
[Federal Register: October 16, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 199)]
[Notices]               
[Page 53233-53234]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16oc09-57]                         

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-ORD-2009-0605; FRL-8969-4]

 
Notice of Peer-Review Teleconference for the External Peer Review 
Draft of Recommended Toxicity Equivalency Factors (TEFs) for Human 
Health Risk Assessments of Dioxin and Dioxin-Like Compounds

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of peer-review teleconference with opportunity for 
public comment.

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SUMMARY: EPA is announcing that Versar, Inc., an EPA contractor for 
external scientific peer review, plans to convene an independent panel 
of experts and organize and conduct an external peer review meeting to 
review the draft document titled, ``Recommended Toxicity Equivalency 
Factors (TEFs) for Human Health Risk Assessments of Dioxin and Dioxin-
Like Compounds.'' The peer review meeting is planned to take place by 
teleconference on October 22, 2009. On September 2, 2009, EPA announced 
a 30-day public comment period for the draft document (74 FR 45437). 
The draft document was prepared by the Agency's Risk Assessment Forum.
    The public comment period and the external peer review are separate 
processes that provide opportunities for all interested parties to 
comment on the document. In addition to considering public comments 
that were submitted to the EPA docket by the closing date of October 2, 
2009, in accordance with the September 2, 2009 announcement of a public 
comment period, the public can provide comments for the external peer 
reviewers' consideration through the public teleconference on October 
22, 2009.
    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.
    The public will be given an opportunity to observe and provide oral 
comments at this teleconference by registering with the point of 
contact below (see How Can I Request to Participate in this Meeting?). 
The draft document is available through the EPA docket at http://
www.regulations.gov under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2009-0605. 
Additionally, the draft document and the charge questions for EPA's 
external peer review are available via the Internet on the Risk 
Assessment Forum's home page at http://www.epa.gov/raf/hhtefguidance.
    In preparing a final report, EPA will consider the peer review 
report of the recommendations from the external peer review 
teleconference and any public comments that EPA receives in accordance 
with the September 2, 2009 notice (74 FR 45437) and at the public 
teleconference.

DATES: The peer review teleconference will be held on October 22, 2009, 
from 1 p.m. to approximately 3:30 p.m. Registration for this 
teleconference is required (see How Can I Request to Participate in 
this Meeting?). Time will be provided for public observers who wish to 
make comments on the document. Members of the public will be allowed to 
make brief (no longer than 5 minutes) oral statements during the 
meeting's public comment period.

ADDRESSES: The draft ``Recommended Toxicity Equivalency Factors (TEFs) 
for Human Health Risk Assessments of Dioxin and Dioxin-Like Compounds'' 
is available primarily via the Internet on the Risk Assessment Forum's 
home page at http://www.epa.gov/raf/hhtefguidance. A limited number of 
paper copies are available from the Risk Assessment Forum. If you are 
requesting a paper copy, please provide your name, mailing address, and 
the document title, ``Recommended Toxicity Equivalency Factors (TEFs) 
for Human Health Risk Assessments of Dioxin and Dioxin-Like 
Compounds,'' to Seema Schappelle via the contact information below.

How Can I Request To Participate in This Meeting?

    Members of the public may call into the teleconference as 
observers, and there will be a limited time for comments from the 
public. In order to participate, you should contact Ms. Kathy Coon of 
Versar, Inc. by e-mail at kscoon@versar.com (subject line: Dioxin TEF 
Peer Review Teleconference) or by

[[Page 53234]]

phone at 703-750-3000 extension 545 to register. You will be asked for 
your name, affiliation, city and state, and contact information. When 
registering, please also indicate whether you would like to make a 
comment during the observer comment portion of the call. Time for 
public comments is limited, and reservations will be accepted on a 
first-come, first-served basis. Registered members of the public will 
be allowed to make brief (no longer than 5 minutes) oral statements 
during the meeting's public comment period. The call-in number for the 
meeting will be: Telephone: 1-877-558-5229; Pass Code: 
7037503000.
    For technical information, please contact: Seema Schappelle, Risk 
Assessment Forum, Mail Code 8105R, Environmental Protection Agency, 
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 
(202) 564-3372; fax number: (202) 564-2070, E-mail: 
schappelle.seema@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Dioxin and dioxin like compounds (DLCs), 
including polychlorinated dibenzo-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated 
dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), are 
structurally and toxicologically related halogenated dicyclic aromatic 
hydrocarbons. Dioxins and DLCs are released into the environment from 
several industrial sources, including chemical manufacturing, 
combustion, and metal processing. There is global contamination of air, 
soil and water with trace levels of these compounds that typically 
occur in the environment as chemical mixtures. Dioxins and DLCs do not 
readily degrade; therefore, levels persist in the environment, build up 
in the food chain and accumulate in the tissues of animals. Human 
exposures to these compounds occur primarily through eating 
contaminated foods. The health effects from exposures to dioxins and 
DLCs have been documented extensively in toxicological and 
epidemiological studies.
    Risk assessments have relied on the dioxin toxicity equivalence 
factors (TEFs) approach. Various stakeholders, inside and outside the 
Agency, have called for a more comprehensive characterization of risks; 
therefore, EPA's Risk Assessment Forum (RAF) identified a need to 
examine the recommended approach for application of the toxicity 
equivalence methodology in human health risk assessments. An RAF 
Technical Panel developed the draft guidance document, ``Recommended 
Toxicity Equivalency Factors (TEFs) for Human Health Risk Assessments 
of Dioxin and Dioxin-Like Compounds,'' to assist EPA scientists in 
using this methodology to assess health risks from dioxins and dioxin-
like compounds, as well as inform EPA decision makers, other agencies, 
and the public about this methodology. EPA is currently addressing 
several issues related to dioxins and dioxin-like chemicals in the 
environment. More information on these activities is located at: http:/
/cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/CFM/nceaQFind.cfm?keyword=Dioxin.
    The draft document under review describes EPA's updated approach 
for evaluating the human health risks from exposures to environmental 
media containing dioxin-like compounds. It recommends the use of 
consensus TEF values for 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and 
dioxin-like compounds, which were published in 2005 by the World Health 
Organization, and adopted by EPA in 2008 for ecological risk 
assessments.
    The draft document was developed by the EPA's Risk Assessment Forum 
with extensive input from scientists throughout the Agency. The draft 
document summarizes the toxicity equivalence methodology, provides 
background information and assumptions on how the methodology has 
evolved, and provides health risk assessors with a recommended approach 
for application. It will assist EPA scientists in using the toxicity 
equivalence methodology to assess health risks from dioxins and dioxin-
like compounds, as well as inform EPA decision makers, other agencies, 
and the public about this methodology.

    Dated: October 9, 2009.
Kevin Teichman,
Acting EPA Science Advisor.
[FR Doc. E9-24926 Filed 10-15-09; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
