Revision of National Recommended Water Quality Criteria for Acrolein and Phenol, 53246-53249 [E8-21460]

Download as PDF 53246 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 179 / Monday, September 15, 2008 / Notices TABLE—REGISTRATION REVIEW DOCKETS OPENING—Continued Registration Review Case Name and Number Chemical Review Manager, Telephone Number, E-mail Address Docket ID Number Soap salts Case # 4083 EPA–HQ–OPP–2008–0519 Monica Wait, (703) 347–8019, wait.monica@epa.gov Flutolnil EPA–HQ–OPP–2008–0148 Jill Bloom, (703) 308–7070, bloom, jill@epa.gov mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES The Agency is also announcing that it will not conduct a registration review for fenamiphos (registration review case 333). In October 2006, the Agency issued schedules for upcoming registration reviews and included fenamiphos as one of the pesticides scheduled for registration review. Since first identifying fenamiphos as a Registration Review pesticide, the Agency has determined that there are no current fenamiphos Section 3 or Section 24(c) registrations. Therefore, the Agency has determined that fenamiphos is no longer subject to registration review. A Registration Review docket will not be opened for fenamiphos and the fenamiphos registration review case has been closed pursuant to 40 CFR 155.42(c). B. Docket Content 1. Review dockets. The registration review dockets contain information that the Agency may consider in the course of the registration review. The Agency may include information from its files including, but not limited to, the following information: • An overview of the registration review case status. • A list of current product registrations and registrants. • Federal Register notices regarding any pending registration actions. • Federal Register notices regarding current or pending tolerances. • Risk assessments. • Bibliographies concerning current registrations. • Summaries of incident data. • Any other pertinent data or information. Each docket contains a document summarizing what the Agency currently knows about the pesticide case and a preliminary work plan for anticipated data and assessment needs. Additional documents provide more detailed information. During this public comment period, the Agency is asking that interested persons identify any additional information they believe the Agency should consider during the registration reviews of these pesticides. The Agency identifies in each docket VerDate Aug<31>2005 20:22 Sep 12, 2008 Jkt 214001 the areas where public comment is specifically requested, though comment in any area is welcome. 2. Other related information. More information on these cases, including the active ingredients for each case, may be located in the registration review schedule on the Agency’s website at https://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/ registration_review/schedule.htm.. Information on the Agency’s registration review program and its implementing regulation may be seen at https:// www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/ registration_review. 3. Information submission requirements. Anyone may submit data or information in response to this document. To be considered during a pesticide’s registration review, the submitted data or information must meet the following requirements: • To ensure that EPA will consider data or information submitted, interested persons must submit the data or information during the comment period. The Agency may, at its discretion, consider data or information submitted at a later date. • The data or information submitted must be presented in a legible and useable form. For example, an English translation must accompany any material that is not in English and a written transcript must accompany any information submitted as an audiographic or videographic record. Written material may be submitted in paper or electronic form. • Submitters must clearly identify the source of any submitted data or information. • Submitters may request the Agency to reconsider data or information that the Agency rejected in a previous review. However, submitters must explain why they believe the Agency should reconsider the data or information in the pesticide’s registration review. • As provided in 40 CFR 155.58, the registration review docket for each pesticide case will remain publicly accessible through the duration of the registration review process; that is, until all actions required in the final decision PO 00000 Frm 00059 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 on the registration review case have been completed. List of Subjects Environmental protection, Pesticides and pests. Dated: September 4, 2008. Peter Caulkins, Acting Director, Special Review and Registration Division, Office of Pesticide Programs. [FR Doc. E8–21482 Filed 9–12–08; 8:45 a.m.] BILLING CODE 6560–50–S ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL–OW–FRL–8715–3] Revision of National Recommended Water Quality Criteria for Acrolein and Phenol Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of availability of updated draft criteria and request for scientific views. AGENCY: SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 304(a) of the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the revision and availability of draft updated national recommended water quality criteria for the protection of human health for acrolein and phenol. The draft criteria are partial updates based on EPA’s Methodology for Deriving Ambient Water Quality Criteria for the Protection of Human Health (2000), EPA–822–B– 00–004 (2000 Human Health Methodology) and will supersede previously published criteria when final. EPA’s recommended section 304(a) water quality criteria provide guidance to States and authorized Tribes in adopting water quality standards for protecting human health and provide guidance to EPA for promulgating Federal regulations under CWA section 303(c), when such action is necessary. DATES: Scientific views must be received on or before October 30, 2008. E:\FR\FM\15SEN1.SGM 15SEN1 mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 179 / Monday, September 15, 2008 / Notices Comments postmarked after this date may not be considered. ADDRESSES: Submit your scientific views, identified by Docket ID No. EPA– HQ–OW–2008–0553, by one of the following methods: • https://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments. • E-mail: OW–Docket@epa.gov. • Mail: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC) Water Docket, MC 2822T; 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. • Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., EPA West, Room 3334, Washington, DC. 