used in combination with site- 
or situation-specific exposure information to develop estimates of 
potential public health risk.
    In October 2000, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee requested 
that EPA conduct a needs assessment, with public input, to determine 
whether the current annual rate of updating the existing IRIS files 
should be increased and to assess the extent of need for information on 
chemicals not now included. EPA's needs assessment report responds to 
the Senate's request by summarizing the needs expressed by EPA and the 
public for new and updated IRIS files, and discussing general 
approaches to meeting those needs.

    Dated: September 17, 2003.
Peter W. Preuss,
Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. 03-24408 Filed 9-25-03; 8:45 am]
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