Endocrine Disruptor Methods Validation Advisory Committee (EDMVAC); Notice of Public Meeting, 15724-15726 [E6-4570]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 60 / Wednesday, March 29, 2006 / Notices
Assessment Program: Integrated Quality
Assurance Project Plan for Surface
Waters Research Activities. June 1997.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2002
Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and
Assessment Report Guidance. https://
www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/policy.html.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Guidance for 2006 Assessment, Listing,
and Reporting Requirements Pursuant to
Sections 303(d), 305(b), and 314 of the
Clean Water Act, 2005. https://www.epa.
gov/owow/tmdl/2006IRG/.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Guidelines for Preparation of the
Comprehensive State Water Quality
Assessments (305(b) Reports) and
Electronic Updates. 1997. https://
www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/
guidelines.html.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
National Coastal Condition Report 2001,
National Coastal Condition Report 2005.
https://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/nccr/.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Summary of EPA’s 2006 Budget—‘‘Goal
2’’ Section. https://epa.gov/ocfo/budget/
2006/2006bib.pdf.
hsrobinson on PROD1PC68 with NOTICES
IV. Additional Supplementary
Information
The complete text of today’s
guidelines, located above, is also
available at the following EPA Web
sites: https://www.epa.gov/owm/
cwfinance/pollutioncontrol.htm and
https://www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring.
V. Statutory and Executive Order
Reviews
Under Executive Order 12866 (58 FR
51735, October 4, 1993), this action is
not a ‘‘significant regulatory action’’ and
is therefore not subject to OMB review.
Because this grant action is not subject
to notice and comment requirements
under the Administrative Procedures
Act or any other statute, it is not subject
to the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5
U.S.C. 601 et seq.) or sections 202 and
205 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform
Act of 1999 (UMRA) (Pub. L. 104–4). In
addition, this action does not
significantly or uniquely affect small
governments. Although this action does
not generally create new binding legal
requirements, where it does, such
requirements do not substantially and
directly affect tribes under Executive
Order 13175 (63 FR 67249, November 9,
2000). This action will not have
federalism implications, as specified in
Executive Order 13132 (64 FR 43255,
August 10, 1999). This action is not
subject to Executive Order 13211,
‘‘Actions Concerning Regulations that
Significantly Affect Energy Supply,
Distribution, or Use’’ (66 FR 28355, May
22, 2001), because it is not a significant
regulatory action under Executive Order
12866. This action does not involve
technical standards; thus, the
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requirements of section 12(d) of the
National Technology Transfer and
Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C.
272 note) do not apply. This action does
not impose an information collection
burden under the provisions of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). The Congressional
Review Act, 5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.,
generally provides that before certain
actions may take affect, the agency
promulgating the action must submit a
report, which includes a copy of the
action, to each House of the Congress
and to the Comptroller General of the
United States. Since this final grant
action contains legally binding
requirements, it is subject to the
Congressional Review Act, and EPA will
submit this action in its report to
Congress under the Act.
Dated: March 22, 2006.
Benjamin H. Grumbles,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Water.
[FR Doc. E6–4585 Filed 3–28–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[EPA–HQ–OPPT–2006–0233; FRL–7771–1]
Endocrine Disruptor Methods
Validation Advisory Committee
(EDMVAC); Notice of Public Meeting
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
There will be a meeting of the
Endocrine Disruptor Methods
Validation Advisory Committe
(EDMVAC) on April 18 through April
20, 2006, in Washington, DC. This
meeting, as with all EDMVAC meetings,
is open to the public. Seating is on a
first-come basis. The purpose of the
meeting is to receive advice and input
from the EDMVAC on: Male and Female
Pubertals Assay Interlaboratory Studies,
EDSP’s Applied Approach to
Validation, Tier 1 Fish Screen Assay
Validation Status, updates on Tier 1
Aromatase Assay, and Tier 1
Steroidogenesis Cell Based H295R
Assay.
