[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 109 (Tuesday, June 9, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27313-27315]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-13478]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-8914-2; Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2009-0210]


Draft Toxicological Review of 1,4-Dioxane: In Support of the 
Summary Information in the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of Listening Session and Peer Review Workshop.

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SUMMARY: EPA is announcing a listening session to be held on Monday, 
July 6, 2009, during the public comment period for the external review 
draft document titled, ``Toxicological Review of 1,4-Dioxane: In 
Support of Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information 
System (IRIS)'' (EPA/635/R-09/005). EPA is also announcing that Versar, 
Inc., an EPA contractor for external scientific peer review, will 
convene an independent panel of

[[Page 27314]]

experts and organize and conduct an external peer review workshop to 
review the external review draft titled, ``Toxicological Review of 1,4-
Dioxane: In Support of Summary Information on the Integrated Risk 
Information System (IRIS) (EPA/635/R-09/005).'' The public may also 
attend this workshop as observers through a registration process, and 
time will be set aside for observers to give brief oral comments at the 
workshop regarding the draft document under review. EPA will consider 
public comments and recommendations from the expert panel workshop as 
EPA finalizes the draft document.
    EPA previously announced the 60-day public comment period (ending 
July 6, 2009) for the draft document in the Federal Register on May 7, 
2009 (74 FR 21361). The public comment period and the external peer 
review workshop are separate processes that provide opportunities for 
all interested parties to comment on the document. EPA intends to 
forward public comments submitted in accordance with the aforementioned 
FR notice (May 7, 2009) to Versar, Inc. for consideration by the 
external peer review panel prior to the workshop. Listening session 
participants who wish to have their comments available to the external 
peer reviewers should also submit written comments during the public 
comment period using the detailed and established procedures included 
in the aforementioned FR notice (May 7, 2009). Comments submitted to 
the docket prior to the end of the public comment period will be 
submitted to the external peer reviewers and considered by EPA in the 
disposition of public comments. Comments received in the docket after 
the public comment period closes will not be submitted to the external 
peer reviewers. Public comments submitted during the 60-day public 
comment period ending July 6, 2009, may be observed at http://www.regulations.gov under Docket ID no. EPA-HQ-ORD-2009-0210. EPA 
intends to consider the comments and recommendations from the listening 
session, the external peer review workshop, and any public comments 
that EPA receives in accordance with the May 7, 2009, Federal Register 
notice (74 FR 21361).
    EPA released this draft document as stated in the Federal Register 
notice (74 FR21361) solely for the purpose of pre-dissemination public 
review under applicable information quality guidelines. This document 
has not been formally disseminated by EPA. It does not represent and 
should not be construed to represent any Agency policy or 
determination.
    The EPA's draft assessment and peer review charge are available via 
the Internet on the National Center for Environmental Assessment's 
(NCEA) home page under the Recent Additions and the Data and 
Publications menus at http://www.epa.gov/ncea.

DATES: The listening session on the draft IRIS health assessment for 
1,4-dioxane will be held on Monday, June 22, 2009, beginning at 9 a.m. 
and ending at 4 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time. If you wish to make a 
presentation at the listening session, you should register by Monday, 
June 15, 2009, and indicate that you wish to make oral comments at the 
session, and indicate the length of your presentation. At the time of 
your registration, please indicate if you require audio-visual aid 
(e.g., lap top and slide projector). In general, each presentation 
should be no more than 30 minutes. If, however, there are more requests 
for presentations than the allotted time will allow, then the time 
limit for each presentation will be adjusted accordingly. A copy of the 
agenda for the listening session will be available at the meeting. If 
no speakers have registered by Monday, June 15, 2009, the listening 
session will be cancelled. EPA will notify those registered to attend 
of the cancellation.
    The peer review workshop will begin on Monday, August 17, 2009, at 
approximately 8:30 a.m. and end at approximately 5 p.m., Eastern 
Standard Time. To attend the workshop, observers must register by 
Monday, August 10, 2009, according to the procedures outlined below. At 
the time of registration, please indicate if you wish to make brief 
oral comments at the workshop.
    The public comment period for review of this draft assessment was 
announced previously in the Federal Register (74 FR 21361) on May 7, 
2009. As stated in that FR notice, the public comment period began on 
May 7, 2009, and ends July 6, 2009. Any technical comments submitted 
during the public comment period should be in writing and must be 
received by EPA by July 6, 2009. Only those public comments submitted 
using the procedures identified in the May 7, 2009, FR notice by the 
July 6, 2009, deadline will be provided to the independent peer review 
panel prior to the peer review meeting.

