[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 130 (Tuesday, July 7, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40643-40644]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-14515]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2019-0470; FRL-10009-91]


Public Workshop; Laminated Products--Formaldehyde Emission 
Standards for Composite Wood Products

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: EPA is announcing a public workshop to discuss the laminated 
product provisions and the rulemaking petition for exemption from the 
definition of hardwood plywood in the formaldehyde emission standards 
for composite wood products final rule of 2016. The workshop will aid 
with informing potential development of future guidance for petitioning 
EPA for an exemption under the 2016 final rule. The primary audience 
for this public workshop is Third Party Certifiers (TPCs), panel 
producers, and fabricators or laminated product producers who contract 
with TPCs to certify composite wood products under the 2016 final rule. 
This workshop is also open to the general public.

DATES: The workshop will be held on September 8, 2020 from 9:30 a.m. to 
5:30 p.m. (EST).
    To participate in the workshop, you must register online on or 
before August 31, 2020.
    Written comments that participants would like to be considered 
during the workshop should be submitted on or before August 24, 2020. 
EPA will also accept written comments and materials submitted after the 
conclusion of the workshop until November 4, 2020.
    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 workshop, to give EPA as much 
time as possible to process your request.

ADDRESSES: The workshop will be held remotely via a teleconference 
platform and does not have an in-person attendance option. To register 
to participate in the workshop, go to https://tscatitlevi.eventbrite.com. See Unit III. for information on public 
participation in the workshop.
    Submit your written comments, identified by Docket Identification 
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2019-0470, using the Federal eRulemaking Portal 
at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for 
submitting comments. Do not submit electronically any information you 
consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
    Please note that due to the public health emergency the EPA Docket 
Center (EPA/DC) and Reading Room was closed to public visitors on March 
31, 2020. Our EPA/DC staff will continue to provide customer service 
via email, phone, and webform. For further information on EPA/DC 
services, docket contact information and the current status of the EPA/
DC and Reading Room, please visit https://www.epa.gov/dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical information about the 
Technical Issues Workshop; Formaldehyde Emission Standards for 
Composite Wood Products workshop contact: Todd Coleman, National 
Programs Chemical Division (7404T), Office of Pollution Prevention and 
Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 564-1208; email 
address: [email protected].
    For workshop logistics or registration contact: Sarah Cox, National 
Program Chemicals Division (7404T), Office of Pollution Prevention and 
Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 564-3961; 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 public workshop is primarily directed to the TPCs, panel 
producers, and fabricators or laminated product producers who contract 
with TPCs to certify composite wood products under the formaldehyde 
emission standards for composite wood products final rule codified in 
2016 at 40 CFR part 770. EPA is hosting the workshop to help inform 
potential development of future guidance to assist those seeking to 
petition the Agency through the provisions at 40 CFR 770.4(b), which 
ask EPA to initiate a rulemaking for additional exemptions for 
laminated products from the definition of hardwood plywood in the 
formaldehyde emission standards for composite wood products final rule. 
While the issue is of most relevance to laminated product producers, in 
general, importers, distributors and retailers who are affected by the 
formaldehyde emission standards for composite wood products final rule 
may also be interested in this workshop. Since other stakeholders may 
also be interested, the Agency has not attempted to describe all the 
specific entities that may be interested in the issues to be discussed 
at the public workshop.

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

    The docket for this action, identified by docket ID number EPA-HQ-
OPPT-2019-0470, is available at http://www.regulations.gov. For 
assistance with the docket, and additional information about 
commenting, please go to http://www.epa.gov/dockets.

II. Background

    The final rule, entitled ``Formaldehyde Emission Standards for 
Composite Wood Products'' and codified at 40 CFR part 770, published in 
the Federal Register of December 12, 2016 (81 FR 89674) (FRL-9949-90) 
and became effective on May 22, 2017 (82 FR 14324, March 21, 2017) 
(FRL-9960-28-OP). Since publication of the final rule, EPA received 
feedback from regulated stakeholders requesting guidance on the process 
at 40 CFR 770.4(b) for the laminated product rulemaking petition for 
exemption from the definition of hardwood plywood. In the Federal 
Register of May 24, 2018, EPA announced a public related to Technical 
Issues--Formaldehyde Emission Standards for Composite Wood Products (83 
FR 24104) (FRL-9978-21), where the Agency stated its intent to address 
the issue of working with stakeholders, through an additional workshop, 
to inform potential development of future guidance on how one can 
petition the Agency for this exemption. Thus, EPA will host this public 
workshop to discuss what types of information a petitioner should 
consider providing the Agency to support a determination on a petition 
submitted under 40 CFR 770.4(b). The workshop will also discuss what a 
typical submittal process may look like.
    The Agency's intent is for participants to actively engage in an 
open dialogue with EPA and other participants on the agenda topics and 
to provide supporting

[[Page 40644]]

documentation (in advance or after the workshop) as appropriate for 
EPA's consideration. The Agency plans to record the workshop and will 
post a written transcript in the docket for this workshop during the 
comment period that follows the workshop.
    The Agency is allowing the comment period on this public workshop 
to remain open until after the workshop to provide stakeholders and 
interested parties ample time to develop additional comments, compile 
data, studies, and/or reports that can aid EPA in considering the 
development of guidance for submitting and supporting a laminated 
product rulemaking petition under 40 CFR 770.4(b) for exemption from 
the definition of hardwood plywood. Should the Agency develop guidance 
related to the rulemaking petitions for exemption under 40 CFR 
770.4(b), EPA will provide a draft for public comment and post such 
guidance on the Agency's website.
    An agenda for the public workshop has been included in the docket 
for this workshop.

III. How can I request to participate in this workshop?

A. Registration

    The workshop will only be accessible remotely (i.e., web 
conferencing) for registered participants. Participants will be 
provided information on how to connect to the workshop prior to its 
start that is sent to the email address participants provided when they 
registered for this workshop.
    To register to attend the workshop and receive remote access, you 
must register online as described under ADDRESSES and by the date 
specified under DATES.

B. Required Registration Information

    Attendees and participants will be offered the opportunity to speak 
and provide feedback during the workshop. To register for the workshop 
online, you must provide your full name, organization or affiliation, 
and contact information.

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 2697.

    Dated: June 30, 2020.
Alexandra Dapolito Dunn,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2020-14515 Filed 7-6-20; 8:45 am]
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