DATES: The meeting will be held on
Tuesday, April 18, 2006, from 12:30
p.m. to 6 p.m.; Wednesday, April 19,
2006, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; and
Thursday, April 20, 2006, 8 a.m. to 1:30
p.m., eastern standard time. Request to
make public comments at the meeting
must be received by EPA on or before
April 14, 2006.
To request accommodation of a
disability, please contact the person
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00034
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listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
preferably at least 10 days
prior to the meeting, to give EPA as
much time as possible to process your
request.
CONTACT,
The meeting will be held at
the Capital Hilton Hotel and Conference
Center, 1001 16th St., NW., Washington,
DC 20036; telephone number: (202)
393–1000; e-mail: https://
www.hilton.com.
Requests to make public comments at
the meeting may be submitted by e-mail,
telephone, fax, or through hand
delivery/courier. Follow the detailed
instructions as provided in Unit I. of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
Comments may be submitted
electronically, by fax, or through hand
delivery/courier. Follow the detailed
instructions as provided in Unit I. of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
ADDRESSES:
For
general information or for information
on access or services for individuals
with disabilities: William Wooge,
Designated Federal Official (DFO),
Office of Science Coordination and
Policy (7203M), Office of Prevention,
Pesticides and Toxic Substances
(OPPTS), Environmental Protection
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20460–0001; telephone
number: (202) 564–8476; fax number:
(202) 564–8482; e-mail address:
wooge.william@epa.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Does this Action Apply to Me?
This action is directed to the public
in general. This action may, however, be
of interest if you produce, manufacture,
use, consume, work with, or import
pesticide chemicals and other
substances. To determine whether you
or your business may have an interest in
this notice you should carefully
examine section 408(p) of the Federal
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA),
as amended by the Food Quality
Protection Act (FQPA) of 1996 (Public
Law 104–170), 21 U.S.C. 346a(p), and
amendments to the Safe Drinking Water
Act (SDWA) (Public Law 104–182), 42
U.S.C. 300j–17. Since other entities may
also be interested, the Agency has not
attempted to describe all the specific
entities that may be interested in this
action. If you have any questions
regarding this action, consult the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 60 / Wednesday, March 29, 2006 / Notices
B. How Can I Get Additional
Information, Including Copies of this
Document or Other Related Documents?
1. Docket. EPA has established an
official public docket for this action
under docket identification (ID) number
EPA–HQ–OPPT–2006–0233. The
official public docket consists of the
documents specifically referenced in
this action, any public comments
received, and other related information.
Although a part of the official docket,
the public docket does not include
Confidential Business Information (CBI)
or other information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. The official public
docket is the collection of materials that
are available for public viewing at the
EPA Docket Center, Rm. B102-Reading
Room, EPA West, 1301 Constitution
Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA
Docket Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday,
excluding legal holidays. The EPA
Docket Center Reading Room telephone
number is (202) 566–1744, and the
telephone number for the OPPT Docket,
which is located in the EPA Docket
Center, is (202) 566–0282.
2. Electronic access. You may access
this Federal Register document
electronically through the EPA Internet
under the ‘‘Federal Register’’ listings at
https://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/. A meeting
agenda, a list of EDMVAC members and
information from previous EDMVS
meetings are available electronically,
from the EPA Internet Home Page at
https://www.epa.gov/scipoly/oscpendo/.
An electronic version of the public
docket is available through EPA’s
electronic public docket and comment
system, EPA Dockets. You may use EPA
Dockets at https://www.regulations.gov/
to submit or view public comments,
access the index listing of the contents
of the official public docket, and to
access those documents in the public
docket that are available electronically.
Once in the system, select ‘‘Advance
search,’’ select ‘‘Docket search,’’ then
key in the appropriate docket ID
number.
hsrobinson on PROD1PC68 with NOTICES
C. How Can I Request to Give Comments
in Person at the Meeting?
You may submit a request to make
public comments at the meeting through
e-mail, telephone, fax, or hand delivery/
courier. We would normally accept
requests by mail, but in this time of
delays in delivery of government mail
due to health and security concerns, we
cannot assure your request would arrive
in a timely manner. Do not submit any
information in your request that is
considered CBI. Your request must be
received by EPA on or before April 14,
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2006. To ensure proper receipt by EPA,
it is imperative that you identify docket
ID number EPA–HQ–OPPT–2006–0233
in the subject line on the first page of
your request.
