[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 124 (Wednesday, June 27, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30167-30168]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-13833]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2017-0559; FRL-9978-62]


Final Strategic Plan To Promote the Development and 
Implementation of Alternative Test Methods Supporting the Toxic 
Substances Control Act (TSCA); Notice of Availability

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: As required by TSCA, which was amended by the Frank R. 
Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act in June 2016, EPA 
is announcing the availability of a document entitled: Strategic Plan 
to Promote the Development and Implementation of Alternative Test 
Methods Supporting the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). EPA is also 
making available a response to comments document that addresses 
comments received on the draft Strategic Plan.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    For technical information contact: Louis Scarano, Risk Assessment 
Division, 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]. In addition, progress on this activity will be 
periodically updated at the following page on the OPPT website at 
https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca.
    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?

    You may be potentially affected by this action if you are required 
to conduct testing of chemical substances under the Toxic Substances 
Control Act (TSCA). Since other entities may also be interested, the 
Agency has not attempted to describe all the specific entities that may 
be affected by this action. The following list of North American 
Industrial Classification System (NAICS) codes is not intended to be 
exhaustive, but rather provides a guide to help readers determine 
whether this document applies to them. Potentially affected entities 
may include:
     Basic Chemical Manufacturers (NAICS code 3251);
     Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial Synthetic Fibers 
and Filament Manufacturers (NAICS code 3252);
     Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical 
Manufacturers (NAICS code 3255);
     Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturers (NAICS code 
3255);
     Other Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturers 
(NAICS code 3259); and Petroleum Refineries (NAICS code 32411);
     Animal Welfare Groups;
     Environmental non-governmental organizations;
     Toxicity testing laboratories (contract labs);
     Academic/non-profit groups involved in developing and 
using alternative toxicity test methods.

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-2017-0559, 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.

C. What is the Agency's authority for this action?

    On June 22, 2016, the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 
21st Century Act amended TSCA (15 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.), the nation's 
primary chemicals management law. Along with new requirements and 
deadlines for actions related to the regulation of new and existing 
chemicals in the U.S., the new law includes changes to TSCA section 4 
(Testing of Chemical Substances and Mixtures). Specifically, a new TSCA 
section 4(h) has been added entitled Reduction of Testing on 
Vertebrates. TSCA section 4(h)(2)(A) states that EPA shall ``. . ., not 
later than 2 years after June 22, 2016, develop a strategic plan to 
promote the development and implementation of alternative test methods 
and strategies to reduce, refine, or replace vertebrate animal testing 
and provide information of equivalent or better scientific quality and 
relevance for assessing risks of injury to health or the environment. . 
.''. (15 U.S.C. 2603(h)(2)(A)).

D. What action is the Agency taking?

    In fulfillment of the requirements in TSCA section 4(h)(2)(A), EPA 
has prepared a final Strategic Plan to ``promote the development and 
implementation of alternative test methods and strategies to reduce, 
refine or replace vertebrate animal testing and provide information of 
equivalent or better scientific quality and relevance for assessing 
risks of injury to health or the environment of chemical substances or 
mixtures . . .''. The Strategic Plan is being made available in both 
the docket and on the EPA website.
    In addition, making available a response to comments document that 
addresses comments on the draft Strategic Plan received through May 11, 
2018. The response to comment document is available in the docket. 
(http://www.regulations.gov; docket ID number HQ-OPPT-2017-0559)

II. Background

    OPPT hosted a public meeting on November 2, 2017, in which a 
conceptual approach to this final Strategic Plan was presented. Meeting 
materials and public comments received through January 10, 2018, can be 
found in the docket (http://www.regulations.gov; docket ID number HQ-
OPPT-2017-0559).
    A draft Strategic Plan was published on March 12, 2018, along with 
a response to comments document that addressed the comments received 
through January 10, 2018. OPPT hosted a second public meeting on April 
10, 2018, to receive input from the public on the draft Strategic Plan. 
A docket was made available with the meeting materials and allowed for 
comments to

[[Page 30168]]

be received through May 11, 2018 (http://www.regulations.gov; docket ID 
number HQ-OPPT-2017-0559).

    Authority:  15 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.

    Dated: June 21, 2018.
E. Scott Pruitt,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2018-13833 Filed 6-26-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


