[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 126 (Monday, July 1, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 31321]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-13980]



[[Page 31321]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

[Docket No. ATSDR-2014-0001]


Availability of Toxicological Profiles for Tetrachloroethylene 
and Trichloroethylene

AGENCY: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), 
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), 
within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announces the 
release of the final Toxicological Profiles for Tetrachloroethylene and 
Trichloroethylene. The present profiles supersede any previously 
released drafts.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Ingber, Agency for Toxic 
Substances and Disease Registry, Division of Toxicology and Human 
Health Sciences, 1600 Clifton Rd., NE, Mail Stop S102-1, Atlanta, GA, 
30329-4027, Email: [email protected]; Phone: 1-800-232-4636.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Legislative Background

    The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA) [42 
U.S.C. 9601 et seq.] amended the Comprehensive Environmental Response, 
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA or Superfund) [42 
U.S.C. 9601 et seq.] by establishing certain requirements for ATSDR and 
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding hazardous 
substances that are most commonly found at facilities on the CERCLA 
National Priorities List (NPL). Among these statutory requirements is a 
mandate for the Administrator of ATSDR to prepare toxicological 
profiles for each substance included on the priority list of hazardous 
substances [also called the Substance Priority List (SPL)]. This list 
identifies 275 hazardous substances that ATSDR and EPA have determined 
pose the most significant potential threat to human health. The SPL is 
available online at www.atsdr.cdc.gov/spl.
    In addition, CERCLA provides ATSDR with the authority to prepare 
toxicological profiles for substances not found on the SPL. CERCLA 
authorizes ATSDR to establish and maintain an inventory of literature, 
research, and studies on the health effects of toxic substances (CERCLA 
Section 104(i)(1)(B); 42 U.S.C. 9604(i)(1)(B))); to respond to requests 
for health consultations (CERCLA Section 104(i)(4)); 42 U.S.C. 
9604(i)(4)); and to support the site-specific response actions 
conducted by the agency.

Public Comment

    ATSDR released the draft Toxicological Profiles for 
Tetrachloroethylene and Trichloroethylene for public comment December 
15, 2014(79 FR 74093). The comment period ended on March 16, 2015. 
ATSDR received multiple comments on the draft Tetrachloroethylene 
profile from a professional association and multiple comments on the 
draft Trichloroethylene profile from three professional associations 
and one law firm. ATSDR carefully reviewed and considered all comments 
in the preparation of the final profiles.
    The Toxicological Profile for Tetrachloroethylene received comments 
related to the use of specific studies for the profile, potential 
omission of studies, and derivation of the minimal risk level (MRL). 
ATSDR addressed these comments by correcting, clarifying, or updating 
data in the final toxicological profiles.
    The Toxicological Profile for Trichloroethylene received comments 
centered on the methods and data used for deriving the MRLs, as well as 
suggestions for inclusion of additional studies. ATSDR clarified areas 
of scientific uncertainty and modeling techniques used to derive the 
MRLs. ATSDR updated the profile with several additional studies.
    For both profiles, ATSDR also conducted a second peer review of the 
epidemiological carcinogenicity sections of the profile by external 
peer reviewers. A list of peer reviewers and the peer review comments 
are available at ATSDR's Peer Review Agenda web page at (https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/sites/peer_review/index.html).

Availability

    The Final Toxicological Profiles for Tetrachloroethylene and 
Trichloroethylene are available online at www.regulations.gov, Docket 
No. ATSDR-2014-0001 and http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ToxProfiles.

Pamela I. Protzel Berman,
Director, Office of Policy, Partnerships and Planning, Agency for Toxic 
Substances and Disease Registry.
[FR Doc. 2019-13980 Filed 6-28-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4163-70-P