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 No. EPA–HQ–OW–2008– 0553. EPA’s policy is that all comments received will be included in the public docket without change and may be made available online 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 https:// www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The https://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 https:// 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 https:// www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm. Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the https:// VerDate Aug<31>2005 20:22 Sep 12, 2008 Jkt 214001 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 https:// www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the Office of Water Docket/EPA/DC, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., EPA West, Room 3334, Washington, DC. This Docket Facility is open from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., EST, Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 566–1744, and the telephone number for the Office of Water is (202) 566–2426. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Heidi L. Bethel, Health and Ecological Criteria Division (4304T), U.S. EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; (202) 566–2054; bethel.heidi@epa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. What Are Water Quality Criteria? Water quality criteria are scientifically derived numeric values that protect aquatic life or human health from the deleterious effects of pollutants in ambient water. Section 304(a)(1) of the Clean Water Act requires EPA to develop and publish and, from time to time, revise, criteria for water quality accurately reflecting the latest scientific knowledge. Water quality criteria developed under section 304(a) are based solely on data and scientific judgments on the relationship between pollutant concentrations and environmental and human health effects. Section 304(a) criteria do not reflect consideration of economic impacts or the technological feasibility of meeting the chemical concentrations in ambient water. Section 304(a) criteria provide guidance to States and authorized Tribes in adopting water quality standards that ultimately provide a basis for controlling discharges or releases of pollutants. The criteria also provide guidance to EPA when promulgating federal regulations under section 303(c) when such action is necessary. Under the CWA and its implementing regulations, States and authorized Tribes are to adopt water quality criteria to protect designated uses (e.g., public water supply, recreational use, industrial use). EPA’s recommended human health water quality criteria do not substitute for the CWA or PO 00000 Frm 00060 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 53247 regulations, nor are they regulations themselves. Thus, EPA’s recommended criteria do not impose legally binding requirements. States and authorized Tribes have the discretion to adopt, where appropriate, other scientifically defensible water quality standards that differ from these recommendations. II. What Are the Criteria Revisions? EPA is today publishing an update of national recommended water quality criteria (NRWQC) for protecting human health for acrolein and phenol. These draft revisions are based on EPA’s Methodology for Deriving Ambient Water Quality Criteria for the Protection of Human Health (2000), EPA–822–B– 00–004 (2000 Human Health Methodology). This methodology describes the Agency’s current approach for deriving national recommended water quality criteria to protect human health. The draft revision of these criteria represents a partial update of the 304(a) criteria as described in both the draft Methodology revisions and the Federal Register Notice that accompanied the 2000 Human Health Methodology (65 FR 66444; November 3, 2000). EPA believes that updating a limited number of components for which there are available data or improved science (i.e., a partial update) is a reasonable and efficient means of publishing revised 304(a) criteria more frequently. EPA has also previously described its process for publishing revised criteria [see National Recommended Water Quality Criteria; Notice; Republication (63 FR 68354; December 10, 1998 or EPA 822–Z–99– 001) and National Recommended Water Quality Criteria; Notice; Republication; Correction (64 FR 19781; April 22, 1999) or the Federal Register Notice for the 2000 Methodology]. EPA indicated that when making minor revisions to existing criteria based on new information pertaining to individual components of the criteria, it would typically publish the recalculated criteria directly as the Agency’s national recommended water quality criteria. The draft criteria for acrolein and phenol are being updated with reference dose (RfD) values from EPA’s Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) (https:// www.epa.gov/iris). Because recalculation of these two criteria results in significant changes, EPA is publishing them in today’s Notice in order to solicit scientific views. However, EPA does not intend to subject this recalculation to additional peer review because the IRIS reference doses being updated in this draft partial criteria update have been previously peer reviewed. E:\FR\FM\15SEN1.SGM 15SEN1 53248 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 179 / Monday, September 15, 2008 / Notices Tables 1 and 2 below containing the current and updated draft criteria for acrolein and phenol were prepared to assist reviewers. The RfD values used to derive the respective criteria values are also included in Tables 1 and 2 below. TABLE 1—UPDATED DRAFT CRITERIA FOR ACROLEIN Acrolein Current criteria Updated draft criteria IRIS RfD ................................. 0.0156 mg/(kg-d) (published 1977) ....................................... Water + Organisms ................ Organisms Only ...................... 190 µg/l .................................................................................. 290 µg/l .................................................................................. 0.0005 mg/(kg-d) (published 6/03) (https://www.epa.gov/ncea/iris/subst/0364.htm). 6 µg/l 9 µg/l. TABLE 2—UPDATED DRAFT CRITERIA FOR PHENOL Current criteria IRIS RfD ................................. 0.60 mg/(kg-d) (published 2/90) ............................................ Water + Organisms ................ Organisms Only ...................... mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES Phenol 20,700 µg/l ............................................................................. 1,700,000 µg/l ........................................................................ EPA decided to revise the existing criteria based on partially updated components of the criteria equations in order to increase the frequency of scientific improvements to the nationally recommended criteria using acceptable, currently-available information. For a water quality criterion revision based on a partial update to be considered acceptable to EPA, a component of the criterion (e.g., the toxicological risk assessment) should be comprehensive (e.g., a new or revised reference dose (RfD)) or cancer dose-response assessment, as opposed to simply a new scaling factor), stand alone, and be based on new national or local data. The criteria for phenol and acrolein are being updated with more recent reference doses available from EPA’s Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). IRIS is an electronic data base maintained by the EPA that provides chemical-specific risk information on the relationship between chemical exposures and estimated human health effects. Risk assessment information contained in IRIS, except as specifically noted, has been reviewed and agreed upon by an interdisciplinary group of scientists representing various Program Offices within the Agency and represents Agency-wide consensus. Therefore, updated IRIS values reflect the most current Agency science and should be used by States and Tribes in updating or developing new human health criteria. The Office of Science and Technology will publish these partial updates of water quality criteria via their Water Science Web Site (https://www.epa.gov/waterscience). VerDate Aug<31>2005 20:22 Sep 12, 2008 Jkt 214001 Updated draft criteria 0.30 mg/(kg-d) (published 9/02) (https://www.epa.gov/ncea/iris/subst/0088.htm). 10,400 µg/l. 857,000 µg/l. IV. What Is the Relationship Between the Water Quality Criteria and Your State or Tribal Water Quality Standards? As part of the water quality standards triennial review process defined in Section 303(c)(1) of the CWA, the States and authorized Tribes are responsible for maintaining and revising water quality standards. Water quality standards consist of designated uses, water quality criteria to protect those uses, a policy for antidegradation, and general policies for application and implementation. Section 303(c)(1) requires States and authorized Tribes to review and modify, if appropriate, their water quality standards at least once every three years. States and authorized Tribes must adopt water quality criteria that protect designated uses. Protective criteria are based on a sound scientific rationale and contain sufficient parameters or constituents to protect the designated uses. Consistent with 40 CFR131.21 [see: EPA Review and Approval of State and Tribal Water Quality Standards (65 FR 24641, April 27, 2000)], water quality criteria adopted by law or regulation by States and authorized Tribes prior to May 30, 2000, are in effect for CWA purposes unless superseded by federal regulations (see, for example, the National Toxics Rule, 40 CFR 131.36; Water Quality Standards for Idaho, 40 CFR 131.33). New or revised water quality criteria adopted into law or regulation by States and authorized Tribes on or after May 30, 2000 are in effect for CWA purposes only after EPA approval. PO 00000 Frm 00061 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 V. What Is the Status of Existing Recommended Criteria While They Are Under Revision? Water quality criteria published by EPA remain the Agency’s recommended water quality criteria until EPA revises or withdraws the criteria. The current criteria for acrolein and phenol will remain in effect until EPA publishes the updated criteria. VI. Where Can I Find More Information About Water Quality Criteria and Water Quality Standards? For more information about water quality criteria and Water Quality Standards refer to the following: Water Quality Standards Handbook (EPA 823– B94–005a); Advanced Notice of Proposed Rule Making (ANPRM), (63 FR 36742); Water Quality Criteria and Standards Plan—Priorities for the Future (EPA 822–R–98–003); Guidelines and Methodologies Used in the Preparation of Health Effects Assessment Chapters of the Consent Decree Water Criteria Documents (45 FR 79347); Methodology for Deriving Ambient Water Quality Criteria for the Protection of Human Health (2000), (EPA–822–B–00–004); Guidelines for Deriving Numerical National Water Quality Criteria for the Protection of Aquatic Organisms and Their Uses (EPA 822/R–85–100); National Strategy for the Development of Regional Nutrient Criteria (EPA 822–R–98–002); and EPA Review and Approval of State and Tribal Water Quality Standards (65 FR 24641). You can find these publications through EPA’s National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP, previously NCEPI) or on the Office of Science and Technology’s Home-page (https://www.epa.gov/waterscience). E:\FR\FM\15SEN1.SGM 15SEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 179 / Monday, September 15, 2008 / Notices Dated: August 28, 2008. Ephraim S. King, Director, Office of Science and Technology. [FR Doc. E8–21460 Filed 9–12–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION Notice of Agency Meeting Pursuant to the provisions of the ‘‘Government in the Sunshine Act’’ (5 U.S.C. 552b), notice is hereby given that at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 16, 2008, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Board of Directors will meet in closed session, pursuant to section 552b(c)(2), (c)(4), (c)(6), (c)(8), (9)(A)(ii), and (9)(B) of Title 5, United States Code, to consider matters relating to the Corporation’s supervisory and corporate activities. The meeting will be held in the Board Room on the sixth floor of the FDIC Building located at 550 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC. Requests for further information concerning the meeting may be directed to Mr. Robert E. Feldman, Executive Secretary of the Corporation, at (202) 898–7122. Dated: September 9, 2008. