[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 167 (Thursday, August 28, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51331-51332]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-20500]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2014-0516; FRL-9915-77]


Announcement of a Workshop on Ecotoxicity Testing of Difficult-
to-Test Substances in the Aquatic Environment; Evaluation and Testing 
of Poorly Water Soluble Substances

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: EPA is holding a workshop entitled, ``Ecotoxicity Testing of 
Difficult-to-Test Substances in the Aquatic Environment: Evaluation and 
Testing of Poorly Water Soluble Substances,'' on September 10-11, 2014. 
The objective of this workshop is to better understand the state of the 
science for evaluating chemical substances which are difficult-to-test 
in aquatic test systems. The workshop will include a limited number of 
invited experts and observers, and will also provide web connection and 
teleconference capabilities for others to participate remotely. Due to 
space limitations, the Agency anticipates that approximately 50 invited 
experts and 40 observers will be able to attend the workshop in person. 
EPA invites the public to register to attend the meetings as observers 
and to provide comments during the meeting as discussed in this notice.

DATES: The meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 10, 2014, from 
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., EDT, and Thursday, September 11, 2014, from 8:30 
a.m. to 12:30 p.m., EDT.
    Meeting registration: To participate in this workshop, you must 
register no later than 11:59 p.m., e.d.t., on Friday, September 5, 
2014. See Unit III. in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Environmental Protection 
Agency, Potomac Yards South, Rm. S-1204-06, 2777 Crystal Dr., 
Arlington, VA 22202. The meeting will also be available via Web connect 
and teleconferencing. See Unit III.C. in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical information contact: 
Louis Scarano, Risk Assessment Division (7403M), Office of Pollution 
Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number 
(202) 564-2851; email address: [email protected].
    For workshop registration contact: Eileen White, Risk Assessment 
Division (7403M), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number (202) 564-8903; email 
address: [email protected].
    For general information contact: The TSCA-Hotline, ABVI-Goodwill, 
422 South Clinton Ave., Rochester, NY 14620; telephone number: (202) 
554-1404; email 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 
interest to a wide range of stakeholders including those interested in 
environmental assessment, the chemical industry, chemical users, 
consumer product companies, and members of the public interested in the 
assessment of chemical risks. Since others also may be interested, the 
Agency has not attempted to describe all the specific entities that may 
be affected by this action.

B. How can I get copies of this document and other related information?

    The docket for this action, identified by docket identification 
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2014-0516, is available at http://www.regulations.gov or at the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 
Docket (OPPT Docket), Environmental Protection Agency Docket Center 
(EPA/DC), West William Jefferson Clinton Bldg., Rm. 3334, 1301 
Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The 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 Public Reading Room is (202) 
566-1744, and the telephone number for the OPPT Docket is (202) 566-
0280. Please review the visitor instructions and additional information 
about the docket available at http://www.epa.gov/dockets.

II. Background

    The objective of this workshop is to better understand the state of 
the science for evaluating chemical substances which are difficult-to-
test in aquatic test systems. Such chemical substances include, for 
example, those that have very low water solubility, high volatility, 
and that are difficult to measure/quantify in aquatic solutions. As a 
workshop, the primary participants will be invited based on their 
expertise in aquatic toxicity testing and risk assessment; however, the 
meeting will be open to the public and observers will be encouraged to 
attend and will have an opportunity to contribute to the workshop. 
Members of the public may register to attend and participate in the 
workshop as observers (see Unit III.).

III. How can I request to participate in these meetings?

A. Registration

    Members of the public may register to attend the workshop as 
observers, or register to speak, if planning to offer oral comments 
during the workshop. To attend the workshop as an observer or to 
register to speak, you must register for the meeting no later than 
11:59 p.m., EDT, on Friday, September 5, 2014, by either sending an 
email to Eileen White ([email protected]) or through the U.S. Postal 
Service or by overnight/priority mail. When registering provide the 
following information: Name, address, affiliation, and contact 
information (email and telephone number). If you register to speak, you 
must also indicate if you have any special requirements related to your 
oral comments (e.g., translation).
    Because there will be no on-site registration, members of the 
public who do not register by the deadline using one of the methods 
described in this notice may not be able to attend in person; seating 
will be on a first-come, first-serve basis for observers who have 
registered for on-site attendance.

[[Page 51332]]

B. Draft Agenda and Topics for the Meeting

    A copy of a draft agenda is provided in the docket under docket ID 
number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2014-0516. Members of the public are invited to 
review and comment during the public comment period at the meeting on 
the following topics for the one-and-a-half day workshop:
    1. What characterizes a substance as being difficult-to-test in 
aquatic systems (i.e., physical/chemical properties, presence of 
impurities, etc.)?
    2. After a substance is released into the environment, what 
determines its distribution in the environment? How should this 
information be used to determine which environmental medium/organism 
should be tested?
    3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of current test 
methods and approaches for poorly water soluble substances?
     Water accommodated fraction (WAF) methodology.
     Use of solvents.
     Role of Static/Semi-static/Continuous flow-through 
systems.
    4. How can current test methods be changed, or, are there new 
methods available to better test the toxicity of difficult-to-test 
substances in the aquatic ecosystem?

C. Web Meeting Access

    The workshop will be held via Web connect and teleconferencing for 
those interested. All registered participants will receive information 
on how to connect to the workshop prior to its start.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Aquatic toxicity, Business and industry, 
Chemicals, Ecotoxicity, Health and safety, Industrial chemicals, 
Unknown or Variable Compositions, Complex Reaction Products and 
Biological Materials (UVCBs), Water.

    Dated: August 22, 2014.
Wendy C. Hamnett,
Director, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics.
[FR Doc. 2014-20500 Filed 8-27-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P