ADDRESSES: The listening session on the draft 1,4-dioxane assessment 
will be held at the EPA offices at Two Potomac Yard (North Building), 
7th Floor, Room 7100, 2733 South Crystal Drive, Arlington, Virginia 
22202. To attend the listening session, register by Monday, June 15, 
2009, via the Internet at http://epa.versar.com/14dioxane/listening. 
You may also register via e-mail: [email protected] (subject line: 
1,4-Dioxane Listening Session), by phone: (703) 750-3000, ext. 316 or 
toll free at 1-800-2-VERSAR (1-800-283-7727, ask for the 1,4-Dioxane 
listening session coordinator, Stephanie Sarraino), or by faxing a 
registration request to (703) 642-6954 (please reference the ``1,4-
Dioxane Listening Session'' and include your name, title, affiliation, 
full address and contact information). Please note that to gain 
entrance to this EPA building to attend the meeting, attendees must 
have photo identification with them and must register at the guard's 
desk in the lobby. The guard will retain your photo identification and 
will provide you with a visitor's badge. At the guard's desk, attendees 
should give the name Christine Ross and the telephone number, 703-347-
8592, to the guard on duty. The guard will contact Ms. Ross who will 
meet you in the reception area to escort you to the meeting room. Upon 
your exit from the building please return your visitor's badge and you 
will receive the photo identification that you provided.
    For the listening session, a teleconference line will also be 
available for registered attendees/speakers. The teleconference number 
is 1-866-299-3188 and the access code is 9195410661, followed by the 
pound sign (). The teleconference line will be activated at 
8:45 a.m., and you will be asked to identify yourself and your 
affiliation at the beginning of the call.
    The peer review workshop will be held at Courtyard Arlington 
Crystal City/Reagan National Airport, 2899 Jefferson Davis Highway, 
Arlington, VA 22202. Versar, Inc. is organizing, convening, and 
conducting the peer review workshop. To attend the workshop as an 
observer, register by Monday, August 10, 2009, via Internet at http://epa.versar.com/14dioxane/meeting. You may also register by e-mail: 
[email protected] (subject line: 1,4-Dioxane Workshop), by phone: 
(703) 750-3000, ext. 316 or toll free at 1-800-2-VERSAR (1-800-283-
7727, ask for the 1,4-Dioxane peer review workshop coordinator, 
Stephanie Sarraino), or by faxing a registration request to (703) 642-
6954 (please reference the ``1,4-Dioxane Workshop'' and include your 
name, title, affiliation, full address, and contact information).
    Information on Services for Individuals with Disabilities: EPA 
welcomes the attendance of the public at the ``1,4-Dioxane Listening 
Session'' and at the 1,4-dioxane peer review

[[Page 27315]]

workshop and will make every effort to accommodate persons with 
disabilities. Please submit your request for accommodation of a 
disability at least 10 days prior to the meeting to give EPA as much 
time as possible to process your request.
    For information on access or services for individuals with 
disabilities at the listening session, please contact Christine Ross at 
703-347-8592 or [email protected].
    For information on access or services for individuals with 
disabilities at the peer review workshop, please contact Versar, Inc., 
6850 Versar Center, Springfield, VA 22151; telephone: (703) 750-3000; 
facsimile: (703) 642-6954; or e-mail: [email protected] (subject 
line: 1,4-Dioxane Workshop).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the public 
listening session, please contact Christine Ross, IRIS Staff, National 
Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA), (8601P), U.S. EPA, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone: 703-347-
8592; facsimile: 703-347-8689; or e-mail: [email protected].
    For information on the peer review workshop, contact Versar, Inc. 
6850 Versar Center, Springfield, VA 22151; telephone: (703) 750-3000; 
facsimile: (703) 642-6954; or e-mail: [email protected] (subject 
line: 1,4-Dioxane Workshop).
    If you have questions about the draft document, contact Eva D. 
McLanahan, Hazardous Pollutant Assessment Group (HPAG) Staff, NCEA, 
U.S. EPA, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, B243-01, Durham, NC 27711; 
telephone: 919-541-1396; facsimile: 919-541-0245; or e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Summary of Information About the Integrated Risk Information System 
(IRIS)

    IRIS is a database that contains potential adverse human health 
effects information that may result from chronic (or lifetime) exposure 
to specific chemical substances found in the environment. The database 
(available on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/iris) contains 
qualitative and quantitative health effects information for more than 
540 chemical substances that may be used to support the first two steps 
(hazard identification and dose-response evaluation) of a risk 
assessment process. When supported by available data, the database 
provides oral reference doses (RfDs) and inhalation reference 
concentrations (RfCs) for chronic health effects, and oral slope 
factors and inhalation unit risks for carcinogenic effects. Combined 
with the specific exposure information, government and private entities 
can use IRIS data to help characterize public health risks of chemical 
substances in a site-specific situation and thereby support risk 
management decisions designed to protect public health.

II. Listening Session Information

    The purpose of the listening session is to allow all interested 
parties to present scientific and technical comments on draft IRIS 
health assessments to EPA and other interested parties during the 
public comment period and prior to the external peer review workshop. 
EPA welcomes the scientific and technical comments that will be 
provided to the Agency by the listening session participants. The 
comments will be considered by the Agency as it revises the draft 
assessment in response to the independent external peer review and 
public comments. All presentations will become part of the official and 
public record.

III. Workshop Information

    Members of the public may attend the workshop as observers, and 
there will be a limited time for oral comments from the public. Pre-
registration is strongly recommended as space is limited, and 
registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The 
deadline for pre-registration is August 10, 2009. If space allows, 
registrations will continue to be accepted after this date, including 
on-site registrations. Time will be set aside to hear comments from 
observers, and individuals will be limited to a maximum of five 
minutes. Please let Versar, Inc. know if you wish to make comments 
during the workshop by registering as detailed in this FR notice and 
indicating your intent to make oral comments.

    Dated: May 29, 2009.
Rebecca Clark,
Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. E9-13478 Filed 6-8-09; 8:45 am]
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