[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 81 (Wednesday, April 27, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25023-25024]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-08995]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

[Docket No. ATSDR-2022-0003]


Availability of Four Draft Toxicological Profiles

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

ACTION: Notice with comment period.

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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 
opening of a docket to obtain comments on drafts of four updated 
toxicological profiles: Nitrobenzene, Nitrophenols, Mercury, and 
Copper.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before July 26, 2022.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket Number ATSDR-
2022-0003, by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow 
the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Office of Innovation and Analytics, Agency for Toxic 
Substances and Disease Registry, 4770 Buford Highway, Mail Stop S102-1, 
Atlanta, GA 30341-3717. Attn: Docket No. ATSDR-2022-0003.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the Agency name and 
Docket Number. All relevant comments received will be posted without 
change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal 
information provided. Do not submit comments by email. ATSDR does not 
accept comments by email. For access to the docket to read background 
documents or comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kambria Haire, Office of Innovation 
and Analytics, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 4770 
Buford Highway, Mail Stop S102-1, Atlanta, GA 30329-4027; Email: 
[email protected]; Telephone: 1-800-232-4636.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ATSDR has prepared drafts of four updated 
toxicological profiles based on current understanding of the health 
effects and availability of new studies and other information since 
their initial release. All toxicological profiles issued as ``Drafts 
for Public Comment'' represent the result of ATSDR's evidence-based 
evaluations to provide important toxicological information on priority 
hazardous substances to the public and health professionals. ATSDR 
considers key studies for these substances during the profile 
development process. To that end, ATSDR is seeking public comments and 
additional information or reports on studies about the health effects 
of these four substances for review and potential inclusion in the 
profiles. ATSDR will evaluate the quality and relevance of such data or 
studies for possible inclusion in the profile.

Public Participation

    Interested persons or organizations are invited to participate by 
submitting written views, information, and data. Comments received, 
including attachments and other supporting materials, are part of the 
public record and are subject to public disclosure. Comments will be 
posted on https://www.regulations.gov. Therefore, do not include any 
information in your comment or supporting materials that you consider 
confidential or inappropriate for public disclosure. If you include 
your name, contact information, or other information that identifies 
you in the body of your comments, that information will be on public 
display. Do not submit comments by email. ATSDR does not accept 
comments by email. ATSDR will review all submissions and may choose to 
redact or withhold submissions containing private or proprietary 
information such as Social Security numbers, medical information, 
inappropriate language, or duplicate/near duplicate examples of a mass-
mail campaign. ATSDR will carefully review and consider all comments 
submitted in preparation of the Final Toxicological Profiles and may 
revise the profiles as appropriate.

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 the hazardous 
substances most commonly found at facilities on the CERCLA National 
Priorities List. 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. ATSDR is also mandated to revise and 
publish updated toxicological profiles, as necessary, to reflect 
updated health effects and other information.
    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 (CERCLA Section 104(i)(6); 42 U.S.C.

[[Page 25024]]

9604(i)(6)). Public nominations for substances from the SPL (or other 
substances) for toxicological profile development were requested on 
April 18, 2018 (83 FR 17177).
    ATSDR has now prepared drafts of four updated toxicological 
profiles based on current understanding of the health effects and 
availability of new studies and other information since their initial 
release.

Availability

    The Draft Toxicological Profiles are available online at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ToxProfiles and at www.regulations.gov, Docket No. 
ATSDR-2022-0003.

Pamela Protzel Berman,
Associate Director, Office of Policy, Planning and Partnerships, Agency 
for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
[FR Doc. 2022-08995 Filed 4-26-22; 8:45 am]
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