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Robert E. Feldman, Executive Secretary. [FR Doc. E8–21395 Filed 9–12–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6714–01–P FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES Notice of Agency Meeting Pursuant to the provisions of the ‘‘Government in the Sunshine Act’’ (5 U.S.C. 552b), notice is hereby given that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Board of Directors will meet in open session at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, September 16, 2008, to consider the following matters: Summary Agenda: No substantive discussion of the following items is anticipated. These matters will be resolved with a single vote unless a member of the Board of Directors requests that an item be moved to the discussion agenda. Disposition of minutes of previous Board of Directors’ meetings Summary reports, status reports, and reports of actions taken pursuant to authority delegated by the Board of Directors Memorandum and resolution re: Final Rule: Financial Education Programs VerDate Aug<31>2005 20:22 Sep 12, 2008 Jkt 214001 that Include the Provision of Bank Products and Services Memorandum and resolution re: Final Amendments to the FDIC Rules and Regulations Due to the Financial Services Regulatory Relief Act of 2006 Memorandum and resolution re: Final Amendments to the Guidelines for Appeals of Material Supervisory Determinations Discussion Agenda: Memorandum and resolution re: Interagency Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Capital Adequacy: Deduction of Goodwill Net of Associated Deferred Tax Liabilities The meeting will be held in the Board Room on the sixth floor of the FDIC Building located at 550 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC. This Board meeting will be Webcast live via the Internet at: https:// www.vodium.com/goto/fdic/ boardmeetings.asp. This service is free and available to anyone with the following systems requirements: https:// www.vodium.com/home/sysreq.html (https://www.vodium.com). Adobe Flash Player is required to view these presentations. The latest version of Adobe Flash Player can be downloaded at https://www.macromedia.com/go/ getflashplayer. Installation questions or troubleshooting help can be found at the same link. For optimal viewing, a high speed Internet connection is recommended. The Board meetings videos are made available on-demand approximately one week after the event. The FDIC will provide attendees with auxiliary aids (e.g., sign language interpretation) required for this meeting. Those attendees needing such assistance should call (703) 562–6067 (Voice or TTY), to make necessary arrangements. Requests for further information concerning the meeting may be directed to Mr. Robert E. Feldman, Executive Secretary of the Corporation, at (202) 898–7122. Dated: September 9, 2008. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Robert E. Feldman, Executive Secretary. [FR Doc. E8–21396 Filed 9–12–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6714–01–P FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY Membership of the Federal Labor Relations Authority’s Senior Executive Service Performance Review Board. Federal Labor Relations Authority. AGENCY: PO 00000 Frm 00062 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 ACTION: 53249 Notice. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the members of the Performance Review Board. DATES: September 15, 2008. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine V. Emerson, Acting Executive Director, Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA); 1400 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 20424–0001; (202) 218– 7945. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 4314(c) of Title 5, U.S.C. (as amended by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978) requires each agency to establish, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management, one or more Performance Review Boards (PRB). Section 4314(c)(4) requires that notice of appointment of the PRB be published in the Federal Register. As required by 5 CFR 430.310, the following executives have been appointed to serve on the 2008–2009 PRB for the FLRA, beginning September 2008 through September 2009: Marcia Eugenio, Director, Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor & Human Trafficking, Bureau of International Labor Affairs, Department of Labor; Bill Spencer, Clerk of the Board, Merit Systems Protection Board; Rosa Koppel, Solicitor, Federal Labor Relations Authority; Catherine Emerson, Acting Executive Director, Federal Labor Relations Authority. Authority: 5 U.S.C. 4134(c)(4). Dated: September 9, 2008. Catherine V. Emerson, Acting Executive Director. [FR Doc. E8–21437 Filed 9–12–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6727–01–P FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM Change in Bank Control Notices; Acquisition of Shares of Bank or Bank Holding Companies The notificants listed below have applied under the Change in Bank Control Act (12 U.S.C. 1817(j)) and § 225.41 of the Board’s Regulation Y (12 CFR 225.41) to acquire a bank or bank holding company. The factors that are considered in acting on the notices are set forth in paragraph 7 of the Act (12 U.S.C. 1817(j)(7)). The notices are available for immediate inspection at the Federal Reserve Bank indicated. The notices also will be available for inspection at the office of the Board of Governors. Interested persons may express their E:\FR\FM\15SEN1.SGM 15SEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 179 (Monday, September 15, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53246-53249]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-21460]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-OW-FRL-8715-3]


