[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 206 (Friday, October 24, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 60981]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-26757]



[[Page 60981]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPPT-2003-0004; FRL-7330-7]


Access to Confidential Business Information by Abt Associates

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: EPA has authorized its prime contractor Abt Associates (Abt) 
of Cambridge, MA and its subcontractors Eastern Research Group, of 
Lexington, MA, and Syracuse Research Corporation, of Arlington, VA, 
access to information which has been submitted to EPA under all 
sections of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Some of the 
information may be claimed or determined to be Confidential Business 
Information (CBI).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara A. Cunningham, Director, 
Environmental Assistance Division (7408M), Office of Pollution 
Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 
554-1404; e-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this Notice Apply to Me?

    This action is directed to the public in general. This action may, 
however, be of interest to those persons who are or may be required to 
conduct testing of chemical substances under TSCA. Since other entities 
may also be interested, the Agency has not attempted to describe all 
the specific entities that may be affected by this action. If you have 
any questions regarding the applicability of this action to a 
particular entity, consult the person listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

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

    1. Docket. EPA has established an official public docket for this 
action under docket identification (ID) number OPPT-2003-0004. 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 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. What Action is the Agency Taking?

    Under Contract Number 68-W02-077, Abt Associates, of 55 Wheeler St, 
Cambridge, MA and 4800 Montgomery Lane, Suite 400, Bethesda, MD; 
Eastern Research Group of 110 Hartwell Avenue, Lexington, MA and Avion 
Lakeside Drive D, 14555 Avion Parkway, Chantilly, VA; and Syracuse 
Research Corporation, of SRC Arlington, Crystal Gateway 3, Suite 405, 
1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA, will assist EPA in 
economic and regulatory impact analysis to support all aspects of EPA 
decision-making. These analyses will largely be of the costs, economic 
impacts, benefits, and regulatory impacts of actual or potential EPA 
actions taken under TSCA.
    In accordance with 40 CFR 2.306(j), EPA has determined that under 
Contract Number 68-W02-077, Abt, ERG, and SRC will require access to 
CBI submitted to EPA under all sections of TSCA, to perform 
successfully the duties specified under the contract.
    Abt, ERG, and SRC personnel were given access to information 
submitted to EPA under all sections of TSCA. Some of the information 
may be claimed or determined to be CBI.
    EPA is issuing this notice to inform all submitters of information 
under all sections of TSCA, that the Agency may provide Abt, ERG, and 
SRC access to these CBI materials on a need-to-know basis only. All 
access to TSCA CBI under this contract will take place at EPA 
Headquarters and Abt's sites located at 55 Wheeler Street, Cambridge, 
MA and 4800 Montgomery Lane, Suite 400, Bethesda, MD; ERG's sites 
located at 110 Hartwell Avenue, Lexington, MA and Avion Lakeside Drive 
D, 14555 Avion Parkway, Chantilly, VA; and SRC's site located at SRC 
Arlington, Crystal Gateway 3, Suite 405, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, 
Arlington, VA.
    Abt, ERG, and SRC personnel will adhere to all provisions of EPA's 
TSCA Confidential Business Information Security Manual.
    Clearance for access to TSCA CBI under Contract Number 68-W02-077 
may continue until September 30, 2007.
    Abt, ERG, and SRC personnel were required to sign nondisclosure 
agreements and were briefed on appropriate security procedures before 
they were permitted access to TSCA CBI.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Confidential business information.


    Dated: October 9, 2003.
Brian Cook,
Acting Director, Information Management Division, Office of Pollution 
Prevention and Toxics.

[FR Doc. 03-26757 Filed 10-23-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S