
[Federal Register: June 9, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 109)]
[Notices]
[Page 27313-27315]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09jn09-54]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-8914-2; Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2009-0210]


Draft Toxicological Review of 1,4-Dioxane: In Support of the
Summary Information in the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of Listening Session and Peer Review Workshop.

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SUMMARY: EPA is announcing a listening session to be held on Monday,
July 6, 2009, during the public comment period for the external review
draft document titled, ``Toxicological Review of 1,4-Dioxane: In
Support of Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information
System (IRIS)'' (EPA/635/R-09/005). EPA is also announcing that Versar,
Inc., an EPA contractor for external scientific peer review, will
convene an independent panel of

[[Page 27314]]

experts and organize and conduct an external peer review workshop to
review the external review draft titled, ``Toxicological Review of 1,4-
Dioxane: In Support of Summary Information on the Integrated Risk
Information System (IRIS) (EPA/635/R-09/005).'' The public may also
attend this workshop as observers through a registration process, and
time will be set aside for observers to give brief oral comments at the
workshop regarding the draft document under review. EPA will consider
public comments and recommendations from the expert panel workshop as
EPA finalizes the draft document.
    EPA previously announced the 60-day public comment period (ending
July 6, 2009) for the draft document in the Federal Register on May 7,
2009 (74 FR 21361). 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 the aforementioned
FR notice (May 7, 2009) to Versar, Inc. for consideration by the
external peer review panel prior to the workshop. Listening session
participants who wish to have their comments available to the external
peer reviewers should also submit written comments during the public
comment period using the detailed and established procedures included
in the aforementioned FR notice (May 7, 2009). Comments submitted to
the docket prior to the end of the public comment period will be
submitted to the external peer reviewers and considered by EPA in the
disposition of public comments. Comments received in the docket after
the public comment period closes will not be submitted to the external
peer reviewers. Public comments submitted during the 60-day public
comment period ending July 6, 2009, may be observed at http://
www.regulations.gov under Docket ID no. EPA-HQ-ORD-2009-0210. EPA
intends to consider the comments and recommendations from the listening
session, the external peer review workshop, and any public comments
that EPA receives in accordance with the May 7, 2009, Federal Register
notice (74 FR 21361).
    EPA released this draft document as stated in the Federal Register
notice (74 FR21361) solely for the purpose of pre-dissemination public
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.
    The EPA's draft assessment and peer review charge are 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.

DATES: The listening session on the draft IRIS health assessment for
1,4-dioxane will be held on Monday, June 22, 2009, beginning at 9 a.m.
and ending at 4 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time. If you wish to make a
presentation at the listening session, you should register by Monday,
June 15, 2009, and indicate that you wish to make oral comments at the
session, and indicate the length of your presentation. At the time of
your registration, please indicate if you require audio-visual aid
(e.g., lap top and slide projector). In general, each presentation
should be no more than 30 minutes. If, however, there are more requests
for presentations than the allotted time will allow, then the time
limit for each presentation will be adjusted accordingly. A copy of the
agenda for the listening session will be available at the meeting. If
no speakers have registered by Monday, June 15, 2009, the listening
session will be cancelled. EPA will notify those registered to attend
of the cancellation.
    The peer review workshop will begin on Monday, August 17, 2009, at
approximately 8:30 a.m. and end at approximately 5 p.m., Eastern
Standard Time. To attend the workshop, observers must register by
Monday, August 10, 2009, according to the procedures outlined below. At
the time of registration, please indicate if you wish to make brief
oral comments at the workshop.
    The public comment period for review of this draft assessment was
announced previously in the Federal Register (74 FR 21361) on May 7,
2009. As stated in that FR notice, the public comment period began on
May 7, 2009, and ends July 6, 2009. Any technical comments submitted
during the public comment period should be in writing and must be
received by EPA by July 6, 2009. Only those public comments submitted
using the procedures identified in the May 7, 2009, FR notice by the
July 6, 2009, deadline will be provided to the independent peer review
panel prior to the peer review meeting.

