[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 133 (Thursday, July 12, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38081-38083]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-13557]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2004-0122; FRL-8139-9]


Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program; 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 on the 
development of a voluntary Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program 
(NMSP) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). In a separate 
notice in this Federal Register EPA announced the availability of two 
draft documents for public review and comment: A ``Concept Paper for 
the Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program under TSCA'' and ``TSCA 
Inventory Status of Nanoscale Substances--General Approach.'' In a 
separate notice in this Federal Register EPA also solicited public 
comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection for 
the voluntary NMSP. The purpose of the public meeting, which will occur 
during the comment period on these documents, is to further discussion 
and development of NMSP.

DATES: The meeting will be held on August 2, 2007, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 
p.m.
    You may register for the meeting on or before July 30, 2007. See 
Unit IV. for additional registration information.
    To request accommodation of a disability, please contact the 
technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATON CONTACT, 
preferably at least 10 days prior to the meeting, to give EPA as much 
time as possible to process your request.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn Rosslyn at Key 
Bridge, 1900 Fort Myer Dr., Arlington, VA 22209.
    Requests to make oral comments at the meeting, identified by docket 
identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2004-0122, may be submitted to 
the technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information contact: Colby 
Lintner, Regulatory Coordinator, 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: James Alwood, Chemical Control 
Division, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (7405M), Office of 
Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: 
(202) 564-8974; e-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this Action Apply to Me?

    This action is directed to the public in general, and may be of 
particular interest to those persons who manufacture, import, process, 
or use nanoscale materials. Representatives from industry, non-
government organizations concerned with the environment and human 
health,

[[Page 38082]]

academia, and government may all be interested in attending.
    Since many entities may be interested, the Agency has not attempted 
to fully describe all of the entities that may have an interest in this 
matter. If you have any questions regarding the applicability of this 
action to a particular entity, consult the technical 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 a docket for this action under 
docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2004-0122. All documents in the docket are 
listed in the docket's index available at http://www.regulations.gov. 
Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly 
available, e.g., Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other 
material, such as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only 
in hard copy. Publicly available docket materials are available 
electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, or, if only available in 
hard copy, at the OPPT Docket. The OPPT Docket is located in the EPA 
Docket Center (EPA/DC) at Rm. 3334, EPA West Bldg., 1301 Constitution 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC PublicReading Room hours of 
operation are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding 
Federal holidays. The telephone number of the EPA/DC Public Reading 
Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the OPPT Docket is 
(202) 566-0280. Docket visitors are required to show photographic 
identification, pass through a metal detector, and sign the EPA visitor 
log. All visitor bags are processed through an X-ray machine and 
subject to search. Visitors will be provided an EPA/DC badge that must 
be visible at all times in the building and returned upon departure.
    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.

II. Background

 A. What is the NMSP?

    The NMSP is a voluntary program intended to complement and support 
EPA's new and existing chemical programs under TSCA. TSCA provides EPA 
the authority to assure that new and existing ``chemical substances'' 
are manufactured, processed, used, and disposed of in a manner that 
protects against unreasonable risks to human health and the 
environment. Nanoscale materials which meet the TSCA definition of 
``chemical substances'' are subject to TSCA.

B. What Action is the Agency Taking?

    EPA is announcing a public meeting to receive further comment on 
all aspects of NMSP, including the three documents described in this 
unit. In a separate notice in this Federal Register EPA announced the 
availability of two documents for a 60-day public review and comment 
period. One document, entitled ``TSCA Inventory Status of Nanoscale 
Substances--General Approach'' (TSCA Inventory paper), describes EPA's 
current thinking regarding whether a nanoscale material is a ``new'' or 
``existing'' chemical substance under TSCA. The other document, 
entitled ``Concept Paper for the Nanoscale Materials Stewardship 
Program under the TSCA,'' is a concept paper describing EPA's general 
approach, issues, and considerations for NMSP. The notice requested 
comments on all aspects of NMSP but identified specific issues of 
interest to EPA. Please consult that notice for more details.
    In a separate notice in this Federal Register EPA also issued a 
draft Information Collection Request (ICR) covering the information 
collection related activities related to NMSP and the estimated 
paperwork burdens associated with those activities. Under the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq., an agency may not conduct 
or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of 
information, unless it displays a currently valid control number issued 
by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The PRA also applies to 
voluntarily submitted information. Before submitting an ICR to OMB for 
review and approval, the agency must first solicit comment on the draft 
ICR. The draft ICR covering the potential information collection 
activities related to NMSP was also made available for a 60-day public 
review and comment period.

C. Why is EPA taking this Action?

    On October 18, 2006, EPA launched a collaborative process and 
invited stakeholders to participate in the design, development, and 
implementation of an NMSP under TSCA. The NMSP will complement and 
support EPA's new and existing chemical programs under TSCA and will 
help provide a firmer scientific foundation for regulatory decisions by 
encouraging the development of key scientific information and 
appropriate risk management practices for nanoscale chemical substances 
(nanoscale materials).
    The public meeting is an important part of the collaborative 
development process for NMSP. The meeting is intended to further 
discussion about NMSP and identify additional details and issues 
regarding NMSP. EPA will consider all comments. The Agency will also 
use the information resulting from NMSP to further inform the Agency's 
effort to develop its TSCA program for nanoscale materials, including 
any potential actions that may be needed to provide necessary 
information to make decisions and protect human health and the 
environment.

III. Summary of Next Steps

    In addition to providing comments on the documents made available 
and attending the public meeting, EPA invites you to participate in the 
development process for NMSP. If you would like EPA to notify you as 
the stewardship program moves forward, please sign-up at http://www.epa.gov/oppt/nano/nano-contact.htm.
    EPA will consider all comments received regarding NMSP. EPA will 
announce the availability of the final versions of the ICR, TSCA 
Inventory paper, and NMSP in the Federal Register. Once the details of 
NMSP have been developed and published in the Federal Register, EPA 
will implement NMSP.

IV. How Can I Request to Participate in this Meeting?

    You may register for the meeting electronically through EPA's 
website, at http://www.epa.gov/oppt/nano by July 30, 2007. Advance 
requests will assist in planning adequate seating; however, members of 
the public may attend without prior registration.
    You may submit a request to make oral comments at this meeting to 
the technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Do 
not submit any information in your request that is considered CBI. 
Requests to make oral comments at the meeting, identified by docket ID 
number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2004-0122, must be received on or before July 30, 
2007.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Chemicals, Nanoscale materials, 
Nanotechnology, Pollution prevention.



[[Page 38083]]


    Dated: July 9, 2007.
James Jones,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Prevention, Pesticides and 
Toxic Substances.
[FR Doc. E7-13557 Filed 7-11-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S