Revision of National Recommended Water Quality Criteria for 
Acrolein and Phenol

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability of updated draft criteria and request 
for scientific views.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 304(a) of the Clean Water Act (CWA), the 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the revision and 
availability of draft updated national recommended water quality 
criteria for the protection of human health for acrolein and phenol. 
The draft criteria are partial updates based on EPA's Methodology for 
Deriving Ambient Water Quality Criteria for the Protection of Human 
Health (2000), EPA-822-B-00-004 (2000 Human Health Methodology) and 
will supersede previously published criteria when final. EPA's 
recommended section 304(a) water quality criteria provide guidance to 
States and authorized Tribes in adopting water quality standards for 
protecting human health and provide guidance to EPA for promulgating 
Federal regulations under CWA section 303(c), when such action is 
necessary.

DATES: Scientific views must be received on or before October 30, 2008.

[[Page 53247]]

Comments postmarked after this date may not be considered.

ADDRESSES: Submit your scientific views, identified by Docket ID No. 
EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0553, by one of the following methods:
     https://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line 
instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: OW-Docket@epa.gov.
     Mail: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; EPA Docket 
Center (EPA/DC) Water Docket, MC 2822T; 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20460.
     Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center, 1301 Constitution Ave., 
NW., EPA West, Room 3334, Washington, DC. 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 No. EPA-HQ-OW-2008-
0553. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in 
the public docket without change and may be made available online 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 https://
www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The https://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 https://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 https://www.epa.gov/
epahome/dockets.htm.
    Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the https://
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 https://www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the Office of Water 
Docket/EPA/DC, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., EPA West, Room 3334, 
Washington, DC. This Docket Facility is open from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 
p.m., EST, Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The 
telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the 
telephone number for the Office of Water is (202) 566-2426.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Heidi L. Bethel, Health and Ecological 
Criteria Division (4304T), U.S. EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; (202) 566-2054; bethel.heidi@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. What Are Water Quality Criteria?

