Availability of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Assessment Plans for Nitrate/Nitrite, Chloroform, and Ethylbenzene, 43539-43540 [2017-19707]

Download as PDF sradovich on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 179 / Monday, September 18, 2017 / Notices rulemaking process in which regulations may be revised. EPA has confirmed that the units in question are not eligible to receive allocations of NUSA allowances under the regulations for the CSAPR NOX Ozone Season Group 2 Trading Program. Under § 97.812(a)(3), firstround allocations are determined for ‘‘each CSAPR NOX Ozone Season Group 2 unit described in paragraph (a)(1) of this section’’—i.e., § 97.812(a)(1). This paragraph of the regulations identifies three categories of units eligible for firstround allocations: First, units that have not been allocated allowances as existing units pursuant to § 97.811(a)(1); second, units that have been allocated allowances as existing units from a given state’s budget for a given control period but have lost those allocations under the trading program’s correction provisions (because the units either are not located in that state or are not subject to the program at the start of that control period); and third, units that have ceased operation for a sufficient length of time to lose their allocations as existing units and have subsequently resumed operation.9 As discussed above, the units in question meet the criteria established in the CSAPR Update rulemaking to be considered existing units for purposes of the CSAPR NOX Ozone Season Group 2 Trading Program, and the units accordingly have been allocated allowances as existing units pursuant to § 97.811(a)(1). The units do not fall within one of the categories of units eligible for NUSA allocations as set forth in § 97.812(a)(1), and the regulations do not provide us with the authority either to grant exceptions for individual units or to identify additional categories of eligible units beyond those set forth in § 97.812(a)(1). As an alternative to having the facility’s units reclassified as new units for purposes of the CSAPR NOX Ozone Season Group 2 Trading Program, the third written objection also seeks modifications to the data used to compute the units’ allocations of allowances as existing units under that program. However, like the January 1, 2015 cutoff date, EPA’s determinations of which data should be used to determine allowance allocations to existing units were made in the CSAPR Update rulemaking 10 and can be revised only through another rulemaking, not through the administrative process of allocating NUSA allowances. The 9 See § 97.812(a)(1)(i), (ii), and (iii), respectively. 81 FR at 74564–65. 10 See VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:54 Sep 15, 2017 Jkt 241001 objection is therefore outside the scope of the June 21 NODA. Finally, the fourth written objection seeks modifications to the total amount of the NUSA for Oklahoma under the CSAPR NOX Ozone Season Group 2 Trading Program. Again, EPA’s determinations regarding the NUSA total amounts were made in the CSAPR Update rulemaking; further, the actual amounts are codified in the CSAPR regulations.11 The total amount of the NUSA for Oklahoma can be revised only through another rulemaking, not through the administrative process of allocating NUSA allowances, so the objection is outside the scope of the June 21 NODA. In addition to the written objections discussed above, EPA also received a telephone inquiry that led to the discovery of an error in the preliminary calculations for NUSA allocations of CSAPR SO2 Group 2 allowances. Specifically, because of incorrect processing of a change in the plant code used to identify certain existing units at the Wansley power plant in Georgia, Wansley CC units 6A, 6B, 7A, and 7B were incorrectly identified as new units eligible to receive NUSA allocations. We have corrected the error and these units are not allocated allowances as new units in the final calculations. The final unit-by-unit data and allowance allocation calculations are set forth in Excel spreadsheets titled ‘‘CSAPR_NUSA_2017_NOx_Annual_ 1st_Round_Final_Data’’, ‘‘CSAPR_ NUSA_2017_NOx_OS_1st_Round_ Final_Data’’, and ‘‘CSAPR_NUSA_2017_ SO2_1st_Round_Final_Data’’, available on EPA’s Web site at https:// www.epa.gov/csapr/csapr-complianceyear-2017-nusa-nodas. The three spreadsheets show our final determinations of first-round 2017 NUSA allocations under the CSAPR NOX annual, CSAPR NOX ozone season (Group 1 and Group 2), and CSAPR SO2 (Group 1 and Group 2) trading programs, respectively. EPA notes that an allocation or lack of allocation of allowances to a given unit does not constitute a determination that CSAPR does or does not apply to the unit. We also note that allocations are subject to potential correction. (Authority: 40 CFR 97.411(b), 97.511(b), 97.611(b), 97.711(b), and 97.811(b).) 