[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 13 (Friday, January 19, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3662-3663]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-01007]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

[Docket No. ATSDR-2023-0005]


Availability of Two 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 two updated 
toxicological profiles: chloroform and chloroethane. This action is 
necessary as this is the opportunity for members of the public and 
organizations to submit comments on drafts of the profiles. The 
intended effect of this action is to ensure that the public can note 
any pertinent additional information or reports on studies about the 
health effects caused by exposure to the substances covered in these 
two profiles for review.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before April 18, 2024.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. ATSDR-
2023-0005 by either of the methods listed below. Do not submit comments 
by email. ATSDR does not accept comments by email.
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 
Office of Innovation and Analytics, 4770 Buford Highway, Mail Stop 
S106-5, Atlanta, GA 30341-3717. Attn: Docket No. ATSDR-2023-0005.
    Instructions: All submissions received 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. For access to the docket to read background 
documents or comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Farhana Rahman, Agency for Toxic 
Substances and Disease Registry, Office of Innovation and Analytics, 
4770 Buford Highway, Mail Stop S106-5, Atlanta, GA 30329-4027; Email: 
[email protected]; Phone: 1-800-232-4636.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ATSDR has prepared drafts of two 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 of the available literature 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, using a systematic 
review approach. To that end, ATSDR is seeking public comments and 
additional information or reports on studies about the health effects 
of these 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.

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 has determined pose the most 
significant potential threat to human health. The SPL is available 
online at http://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. 
9604(i)(6)).
    ATSDR has now prepared drafts of two 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 and interaction profile are 
available online at http://www.regulations.gov, Docket No. ATSDR-2023-
0005 and at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ToxProfiles.

Public Participation

    Interested persons or organizations are invited to participate by 
submitting written views, recommendations, and data. Please note that 
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

[[Page 3663]]

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. 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. 
Do not submit comments by email. ATSDR does not accept comments by 
email.

Donata Green,
Associate Director, Office of Policy, Planning and Partnerships, Agency 
for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
[FR Doc. 2024-01007 Filed 1-18-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-70-P