

[Federal Register: June 14, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 114)]
[Notices]               
[Page 32847-32849]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14jn07-51]                         

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-8327-4; Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2007-0351]

 
Draft Toxicological Review of Bromobenzene: In Support of the 
Summary Information in the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

[[Page 32848]]


ACTION: Notice of peer-review workshop and public comment period.

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SUMMARY: EPA is announcing that the Oak Ridge Institute of Science and 
Education (ORISE), under an Interagency agreement between the 
Department of Energy and EPA, will convene an independent panel of 
experts and organize and conduct an external peer-review workshop to 
review the external review draft document titled, ``Toxicological 
Review of Bromobenzene: In Support of Summary Information on the 
Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)'' (NCEA-C-1497). The EPA also 
is announcing a public comment period for the draft document. EPA 
intends to consider comments and recommendations from the public and 
the expert panel meeting when EPA finalizes the draft document.
    The public comment period and the external peer-review workshop are 
separate processes that provide opportunities for all interested 
parties to comment on the document. EPA intends to forward public 
comments submitted in accordance with this notice to ORISE for 
consideration by the external peer-review panel prior to the workshop.
    EPA is releasing this draft document solely for the purpose of pre-
dissemination peer review under applicable information quality 
guidelines. This document has not been formally disseminated by EPA. It 
does not represent and should not be construed to represent any Agency 
policy or determination.
    ORISE invites the public to register to attend this workshop as 
observers. In addition, ORISE invites the public to give brief oral 
comments at the workshop regarding the draft document under review. The 
draft document and EPA's peer-review charge are available via the 
Internet on NCEA's home page under the Recent Additions and the Data 
and Publications menus at http://www.epa.gov/ncea. When finalizing the 

draft document, EPA intends to consider ORISE's report of the comments 
and recommendations from the external peer-review workshop and any 
public comments that EPA receives in accordance with this notice.

DATES: The peer-review panel workshop will begin on August 29, 2007, at 
9 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. The public comment period begins June 15, 
2007, and ends August 14, 2007. Technical comments should be in writing 
and must be received by EPA by August 14, 2007. EPA intends to submit 
comments from the public received by this date to ORISE prior to the 
workshop for consideration by the panel.

ADDRESSES: The peer-review workshop will be held at the American 
Geophysical Union, 2000 Florida Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20009. ORISE 
is organizing, convening, and conducting the peer-review workshop. To 
attend the workshop, register by August 15, 2007, via the Internet at 
http://www.orau.gov/bromobenzene. You may also register by calling 

ORISE at 865-576-2922, sending a facsimile to 865-241-3168, or sending 
an e-mail to Margaret Lyday, lydaym@orau.gov. You must register by 
August 15, 2007, if you wish to provide brief oral comments at the 
workshop.
    The draft Toxicological Review of Bromobenzene: In Support of 
Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) is 
available via the Internet on the National Center for Environmental 
Assessment's (NCEA) home page under the Recent Additions and the Data 
and Publications menus at http://www.epa.gov/ncea. A limited number of 

paper copies are available from the Technical Information Staff, NCEA-
W; telephone: 202-564-3261; facsimile: 202-565-0050. If you are 
requesting a paper copy, please provide your name, mailing address, and 
the document title. Copies are not available from ORISE. The National 
Toxicology Program studies referenced in the Toxicological Review of 
Bromobenzene are available by calling EPA's IRIS Hotline at (202) 566-
1676, by fax at (202) 566-1749 or by e-mail at iris@epa.gov.
    Comments may be submitted electronically via http://www.regulations.gov, 

by mail, by facsimile, or by hand delivery/courier. Please follow the 
detailed instructions as provided in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
section of this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the peer review 
workshop, contact Margaret Lyday, ORISE, P.O. Box 117, MS 17, Oak 
Ridge, TN 37831-0117, 865-576-2922 or 865-241-3168 (facsimile), 
lydaym@orau.gov (e-mail).

    For information on the public comment period, contact the Office of 
Environmental Information Docket; telephone: 202-566-1752; facsimile: 
202-566-1753; or e-mail: ORD.Docket@epa.gov.
    If you have questions about the document, contact Martin Gehlhaus, 
IRIS Staff, National Center for Environmental Assessment, (8601D), U.S. 
EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone: 
202-564-1596; facsimile: 202-565-0075; gehlhaus.martin@epa.gov (e-
mail).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Summary of Information About the Integrated Risk Information System 
(IRIS)

    IRIS is a database that contains potential adverse human health 
effects information that may result from chronic (or lifetime) exposure 
to specific chemical substances found in the environment. The database 
(available on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/iris) contains 

qualitative and quantitative health effects information for more than 
500 chemical substances that may be used to support the first two steps 
(hazard identification and dose-response evaluation) of a risk 
assessment process. When supported by available data, the database 
provides oral reference doses (RfDs) and inhalation reference 
concentrations (RfCs) for chronic health effects, and oral slope 
factors and inhalation unit risks for carcinogenic effects. Combined 
with specific exposure information, government and private entities can 
use IRIS data to help characterize public health risks of chemical 
substances in a site-specific situation and thereby support risk 
management decisions designed to protect public health.

II. Workshop Information

    Members of the public may attend the workshop as observers, and 
there will be a limited time for oral comments from the public. Please 
let ORISE know if you wish to make comments during the workshop prior 
to the meeting by registering on the web site at http://www.orau.gov/bromobenzene
 and indicating your intent to make oral comments. Space is 

limited, and reservations will be accepted on a first-come, first-
served basis.

III. How To Submit Technical Comments to the Docket at 
http://www.regulations.gov


    Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2007-
0351 by one of the following methods:
     http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for 

submitting comments.
     E-mail: ORD.Docket@epa.gov.
     Fax: 202-566-1753.
     Mail: Office of Environmental Information (OEI) Docket 
(Mail Code: 2822T), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460. The phone number is 202-
566-1752.
     Hand Delivery: The OEI Docket is located in the EPA 
Headquarters Docket Center, EPA West Building, Room 3334, 1301 
Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public 
Reading Room is open

[[Page 32849]]

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. Such deliveries are only accepted during the docket's normal 
hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for 
deliveries of boxed information.
    If you provide comments by email or hand delivery, please submit 
one unbound original with pages numbered consecutively, and three 
copies of the comments. For attachments, provide an index, number pages 
consecutively with the comments, and submit an unbound original and 
three copies.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-
2007-0351. Please ensure that your comments are submitted within the 
specified comment period. Comments received after the closing date will 
be marked ``late,'' and may only be considered if time permits. It is 
EPA's policy to include all comments it receives in the public docket 
without change and to make the comments available online at 
http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided, 

unless a comment includes information claimed to be confidential 
Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is 
restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to 
be CBI or otherwise protected through http://www.regulations.gov or e-mail. 

The http://www.regulations.gov Web site is an ``anonymous access'' system, 

which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information 
unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an e-
mail comment directly to EPA without going through http://www.regulations.gov, 

your e-mail address will be automatically captured and included as part 
of the comment that is placed in the public docket and made available 
on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends 
that you include your name and other contact information in the body of 
your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read 
your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for 
clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic 
files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of 
encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses. For additional 
information about EPA's public docket visit the EPA Docket Center 
homepage at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.

    Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the 
http://www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some 

information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information 
whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such 
as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only in hard copy. 
Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically 
in http://www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the OEI Docket in the EPA 

Headquarters Docket Center.

    Dated: June 8, 2007.
Peter Preuss,
Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. E7-11518 Filed 6-13-07; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
