[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 243 (Monday, December 20, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75950-75951]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-27667]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7846-9]


Notice of Availability and Opportunity To Provide Comment on the 
Framework for Inorganic Metals Risk Assessment (External Review 
Draft)(ORD-2004-0017)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of Availability and Public Comment Period.

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SUMMARY: EPA is today announcing the availability of the draft 
Framework for Inorganic Metals Risk Assessment and the beginning of the 
public comment period on the draft document. This draft document will 
be peer reviewed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 
Science Advisory Board at a public meeting that will be announced in a 
separate Federal Register notice.

DATES: Comments should be received by Tuesday, January 18, 2005.

ADDRESSES:

Document Availability

    The Framework for Inorganic Metals Risk Assessment (External Review 
Draft, November 2004, EPA/630/P-04068c) will be available on or about 
December 20, 2004, on the Internet at http://cfpub2.epa.gov/ncea/raf/recordisplay.cfm?deid=88903. A limited number of paper copies will be 
available from the EPA's Technical Information Staff, National Center 
for Environmental Assessment (NCEA), Mail Code 8623D, Washington, DC 
20460; telephone: 202-564-3261; facsimile: 202-565-0050. Please provide 
your name and mailing address and the title and EPA number of the 
requested publication.

Submitting Comments

    One of three methods may be chosen to submit comments. First, 
comments may be submitted through EPA's electronic public docket and 
comment system, EPA Dockets. EPA Dockets is available at http://www.epa.gov/edocket/. Once in the system, select ``Submit Comments,'' 
then key in the appropriate Docket Identification Number (ORD-2004-
0017). Second, comments may be submitted via e-mail to 
``[email protected].'' Third, paper copies of comments may be 
submitted (in duplicate if possible) to the Docket at the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), Office of 
Research and Development Docket (28221T), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, 
NW., Washington, DC 20460. Please refer to Docket Identification Number 
ORD-2004-0017 in e-mail and in paper correspondence. Acknowledgments 
will not be sent for electronic or paper comment submissions. Persons 
providing information or comments should not submit personal 
information (such as medical data or home address), Confidential 
Business Information, or information protected by copyright because all 
comments will be made available for public viewing.

Viewing Comments

    EPA intends to make all comments received in response to this 
Federal Register notice available via Internet (http://www.epa.gov/edocket/), including documents originally submitted in paper format. To 
view comments select ``Quick Search,'' then key in the appropriate 
Docket Number (ORD-2004-0017). Alternatively you may visit the EPA 
Office of Environmental Information(OEI) Docket in the Headquarters EPA 
Docket Center, (EPA/DC) EPA West Building, Room B102, 1301 Constitution 
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading 
Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the

[[Page 75951]]

Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the 
OEI Docket is (202) 566-1752; facsimile: (202) 566-1753; or e-mail: 
[email protected]. Visitors to the Public Reading Room are required to 
show photographic identification and sign the Agency's visitor log. 
There may be a reasonable fee for copying docket materials, as provided 
in 40 CFR part 2.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. William P. Wood, Risk Assessment 
Forum (Mail Code 8601D), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460, telephone 202-564-3361, 
or send electronic mail inquiries to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Agency recognizes that inorganic metals and metal compounds 
present unique issues and the added challenge of addressing the 
complexity of these issues in a consistent manner across the Agency's 
programs. The draft metals framework reflects an EPA effort to develop 
cross-agency internal guidance for assessing metals. The overarching 
goals of the framework are to outline key metal-specific scientific 
principles and consistent approaches for conducting metals risk 
assessment, based on the best currently available science. Given the 
complexity of issues surrounding metals risk assessment, EPA 
commissioned recognized scientific experts to develop papers on key 
scientific issues related to risk assessment of metals. These issues 
included environmental chemistry, exposure, human health effects, 
ecological effects, and bioavailability and bioaccumulation. The draft 
framework relies heavily on these issue papers. Development of the 
framework has also involved extensive consultation with the scientific 
community, stakeholders, and intended users, including risk assessors 
in other federal agencies, in different regions, and in the states. 
Throughout the development process, the Agency has held stakeholder 
meetings and made the issue papers open for public comment. After peer 
review deliberation by EPA's Science Advisory Board (SAB) is complete 
and the framework is finalized, EPA program offices will be in a 
position to review their current practices against the recommendations 
of the metals framework and incorporate adjustments as necessary, 
consistent with the principles of the framework.

Disposition of Comments

    EPA requests comments on today's framework and will consider 
comments in finalizing the document. EPA's SAB will peer-review the 
framework and will be asked to consider the public comments. A separate 
notice of the planned SAB meeting also will appear in the Federal 
Register.

    Dated: December 3, 2004.
Peter Preuss,
Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. 04-27667 Filed 12-15-04; 8:45 am]
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