    Water quality criteria are scientifically derived numeric values 
that protect aquatic life or human health from the deleterious effects 
of pollutants in ambient water.
    Section 304(a)(1) of the Clean Water Act requires EPA to develop 
and publish and, from time to time, revise, criteria for water quality 
accurately reflecting the latest scientific knowledge. Water quality 
criteria developed under section 304(a) are based solely on data and 
scientific judgments on the relationship between pollutant 
concentrations and environmental and human health effects. Section 
304(a) criteria do not reflect consideration of economic impacts or the 
technological feasibility of meeting the chemical concentrations in 
ambient water.
    Section 304(a) criteria provide guidance to States and authorized 
Tribes in adopting water quality standards that ultimately provide a 
basis for controlling discharges or releases of pollutants. The 
criteria also provide guidance to EPA when promulgating federal 
regulations under section 303(c) when such action is necessary. Under 
the CWA and its implementing regulations, States and authorized Tribes 
are to adopt water quality criteria to protect designated uses (e.g., 
public water supply, recreational use, industrial use). EPA's 
recommended human health water quality criteria do not substitute for 
the CWA or regulations, nor are they regulations themselves. Thus, 
EPA's recommended criteria do not impose legally binding requirements. 
States and authorized Tribes have the discretion to adopt, where 
appropriate, other scientifically defensible water quality standards 
that differ from these recommendations.

II. What Are the Criteria Revisions?

    EPA is today publishing an update of national recommended water 
quality criteria (NRWQC) for protecting human health for acrolein and 
phenol. These draft revisions are based on EPA's Methodology for 
Deriving Ambient Water Quality Criteria for the Protection of Human 
Health (2000), EPA-822-B-00-004 (2000 Human Health Methodology). This 
methodology describes the Agency's current approach for deriving 
national recommended water quality criteria to protect human health.
    The draft revision of these criteria represents a partial update of 
the 304(a) criteria as described in both the draft Methodology 
revisions and the Federal Register Notice that accompanied the 2000 
Human Health Methodology (65 FR 66444; November 3, 2000). EPA believes 
that updating a limited number of components for which there are 
available data or improved science (i.e., a partial update) is a 
reasonable and efficient means of publishing revised 304(a) criteria 
more frequently. EPA has also previously described its process for 
publishing revised criteria [see National Recommended Water Quality 
Criteria; Notice; Republication (63 FR 68354; December 10, 1998 or EPA 
822-Z-99-001) and National Recommended Water Quality Criteria; Notice; 
Republication; Correction (64 FR 19781; April 22, 1999) or the Federal 
Register Notice for the 2000 Methodology]. EPA indicated that when 
making minor revisions to existing criteria based on new information 
pertaining to individual components of the criteria, it would typically 
publish the recalculated criteria directly as the Agency's national 
recommended water quality criteria.
    The draft criteria for acrolein and phenol are being updated with 
reference dose (RfD) values from EPA's Integrated Risk Information 
System (IRIS) (https://www.epa.gov/iris). Because recalculation of these 
two criteria results in significant changes, EPA is publishing them in 
today's Notice in order to solicit scientific views. However, EPA does 
not intend to subject this recalculation to additional peer review 
because the IRIS reference doses being updated in this draft partial 
criteria update have been previously peer reviewed.

[[Page 53248]]

    Tables 1 and 2 below containing the current and updated draft 
criteria for acrolein and phenol were prepared to assist reviewers. The 
RfD values used to derive the respective criteria values are also 
included in Tables 1 and 2 below.