11 See PO 00000 81 FR at 74565; 40 CFR 97.810(a)(17)(ii). Frm 00026 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 43539 Dated: July 27, 2017. Karen L. Orehowsky, Acting Director, Clean Air Markets Division, Office of Atmospheric Programs, Office of Air and Radiation. [FR Doc. 2017–19822 Filed 9–15–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL–9967–48–ORD; Docket ID No. EPA– HQ–ORD–2017–0496, ORD–2017–0497, ORD–2014–0526] Availability of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Assessment Plans for Nitrate/Nitrite, Chloroform, and Ethylbenzene Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of public comment period. AGENCY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a 30-day public comment period associated with the draft IRIS Assessment Plans for Nitrate/Nitrite, Chloroform, and Ethylbenzene. These documents communicate information on the scoping needs identified by EPA program and regional offices and the IRIS Program’s initial problem formulation activities. Specifically, the assessment plans outline the objectives for each assessment and the type of evidence considered most pertinent to address the scoping needs. EPA is releasing these draft IRIS Assessment Plans for public comment. These assessment plans will also be discussed during the September 27–28 Science Advisory Board (SAB) Chemical Assessment Advisory Committee (CAAC) peer consultation meeting. These documents were prepared by the National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD). DATES: The 30-day public comment period begins September 18, 2017, and ends October 18, 2017. Comments must be received on or before October 18, 2017. SUMMARY: The IRIS Assessment Plan for Nitrate/Nitrite, will be available via the Internet on IRIS’ Recent Additions at https://www.epa.gov/iris/iris-recentadditions and in the public docket at https://www.regulations.gov, Docket ID: EPA–HQ–ORD–2017–0496. The IRIS Assessment Plan for Chloroform will be available via the Internet on IRIS’ Recent Additions at https://www.epa.gov/iris/iris-recentadditions and in the public docket at ADDRESSES: E:\FR\FM\18SEN1.SGM 18SEN1 43540 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 179 / Monday, September 18, 2017 / Notices https://www.regulations.gov, Docket ID: EPA–HQ–ORD–2017–0497. The IRIS Assessment Plan for Ethylbenzene will be available via the Internet on IRIS’ Recent Additions at https://www.epa.gov/iris/iris-recentadditions and in the public docket at https://www.regulations.gov, Docket ID: EPA–HQ–ORD–2014–0526. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the public comment period, contact the ORD Docket at the EPA Headquarters Docket Center; telephone: 202–566–1752; facsimile: 202–566–9744; or email: Docket_ORD@ epa.gov. For technical information on the IRIS Assessment Plans, contact Dr. James Avery, NCEA; telephone: 703–347– 8668; or email: avery.james@epa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: sradovich on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with NOTICES I. Background Information on IRIS Assessment Plans EPA’s IRIS Program is a human health assessment program that evaluates quantitative and qualitative risk information on effects that may result from exposure to chemicals found in the environment. Through the IRIS Program, EPA provides the highest quality science-based human health assessments to support the Agency’s regulatory activities and decisions to protect public health. As part of scoping and initial problem formulation activities prior to the development of a draft assessment, the IRIS Program carries out a broad, preliminary literature survey to assist in identifying health effects that have been studied in relation to the chemical or substance of interest as well as science issues that may need to be considered when evaluating its toxicity. This information, in conjunction with scoping needs identified by EPA program and regional offices, are used to inform the development of an IRIS Assessment Plan (IAP). The IAP communicates to the public the plan for reviewing each individual chemical assessment and includes summary information on the IRIS Program’s scoping and initial problem formulation, objectives and specific aims for the assessment, and a PECO (Population, Exposure, Comparators, and Outcomes) framework for the systematic review. The PECO provides the framework for developing literature search strategies and inclusion/ exclusion criteria, particularly with respect to evidence stream (i.e., human, animal, mechanistic), exposure measures and outcome measures. The IAP serves to inform the subsequent development of chemical specific VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:54 Sep 15, 2017 Jkt 241001 systematic review protocols, which will be made publicly available. For more information, visit EPA’s IRIS Program Web site at https://www.epa.gov/iris. II. How To Submit Technical Comments to the Docket at www.regulations.gov Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–ORD–2017– 0496 for Nitrate/Nitrite, EPA–HQ–ORD– 2017–0497 for Chloroform, and EPA– HQ–ORD–2014–0526 for Ethylbenzene, by one of the following methods: • www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments. • Email: Docket_ORD@epa.gov. • Fax: 202–566–9744. • Mail: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center (ORD Docket), Mail Code: 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460. The phone number is 202– 566–1752. • Hand Delivery: The ORD Docket is located in the EPA Headquarters Docket Center, EPA West Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is 202–566–1744. Deliveries are only accepted during the docket’s normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information. If you provide comments by mail or hand delivery, please submit three copies of the comments. For attachments, provide an index, number pages consecutively with the comments, and submit an unbound original and three copies. Instructions: Direct your comments to EPA–HQ–ORD–2017–0496 for Nitrate/ Nitrite, EPA–HQ–ORD–2017–0497 for Chloroform, and EPA–HQ–ORD–2014– 0526 for Ethylbenzene. Please ensure that your comments are submitted within the specified comment period. Comments received after the closing date will be marked ‘‘late,’’ and may only be considered if time permits. It is EPA’s policy to include all comments it receives in the public docket without change and to make the comments available online at www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided, unless a comment includes information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information for which disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information through www.regulations.gov or email that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected. The www.regulations.gov PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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 email comment directly to EPA without going through www.regulations.gov, your email 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 www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm. Docket: Documents in the docket are listed in the 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 materials, such as copyrighted material, are publicly available only in hard copy. Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically in www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the ORD Docket in the EPA Headquarters Docket Center. Dated: August 30, 2017. Mary Ross, Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment. [FR Doc. 2017–19707 Filed 9–15–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION Sunshine Act Meetings Federal Election Commission. Wednesday, September 20, 2017 at 9:30 a.m. PLACE: 999 E Street NW., Washington, DC (Ninth Floor). STATUS: This meeting will be open to the public. ITEMS TO BE DISCUSSED: Draft Advisory Opinion 2017–10: Citizens for Plutocracy Management and Administrative Matters Individuals who plan to attend and require special assistance, such as sign AGENCY: DATE AND TIME: E:\FR\FM\18SEN1.SGM 18SEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 179 (Monday, September 18, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43539-43540]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-19707]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9967-48-ORD; Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2017-0496, ORD-2017-0497, 
ORD-2014-0526]