In accordance with the Federal
Advisory Committee Act (FACA), the
public is encouraged to submit written
comments on the topic of this meeting.
The EDMVAC will have a period
available during the meeting for public
comment. It is the policy of the
EDMVAC to accept written public
comments of any length, and to
accommodate oral public comments
whenever possible. The EDMVAC
expects that public statements presented
at its meeting will be on the meeting
topic and not be repetitive of previously
submitted oral or written statements.
1. Electronically. If you submit an
electronic request to make public
comments at the meeting or comments
as prescribed in this unit, EPA
recommends that you include your
name, mailing address, and an e-mail
address or other contact information in
the body of your request or comment.
Also include this contact information on
the outside of any disk or CD ROM you
submit, and in any cover letter
accompanying the disk or CD ROM.
This ensures that you can be identified
as the submitter of the request or
comment and allows EPA to contact you
in case EPA cannot read your request or
comment due to technical difficulties or
needs further information on the
substance of your request or comment.
EPA’s policy is that EPA will not edit
your request or comment, and any
identifying or contact information
provided in the body of a request or
comment will be included as part of the
request or comment that is placed in the
official public docket, and made
available in EPA’s electronic public
docket. If EPA cannot read your request
or comment due to technical difficulties
and cannot contact you for clarification,
EPA may not be able to consider your
request or comment.
i. EPA Docket. You may use EPA’s
electronic public docket https://
www.regulation.gov/, and follow the
online instructions for submitting
materials. Once in the system, select
‘‘Advance search,’’ select ‘‘Docket
search,’’and then key in docket ID
number EPA–HQ–OPPT–2006–0233.
The system is an ‘‘anonymous access’’
system, which means EPA will not
know your identity, e-mail address, or
other contact information unless you
provide it in the body of your request.
ii. E-mail. Requests to make public
comments at the meeting or written
comments may be sent by e-mail to
oppt.ncic@epa.gov, Attention: Docket ID
PO 00000
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Number EPA–HQ–OPPT–2006–0233. In
contrast to EPA’s electronic public
docket, EPA’s e-mail system is not an
‘‘anonymous access’’ system. If you
send an e-mail request directly to the
docket without going through EPA’s
electronic public docket, EPA’s e-mail
system automatically captures your email address. E-mail addresses that are
automatically captured by EPA’s e-mail
system are included as part of the
request that is placed in the official
public docket, and made available in
EPA’s electronic public docket.
iii. Disk or CD ROM. You may submit
comments on a disk or CD ROM by
hand delivery, courier, or package
service, such as Federal Express, to the
person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT. These electronic
submissions will be accepted in
WordPerfect or ASCII file format. Avoid
the use of special characters and any
form of encryption. Do not submit any
disk or CD ROM through the mail. Disks
and CD ROMs risk being destroyed
when handled as Federal Government
mail.
2. Telephone or fax. Telephone or fax
your request to participate at the
meeting to the person listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
3. By hand delivery or courier. Deliver
your comments to: OPPT Document
Control Office (DCO) in EPA East Bldg.,
Rm. 6428, 1201 Constitution Ave.,
Washington, DC. Attention: Docket ID
Number EPA–HQ–OPPT–2006–0233.
The DCO is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, excluding legal
holidays. The telephone number for the
DCO is (202) 564–8930.
II. Background
In 1996, through enactment of FQPA,
which amended the FFDCA, Congress
directed EPA to develop a screening
program, using appropriate validated
test systems and other scientifically
relevant information, to determine
whether certain substances may have an
effect in humans that is similar to an
effect produced by a naturally occurring
estrogen, or such other endocrine effect
as the Administrator may designate. In
1996, EPA chartered a scientific
advisory committee, the Endocrine
Disruptor Screening and Testing
Advisory Committee (EDSTAC), under
the authority of FACA, to advise it on
establishing a program to carry out
Congress’ directive. EDSTAC
recommended a multi-step approach
including a series of screens (Tier 1
screens) and tests (Tier 2 tests) for
determining whether a chemical
substance may have an effect similar to
that produced by naturally occurring
hormones. EPA adopted almost all of
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 60 / Wednesday, March 29, 2006 / Notices
EDSTAC’s recommendations in the
program that it developed, the
Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program
(EDSP), to carry out Congress’ directive.