                                  Table 1--Updated Draft Criteria for Acrolein
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Acrolein              Current criteria                       Updated draft criteria
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IRIS RfD....................  0.0156 mg/(kg-d)      0.0005 mg/(kg-d) (published 6/03)
                               (published 1977).    (https://www.epa.gov/ncea/iris/subst/0364.htm).
Water + Organisms...........  190 [mu]g/l.........  6 [mu]g/l
Organisms Only..............  290 [mu]g/l.........  9 [mu]g/l.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                   Table 2--Updated Draft Criteria for Phenol
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Phenol               Current criteria                       Updated draft criteria
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IRIS RfD....................  0.60 mg/(kg-d)        0.30 mg/(kg-d) (published 9/02)
                               (published 2/90).    (https://www.epa.gov/ncea/iris/subst/0088.htm).
Water + Organisms...........  20,700 [mu]g/l......  10,400 [mu]g/l.
Organisms Only..............  1,700,000 [mu]g/l...  857,000 [mu]g/l.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    EPA decided to revise the existing criteria based on partially 
updated components of the criteria equations in order to increase the 
frequency of scientific improvements to the nationally recommended 
criteria using acceptable, currently-available information. For a water 
quality criterion revision based on a partial update to be considered 
acceptable to EPA, a component of the criterion (e.g., the 
toxicological risk assessment) should be comprehensive (e.g., a new or 
revised reference dose (RfD)) or cancer dose-response assessment, as 
opposed to simply a new scaling factor), stand alone, and be based on 
new national or local data. The criteria for phenol and acrolein are 
being updated with more recent reference doses available from EPA's 
Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). IRIS is an electronic data 
base maintained by the EPA that provides chemical-specific risk 
information on the relationship between chemical exposures and 
estimated human health effects. Risk assessment information contained 
in IRIS, except as specifically noted, has been reviewed and agreed 
upon by an interdisciplinary group of scientists representing various 
Program Offices within the Agency and represents Agency-wide consensus. 
Therefore, updated IRIS values reflect the most current Agency science 
and should be used by States and Tribes in updating or developing new 
human health criteria. The Office of Science and Technology will 
publish these partial updates of water quality criteria via their Water 
Science Web Site (https://www.epa.gov/waterscience).

IV. What Is the Relationship Between the Water Quality Criteria and 
Your State or Tribal Water Quality Standards?

    As part of the water quality standards triennial review process 
defined in Section 303(c)(1) of the CWA, the States and authorized 
Tribes are responsible for maintaining and revising water quality 
standards. Water quality standards consist of designated uses, water 
quality criteria to protect those uses, a policy for antidegradation, 
and general policies for application and implementation. Section 
303(c)(1) requires States and authorized Tribes to review and modify, 
if appropriate, their water quality standards at least once every three 
years.
    States and authorized Tribes must adopt water quality criteria that 
protect designated uses. Protective criteria are based on a sound 
scientific rationale and contain sufficient parameters or constituents 
to protect the designated uses.
    Consistent with 40 CFR131.21 [see: EPA Review and Approval of State 
and Tribal Water Quality Standards (65 FR 24641, April 27, 2000)], 
water quality criteria adopted by law or regulation by States and 
authorized Tribes prior to May 30, 2000, are in effect for CWA purposes 
unless superseded by federal regulations (see, for example, the 
National Toxics Rule, 40 CFR 131.36; Water Quality Standards for Idaho, 
40 CFR 131.33). New or revised water quality criteria adopted into law 
or regulation by States and authorized Tribes on or after May 30, 2000 
are in effect for CWA purposes only after EPA approval.

V. What Is the Status of Existing Recommended Criteria While They Are 
Under Revision?

    Water quality criteria published by EPA remain the Agency's 
recommended water quality criteria until EPA revises or withdraws the 
criteria. The current criteria for acrolein and phenol will remain in 
effect until EPA publishes the updated criteria.

VI. Where Can I Find More Information About Water Quality Criteria and 
Water Quality Standards?

    For more information about water quality criteria and Water Quality 
Standards refer to the following: Water Quality Standards Handbook (EPA 
823-B94-005a); Advanced Notice of Proposed Rule Making (ANPRM), (63 FR 
36742); Water Quality Criteria and Standards Plan--Priorities for the 
Future (EPA 822-R-98-003); Guidelines and Methodologies Used in the 
Preparation of Health Effects Assessment Chapters of the Consent Decree 
Water Criteria Documents (45 FR 79347); Methodology for Deriving 
Ambient Water Quality Criteria for the Protection of Human Health 
(2000), (EPA-822-B-00-004); Guidelines for Deriving Numerical National 
Water Quality Criteria for the Protection of Aquatic Organisms and 
Their Uses (EPA 822/R-85-100); National Strategy for the Development of 
Regional Nutrient Criteria (EPA 822-R-98-002); and EPA Review and 
Approval of State and Tribal Water Quality Standards (65 FR 24641).
    You can find these publications through EPA's National Service 
Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP, previously NCEPI) or on 
the Office of Science and Technology's Home-page (https://www.epa.gov/
waterscience).


[[Page 53249]]


    Dated: August 28, 2008.
Ephraim S. King,
Director, Office of Science and Technology.
[FR Doc. E8-21460 Filed 9-12-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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