Availability of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) 
Assessment Plans for Nitrate/Nitrite, Chloroform, and Ethylbenzene

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of public comment period.

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

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a 30-
day public comment period associated with the draft IRIS Assessment 
Plans for Nitrate/Nitrite, Chloroform, and Ethylbenzene. These 
documents communicate information on the scoping needs identified by 
EPA program and regional offices and the IRIS Program's initial problem 
formulation activities. Specifically, the assessment plans outline the 
objectives for each assessment and the type of evidence considered most 
pertinent to address the scoping needs.
    EPA is releasing these draft IRIS Assessment Plans for public 
comment. These assessment plans will also be discussed during the 
September 27-28 Science Advisory Board (SAB) Chemical Assessment 
Advisory Committee (CAAC) peer consultation meeting. These documents 
were prepared by the National Center for Environmental Assessment 
(NCEA) within EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD).

DATES: The 30-day public comment period begins September 18, 2017, and 
ends October 18, 2017. Comments must be received on or before October 
18, 2017.

ADDRESSES: The IRIS Assessment Plan for Nitrate/Nitrite, will be 
available via the Internet on IRIS' Recent Additions at https://www.epa.gov/iris/iris-recent-additions and in the public docket at 
https://www.regulations.gov, Docket ID: EPA-HQ-ORD-2017-0496.
    The IRIS Assessment Plan for Chloroform will be available via the 
Internet on IRIS' Recent Additions at https://www.epa.gov/iris/iris-recent-additions and in the public docket at

[[Page 43540]]

https://www.regulations.gov, Docket ID: EPA-HQ-ORD-2017-0497.
    The IRIS Assessment Plan for Ethylbenzene will be available via the 
Internet on IRIS' Recent Additions at https://www.epa.gov/iris/iris-recent-additions and in the public docket at https://www.regulations.gov, Docket ID: EPA-HQ-ORD-2014-0526.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the public comment 
period, contact the ORD Docket at the EPA Headquarters Docket Center; 
telephone: 202-566-1752; facsimile: 202-566-9744; or email: 
Docket_ORD@epa.gov.
    For technical information on the IRIS Assessment Plans, contact Dr. 
James Avery, NCEA; telephone: 703-347-8668; or email: 
avery.james@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background Information on IRIS Assessment Plans

    EPA's IRIS Program is a human health assessment program that 
evaluates quantitative and qualitative risk information on effects that 
may result from exposure to chemicals found in the environment. Through 
the IRIS Program, EPA provides the highest quality science-based human 
health assessments to support the Agency's regulatory activities and 
decisions to protect public health. As part of scoping and initial 
problem formulation activities prior to the development of a draft 
assessment, the IRIS Program carries out a broad, preliminary 
literature survey to assist in identifying health effects that have 
been studied in relation to the chemical or substance of interest as 
well as science issues that may need to be considered when evaluating 
its toxicity. This information, in conjunction with scoping needs 
identified by EPA program and regional offices, are used to inform the 
development of an IRIS Assessment Plan (IAP).
    The IAP communicates to the public the plan for reviewing each 
individual chemical assessment and includes summary information on the 
IRIS Program's scoping and initial problem formulation, objectives and 
specific aims for the assessment, and a PECO (Population, Exposure, 
Comparators, and Outcomes) framework for the systematic review. The 
PECO provides the framework for developing literature search strategies 
and inclusion/exclusion criteria, particularly with respect to evidence 
stream (i.e., human, animal, mechanistic), exposure measures and 
outcome measures. The IAP serves to inform the subsequent development 
of chemical specific systematic review protocols, which will be made 
publicly available. For more information, visit EPA's IRIS Program Web 
site at https://www.epa.gov/iris.

II. How To Submit Technical Comments to the Docket at 
www.regulations.gov

    Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2017-
0496 for Nitrate/Nitrite, EPA-HQ-ORD-2017-0497 for Chloroform, and EPA-
HQ-ORD-2014-0526 for Ethylbenzene, by one of the following methods:
     www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for 
submitting comments.
     Email: Docket_ORD@epa.gov.
     Fax: 202-566-9744.
     Mail: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket 
Center (ORD Docket), Mail Code: 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20460. The phone number is 202-566-1752.
     Hand Delivery: The ORD Docket is located in the EPA 
Headquarters Docket Center, EPA West Building, Room 3334, 1301 
Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC.
    The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The 
telephone number for the Public Reading Room is 202-566-1744. 
Deliveries are only accepted during the docket's normal hours of 
operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of 
boxed information. If you provide comments by mail or hand delivery, 
please submit three copies of the comments. For attachments, provide an 
index, number pages consecutively with the comments, and submit an 
unbound original and three copies.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to EPA-HQ-ORD-2017-0496 for 
Nitrate/Nitrite, EPA-HQ-ORD-2017-0497 for Chloroform, and EPA-HQ-ORD-
2014-0526 for Ethylbenzene. Please ensure that your comments are 
submitted within the specified comment period. Comments received after 
the closing date will be marked ``late,'' and may only be considered if 
time permits. It is EPA's policy to include all comments it receives in 
the public docket without change and to make the comments available 
online at www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided, unless a comment includes information claimed to be 
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information for which 
disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information through 
www.regulations.gov or email that you consider to be CBI or otherwise 
protected. The 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 email comment directly to EPA without going through 
www.regulations.gov, your email 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 www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.
    Docket: Documents in the docket are listed in the 
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 materials, 
such as copyrighted material, are publicly available only in hard copy. 
Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically 
in www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the ORD Docket in the EPA 
Headquarters Docket Center.

    Dated: August 30, 2017.
Mary Ross,
Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. 2017-19707 Filed 9-15-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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