ADDRESSES: The listening session on the draft 1,4-dioxane assessment
will be held at the EPA offices at Two Potomac Yard (North Building),
7th Floor, Room 7100, 2733 South Crystal Drive, Arlington, Virginia
22202. To attend the listening session, register by Monday, June 15,
2009, via the Internet at http://epa.versar.com/14dioxane/listening.
You may also register via e-mail: ssarraino@versar.com (subject line:
1,4-Dioxane Listening Session), by phone: (703) 750-3000, ext. 316 or
toll free at 1-800-2-VERSAR (1-800-283-7727, ask for the 1,4-Dioxane
listening session coordinator, Stephanie Sarraino), or by faxing a
registration request to (703) 642-6954 (please reference the ``1,4-
Dioxane Listening Session'' and include your name, title, affiliation,
full address and contact information). Please note that to gain
entrance to this EPA building to attend the meeting, attendees must
have photo identification with them and must register at the guard's
desk in the lobby. The guard will retain your photo identification and
will provide you with a visitor's badge. At the guard's desk, attendees
should give the name Christine Ross and the telephone number, 703-347-
8592, to the guard on duty. The guard will contact Ms. Ross who will
meet you in the reception area to escort you to the meeting room. Upon
your exit from the building please return your visitor's badge and you
will receive the photo identification that you provided.
    For the listening session, a teleconference line will also be
available for registered attendees/speakers. The teleconference number
is 1-866-299-3188 and the access code is 9195410661, followed by the
pound sign (). The teleconference line will be activated at
8:45 a.m., and you will be asked to identify yourself and your
affiliation at the beginning of the call.
    The peer review workshop will be held at Courtyard Arlington
Crystal City/Reagan National Airport, 2899 Jefferson Davis Highway,
Arlington, VA 22202. Versar, Inc. is organizing, convening, and
conducting the peer review workshop. To attend the workshop as an
observer, register by Monday, August 10, 2009, via Internet at http://
epa.versar.com/14dioxane/meeting. You may also register by e-mail:
ssarraino@versar.com (subject line: 1,4-Dioxane Workshop), by phone:
(703) 750-3000, ext. 316 or toll free at 1-800-2-VERSAR (1-800-283-
7727, ask for the 1,4-Dioxane peer review workshop coordinator,
Stephanie Sarraino), or by faxing a registration request to (703) 642-
6954 (please reference the ``1,4-Dioxane Workshop'' and include your
name, title, affiliation, full address, and contact information).
    Information on Services for Individuals with Disabilities: EPA
welcomes the attendance of the public at the ``1,4-Dioxane Listening
Session'' and at the 1,4-dioxane peer review

[[Page 27315]]

workshop and will make every effort to accommodate persons with
disabilities. Please submit your request for accommodation of a
disability at least 10 days prior to the meeting to give EPA as much
time as possible to process your request.
    For information on access or services for individuals with
disabilities at the listening session, please contact Christine Ross at
703-347-8592 or ross.christine@epa.gov.
    For information on access or services for individuals with
disabilities at the peer review workshop, please contact Versar, Inc.,
6850 Versar Center, Springfield, VA 22151; telephone: (703) 750-3000;
facsimile: (703) 642-6954; or e-mail: ssarraino@versar.com (subject
line: 1,4-Dioxane Workshop).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the public
listening session, please contact Christine Ross, IRIS Staff, National
Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA), (8601P), U.S. EPA, 1200
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone: 703-347-
8592; facsimile: 703-347-8689; or e-mail: ross.christine@epa.gov.
    For information on the peer review workshop, contact Versar, Inc.
6850 Versar Center, Springfield, VA 22151; telephone: (703) 750-3000;
facsimile: (703) 642-6954; or e-mail: ssarraino@versar.com (subject
line: 1,4-Dioxane Workshop).
    If you have questions about the draft document, contact Eva D.
McLanahan, Hazardous Pollutant Assessment Group (HPAG) Staff, NCEA,
U.S. EPA, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, B243-01, Durham, NC 27711;
telephone: 919-541-1396; facsimile: 919-541-0245; or e-mail:
mclanahan.eva@epa.gov.

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
540 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 the 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. Listening Session Information

    The purpose of the listening session is to allow all interested
parties to present scientific and technical comments on draft IRIS
health assessments to EPA and other interested parties during the
public comment period and prior to the external peer review workshop.
EPA welcomes the scientific and technical comments that will be
provided to the Agency by the listening session participants. The
comments will be considered by the Agency as it revises the draft
assessment in response to the independent external peer review and
public comments. All presentations will become part of the official and
public record.

III. 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. Pre-
registration is strongly recommended as space is limited, and
registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The
deadline for pre-registration is August 10, 2009. If space allows,
registrations will continue to be accepted after this date, including
on-site registrations. Time will be set aside to hear comments from
observers, and individuals will be limited to a maximum of five
minutes. Please let Versar, Inc. know if you wish to make comments
during the workshop by registering as detailed in this FR notice and
indicating your intent to make oral comments.

    Dated: May 29, 2009.
Rebecca Clark,
Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. E9-13478 Filed 6-8-09; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