EPA is in the process of developing
and validating the screens and tests that
EDSTAC recommended for inclusion in
the EDSP. In carrying out this validation
exercise, EPA is working closely with
the Interagency Coordinating Committee
for the Validation of Alternate Methods
(ICCVAM) and other validation groups,
as appropriate. EPA also is working
closely with the Organization for
Economic Cooperation and
Development’s (OECD) Endocrine
Disruptors Testing and Assessment Task
Force to validate and harmonize
endocrine screening tests of
international interest.
Finally, to ensure that EPA has the
best and most up-to-date advice
available regarding the validation of the
screens and tests in the EDSP, EPA
chartered the Endocrine Disruptor
Methods Validation Subcommmittee
(EDMVS) of the National Advisory
Council for Environmental Policy and
Technology (NACEPT). The EDMVS
convened nine meetings between
October 2001 and December 2003. In
2003, NACEPT recommended EDMVS
become an Agency level 1 FACA
Committee due to the complexity of the
recommendations. The EDMVAC was
chartered in 2004. The EDMVAC
provides independent advice and
counsel to the Agency on scientific and
technical issues related to validation of
the EDSP Tier 1 screens and Tier 2 tests,
including advice on methods for
reducing animal use, refining
procedures involving animals to make
them less stressful, and replacing
animals where scientifically
appropriate. EDMVAC and previous
EDMVS meeting information and
corresponding docket numbers are
available electronically, from the EPA
Internet Home Page at https://
www.epa.gov/scipoly/oscpendo/. You
may also go to the EPA Docket at https://
www.regulations.gov/, and follow the
online instructions for submitting
materials.
hsrobinson on PROD1PC68 with NOTICES
III. Meeting Objectives for the April 18–
20, 2006 Meeting
The objectives for the April 18
through April 20, 2006 meeting (docket
ID number EPA–HQ–OPPT–2006–0233)
are to review and discuss: Aromatase
Assay Update (Tier 1), Steroidogenesis
Cell Based H295R Assay Update (Tier
1), Male and Female Pubertals Assay
Interlaboratory Studies, Fish Screen
Assay Validation Status (Tier 1), and
EPA’s Applied Approach to Validation.
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A list of the EDMVAC members and
meeting materials are available at https://
www.epa.gov/scipoly/oscpendo/ and in
the public docket.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Endocrine
disruptors, Hazardous substances,
Health, Safety.
Dated: March 21, 2006.
Clifford J. Gabriel,
Director, Office of Science Coordination and
Policy.
[FR Doc. E6–4570 Filed 3–28–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–S
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[EPA–HQ–OPP–2006–0202; FRL–7770–5]
Chloroacetanilide Cumulative Risk
Assessment; Notice of Availability
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This notice announces the
availability of EPA’s cumulative risk
assessment for the chloroacetanilide
group of pesticides and opens a public
comment period on these documents.
As required by the Food Quality
Protection Act (FQPA), a cumulative
risk assessment, which evaluates
exposures based on a common
mechanism of toxicity, was conducted
to evaluate the risk from food, drinking
water, and non-occupational exposure
resulting from all registered uses of
chloroacetanilide pesticides. The
chloroacetanilides group includes the
pesticides acetochlor, alachlor and
butachlor; however, butachlor was not
incorporated into the cumulative
assessment because there are no U.S.
registrations or established tolerances.
The Agency is also releasing the Report
on FQPA Tolerance Reassessment
Progress and Risk Management Decision
(TRED) for Acetochlor concurrent with
the release of the chloroacetanilide
cumulative assessment. See EPA–HQ–
OPP–2005–0227 in the Notice section of
this issue of the Federal Register.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before May 30, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by docket identification (ID)
number EPA–HQ–OPP–2006–0202, by
one of the following methods:
• https://www.regulations.gov/ Follow
the on-line instructions for submitting
comments.
