[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 192 (Friday, October 3, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57446-57447]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-25275]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPPT-2003-0034; FRL-7328-9]


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

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: EPA is convening a public meeting 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 is open to the public.

DATES: The public meeting will commence at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, 
October 15, 2003, and end at approximately 3 p.m. on the same day.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the Le Meridien Chicago, 
521 North Rush Street, at Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611. This 
meeting is being held in conjunction with the 2003 TSCA Fundamentals 
Workshop sponsored by the Synthetic Organic Chemicals Manufacturing 
Association. Information on this workshop is available at 
www.socma.com/Conferences/TSCAWorkshop.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information contact: 
Barbara Cunningham, Acting 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 as 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.

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 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 public meeting to receive comments on the 
Instructions for Reporting for the 2006 Partial Updating of the TSCA 
Chemical Substance 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 promulgated on 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,

[[Page 57447]]

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 public meeting may be of 
interest to persons currently reporting under the IUR and to 
manufacturers of inorganic chemical substances.
     The public meeting 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, persons 
attending the public meeting will be invited to comment on the clarity, 
completeness, and usefulness of the instructions. Comments may also be 
submitted in writing following the public meeting; comments should be 
submitted within 30 days after the meeting to receive timely attention. 
The purpose of the public meeting 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.
     Persons planning to attend the public meeting are encouraged to 
register with the technical contact person identified under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT. Persons registering for the meeting will receive 
by e-mail a copy of the draft instructions prior to the meeting. Prior 
registration is not required to attend the focus group meeting. There 
is no charge for attending this public meeting.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, chemicals, reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements.

    Dated: September 25, 2003.
Margaret Schneider,
Acting Director, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics.
[FR Doc. 03-25275 Filed 10-2-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S