[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 244 (Tuesday, December 22, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68058-68059]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-30385]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9094-6; Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2009-0229]


Draft Toxicological Review of Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether: In 
Support of the Summary Information in the Integrated Risk Information 
System (IRIS)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of Peer-Review Workshop.

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SUMMARY: EPA is announcing that Eastern Research Group, Inc. (ERG), an 
EPA contractor for external scientific peer review, will convene an 
independent panel of experts and organize and conduct an external peer-
review workshop to review the external review draft document titled, 
``Toxicological Review of Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether: In Support of 
Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)'' 
(EPA/635/R-08/019A). The draft document was prepared by the National 
Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within EPA's Office of 
Research and Development. EPA previously announced the 60-day public 
comment period (ending October 19, 2009) for the draft document in the 
Federal Register on August 20, 2009 (74 FR 42069). EPA will consider 
public comments and recommendations from the expert panel workshop as 
EPA finalizes the draft document.
    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 August 20, 2009, Federal 
Register notice (74 FR 42069) to ERG for consideration by the external 
peer-review panel prior to the workshop.
    EPA is releasing this draft document solely for the purpose of pre-
dissemination peer 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.
    ERG invites the public to register to attend this workshop as 
observers. In addition, ERG invites the public to give oral and/or 
provide written comments at the workshop regarding the draft document 
under review. Space is limited, and reservations will be accepted on a 
first-come, first-served basis. The draft document and EPA's peer-
review charge are available primarily via the Internet on NCEA's home 
page under the Recent Additions and Publications menus at http://www.epa.gov/ncea. In preparing a final report, EPA will consider ERG's 
report of the comments and recommendations from the external peer-
review workshop and any public comments that EPA receives.

DATES: The peer-review panel workshop will held on Tuesday, January 26, 
2010, starting at 8:30 a.m. and ending no later than 5 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The peer-review workshop will be held at the Holiday Inn 
Capitol, 550 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20024; phone: 202-479-4000. 
The EPA contractor, ERG, is organizing, convening, and conducting the 
peer-review workshop. To attend the workshop as an observer, register 
by Tuesday, January 19, 2010, via the Internet at https://www2.ergweb.com/projects/conferences/peerreview/register-etbeworkshop.htm.
    You may also register by e-mailing [email protected] (subject line: 
ETBE Workshop); by calling, phone: 781-674-7374 or toll free at 800-
803-2833 (ask for the ETBE peer review coordinator, Laurie Waite); or 
by faxing a registration request to 781-674-2906 (please reference the 
``ETBE Workshop'' and include your name, title, affiliation, full 
address, and contact information).
    The draft ``Toxicological Review of Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether: In 
Support of Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information 
System (IRIS)'' is available primarily via the Internet on the National 
Center for Environmental Assessment's home page under the Recent 
Additions and Publications menus at http://www.epa.gov/ncea. A limited 
number of paper copies are available from the Information Management 
Team, NCEA; telephone: 703-347-8561; facsimile: 703-347-8691. If you 
are requesting a paper copy, please provide your name, mailing address, 
and the document title, ``Toxicological Review of Ethyl Tertiary Butyl 
Ether: In Support of Summary Information on the Integrated Risk 
Information System (IRIS).'' Copies are not available from ERG.
    Information on Services for Individuals with Disabilities: EPA 
welcomes public attendance at the Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether Peer-
Review Workshop and will make every effort to accommodate persons with 
disabilities. For information on access or services for individuals 
with disabilities, please contact ERG, 110 Hartwell Avenue, Lexington, 
MA 02421-3136; telephone: 781-674-7374; facsimile: 781-674-

[[Page 68059]]

2906; or e-mail: [email protected] (subject line: ETBE Workshop) 
preferably at least 10 days prior to the meeting, to give as much time 
as possible to process your request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding information, 
registration, access or services for individuals with disabilities, or 
logistics for the external peer-review workshop should be directed to 
ERG, 110 Hartwell Avenue, Lexington, MA 02421-3136; by e-mail: 
[email protected], or by phone: 781-674-7374. To request accommodation 
of a disability, please contact the ETBE Coordinator, Laurie Waite, of 
ERG, preferably at least 10 days prior to the meeting, to give as much 
time as possible to process your request.
    If you have questions about the document, contact Scott 
Wesselkamper, National Center for Environmental Assessment, 26 West 
Martin Luther King, MS A-110, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268; telephone: 513-
569-7256; or e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Information about IRIS

    IRIS is a database that contains information about potential 
adverse human health effects 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 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.

    Dated: December 15, 2009.
Rebecca Clark,
Acting Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. E9-30385 Filed 12-21-09; 8:45 am]
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