• Mail. Public Information and
Records Integrity Branch (PIRIB)
(7502C), Office of Pesticide Programs
PO 00000
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(OPP), Environmental Protection
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20460–0001.
• Hand Delivery. Public Information
and Records Integrity Branch (PIRIB)
(7502C), Office of Pesticide Programs
(OPP), Environmental Protection
Agency, Rm. 119, Crystal Mall #2, 1801
S. Bell St., Arlington, VA, Attention:
Docket ID number EPA–HQ–OPP–2006–
0202. The docket facility is open from
8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through
Friday, excluding legal holidays. The
telephone number for the docket facility
is (703) 305–5805. Such deliveries are
only accepted during the Docket’s
normal hours of operation, and special
arrangements should be made for
deliveries of boxed information.
Instructions. Direct your comments to
docket ID number EPA –HQ–OPP–
2006–0202. EPA’s policy is that all
comments received will be included in
the public docket without change and
may be made available on-line at https://
www.regulations.gov/, including any
personal information provided, unless
the 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 regulations.gov or email. The regulations.gov website 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
regulations.gov, your e-mail address
will be captured automatically 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 https://
www.epa.gov/epahome/docket.htm/.
Docket. All documents in the docket
are listed in the regulation.gov index.
Although listed in the index, some
information is not publicly available,
i.e., CBI or other information whose
disclosure is restricted by statute.
Certain other material, such as
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 60 (Wednesday, March 29, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15724-15726]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-4570]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2006-0233; FRL-7771-1]
Endocrine Disruptor Methods Validation Advisory Committee
(EDMVAC); Notice of Public Meeting
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: There will be a meeting of the Endocrine Disruptor Methods
Validation Advisory Committe (EDMVAC) on April 18 through April 20,
2006, in Washington, DC. This meeting, as with all EDMVAC meetings, is
open to the public. Seating is on a first-come basis. The purpose of
the meeting is to receive advice and input from the EDMVAC on: Male and
Female Pubertals Assay Interlaboratory Studies, EDSP's Applied Approach
to Validation, Tier 1 Fish Screen Assay Validation Status, updates on
Tier 1 Aromatase Assay, and Tier 1 Steroidogenesis Cell Based H295R
Assay.
DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 18, 2006, from 12:30
p.m. to 6 p.m.; Wednesday, April 19, 2006, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.;
and Thursday, April 20, 2006, 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., eastern standard
time. Request to make public comments at the meeting must be received
by EPA on or before April 14, 2006.
To request accommodation of a disability, please contact the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, preferably at least 10
days prior to the meeting, to give EPA as much time as possible to
process your request.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Capital Hilton Hotel and
Conference Center, 1001 16th St., NW., Washington, DC 20036; telephone
number: (202) 393-1000; e-mail: https://www.hilton.com.
Requests to make public comments at the meeting may be submitted by
e-mail, telephone, fax, or through hand delivery/courier. Follow the
detailed instructions as provided in Unit I. of the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION.
Comments may be submitted electronically, by fax, or through hand
delivery/courier. Follow the detailed instructions as provided in Unit
I. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information or for
information on access or services for individuals with disabilities:
William Wooge, Designated Federal Official (DFO), Office of Science
Coordination and Policy (7203M), Office of Prevention, Pesticides and
Toxic Substances (OPPTS), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number:
(202) 564-8476; fax number: (202) 564-8482; e-mail address:
wooge.william@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Does this Action Apply to Me?
This action is directed to the public in general. This action may,
however, be of interest if you produce, manufacture, use, consume, work
with, or import pesticide chemicals and other substances. To determine
whether you or your business may have an interest in this notice you
should carefully examine section 408(p) of the Federal Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as amended by the Food Quality Protection Act
(FQPA) of 1996 (Public Law 104-170), 21 U.S.C. 346a(p), and amendments
to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) (Public Law 104-182), 42 U.S.C.
300j-17. Since other entities may also be interested, the Agency has
not attempted to describe all the specific entities that may be
interested in this action. If you have any questions regarding this
action, consult the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
[[Page 15725]]
B. How Can I Get Additional Information, Including Copies of this
Document or Other Related Documents?
1. Docket. EPA has established an official public docket for this
action under docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2006-0233.
The official public docket consists of the documents specifically
referenced in this action, any public comments received, and other
related information. Although a part of the official docket, the public
docket does not include Confidential Business Information (CBI) or
other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. The
official public docket is the collection of materials that are
available for public viewing at the EPA Docket Center, Rm. B102-Reading
Room, EPA West, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA
Docket Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday, excluding legal holidays. The EPA Docket Center Reading Room
telephone number is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the
OPPT Docket, which is located in the EPA Docket Center, is (202) 566-
0282.
2. Electronic access. You may access this Federal Register document
electronically through the EPA Internet under the ``Federal Register''
listings at https://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/. A meeting agenda, a list of
EDMVAC members and information from previous EDMVS meetings are
available electronically, from the EPA Internet Home Page at https://
www.epa.gov/scipoly/oscpendo/.
An electronic version of the public docket is available through
EPA's electronic public docket and comment system, EPA Dockets. You may
use EPA Dockets at https://www.regulations.gov/ to submit or view public
comments, access the index listing of the contents of the official
public docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that
are available electronically. Once in the system, select ``Advance
search,'' select ``Docket search,'' then key in the appropriate docket
ID number.
C. How Can I Request to Give Comments in Person at the Meeting?
You may submit a request to make public comments at the meeting
through e-mail, telephone, fax, or hand delivery/courier. We would
normally accept requests by mail, but in this time of delays in
delivery of government mail due to health and security concerns, we
cannot assure your request would arrive in a timely manner. Do not
submit any information in your request that is considered CBI. Your
request must be received by EPA on or before April 14, 2006. To ensure
proper receipt by EPA, it is imperative that you identify docket ID
number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2006-0233 in the subject line on the first page of
your request.
In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), the
public is encouraged to submit written comments on the topic of this
meeting. The EDMVAC will have a period available during the meeting for
public comment. It is the policy of the EDMVAC to accept written public
comments of any length, and to accommodate oral public comments
whenever possible. The EDMVAC expects that public statements presented
at its meeting will be on the meeting topic and not be repetitive of
previously submitted oral or written statements.
1. Electronically. If you submit an electronic request to make
public comments at the meeting or comments as prescribed in this unit,
EPA recommends that you include your name, mailing address, and an e-
mail address or other contact information in the body of your request
or comment. Also include this contact information on the outside of any
disk or CD ROM you submit, and in any cover letter accompanying the
disk or CD ROM. This ensures that you can be identified as the
submitter of the request or comment and allows EPA to contact you in
case EPA cannot read your request or comment due to technical
difficulties or needs further information on the substance of your
request or comment. EPA's policy is that EPA will not edit your request
or comment, and any identifying or contact information provided in the
body of a request or comment will be included as part of the request or
comment that is placed in the official public docket, and made
available in EPA's electronic public docket. If EPA cannot read your
request or comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you
for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your request or
comment.
i. EPA Docket. You may use EPA's electronic public docket https://
www.regulation.gov/, and follow the online instructions for submitting
materials. Once in the system, select ``Advance search,'' select
``Docket search,''and then key in docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2006-
0233. The system is an ``anonymous access'' system, which means EPA
will not know your identity, e-mail address, or other contact
information unless you provide it in the body of your request.
ii. E-mail. Requests to make public comments at the meeting or
written comments may be sent by e-mail to oppt.ncic@epa.gov, Attention:
Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2006-0233. In contrast to EPA's electronic
public docket, EPA's e-mail system is not an ``anonymous access''
system. If you send an e-mail request directly to the docket without
going through EPA's electronic public docket, EPA's e-mail system
automatically captures your e-mail address. E-mail addresses that are
automatically captured by EPA's e-mail system are included as part of
the request that is placed in the official public docket, and made
available in EPA's electronic public docket.
iii. Disk or CD ROM. You may submit comments on a disk or CD ROM by
hand delivery, courier, or package service, such as Federal Express, to
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. These
electronic submissions will be accepted in WordPerfect or ASCII file
format. Avoid the use of special characters and any form of encryption.
Do not submit any disk or CD ROM through the mail. Disks and CD ROMs
risk being destroyed when handled as Federal Government mail.
2. Telephone or fax. Telephone or fax your request to participate
at the meeting to the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
3. By hand delivery or courier. Deliver your comments to: OPPT
Document Control Office (DCO) in EPA East Bldg., Rm. 6428, 1201
Constitution Ave., Washington, DC. Attention: Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OPPT-2006-0233. The DCO is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through
Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the DCO is
(202) 564-8930.
II. Background
In 1996, through enactment of FQPA, which amended the FFDCA,
Congress directed EPA to develop a screening program, using appropriate
validated test systems and other scientifically relevant information,
to determine whether certain substances may have an effect in humans
that is similar to an effect produced by a naturally occurring
estrogen, or such other endocrine effect as the Administrator may
designate. In 1996, EPA chartered a scientific advisory committee, the
Endocrine Disruptor Screening and Testing Advisory Committee (EDSTAC),
under the authority of FACA, to advise it on establishing a program to
carry out Congress' directive. EDSTAC recommended a multi-step approach
including a series of screens (Tier 1 screens) and tests (Tier 2 tests)
for determining whether a chemical substance may have an effect similar
to that produced by naturally occurring hormones. EPA adopted almost
all of
[[Page 15726]]
EDSTAC's recommendations in the program that it developed, the
Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP), to carry out Congress'
directive.
EPA is in the process of developing and validating the screens and
tests that EDSTAC recommended for inclusion in the EDSP. In carrying
out this validation exercise, EPA is working closely with the
Interagency Coordinating Committee for the Validation of Alternate
Methods (ICCVAM) and other validation groups, as appropriate. EPA also
is working closely with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development's (OECD) Endocrine Disruptors Testing and Assessment Task
Force to validate and harmonize endocrine screening tests of
international interest.
Finally, to ensure that EPA has the best and most up-to-date advice
available regarding the validation of the screens and tests in the
EDSP, EPA chartered the Endocrine Disruptor Methods Validation
Subcommmittee (EDMVS) of the National Advisory Council for
Environmental Policy and Technology (NACEPT). The EDMVS convened nine
meetings between October 2001 and December 2003. In 2003, NACEPT
recommended EDMVS become an Agency level 1 FACA Committee due to the
complexity of the recommendations. The EDMVAC was chartered in 2004.
The EDMVAC provides independent advice and counsel to the Agency on
scientific and technical issues related to validation of the EDSP Tier
1 screens and Tier 2 tests, including advice on methods for reducing
animal use, refining procedures involving animals to make them less
stressful, and replacing animals where scientifically appropriate.
EDMVAC and previous EDMVS meeting information and corresponding docket
numbers are available electronically, from the EPA Internet Home Page
at https://www.epa.gov/scipoly/oscpendo/. You may also go to the EPA
Docket at https://www.regulations.gov/, and follow the online
instructions for submitting materials.
III. Meeting Objectives for the April 18-20, 2006 Meeting
The objectives for the April 18 through April 20, 2006 meeting
(docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2006-0233) are to review and discuss:
Aromatase Assay Update (Tier 1), Steroidogenesis Cell Based H295R Assay
Update (Tier 1), Male and Female Pubertals Assay Interlaboratory
Studies, Fish Screen Assay Validation Status (Tier 1), and EPA's
Applied Approach to Validation.
A list of the EDMVAC members and meeting materials are available at
https://www.epa.gov/scipoly/oscpendo/ and in the public docket.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Endocrine disruptors, Hazardous
substances, Health, Safety.
Dated: March 21, 2006.
Clifford J. Gabriel,
Director, Office of Science Coordination and Policy.
[FR Doc. E6-4570 Filed 3-28-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S
