Environmental Protection Agency October 24, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Interagency Testing Committee (ITC) transmitted its 56\th\ ITC Report to the Administrator of EPA on September 15, 2005. In the 56\th\ ITC Report, which is included with this notice, the ITC is revising the TSCA section 4(e) Priority Testing List by adding 5 High Production Volume (HPV) orphan chemicals and 2 tungsten compounds and removing 28 HPV orphan chemicals, 3 pyridinamine compounds, 6 indium compounds, and 6 vanadium compounds. The ITC is requesting that EPA add the 5 HPV orphan chemicals and 2 tungsten compounds to the TSCA section 8(a) Preliminary Assessment Information Reporting (PAIR) rule and the 5 HPV orphan chemicals to the TSCA section 8(d) Health and Safety Data Reporting (HaSDR) rule. To facilitate the efforts of EPA, other Federal and State agencies, interested stakeholders, and members of the public in obtaining basic health effects and environmental data on HPV chemicals, the ITC conducted a December 2004 Data-Availability Study of 235 substances that were HPV chemicals in the 1998 and 2002 Inventory Update Rules (IURs), but not in the 1990 or 1994 IURs. The study is discussed and the list of 235 substances is appended to this 56\th\ ITC Report.

EPA is approving State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the State of Connecticut. These revisions incorporate volatile organic compound (VOC) reasonably available control technology (RACT) state consent orders into the Connecticut SIP for four facilities: Hitchcock Chair Co., Ltd.; Kimberly Clark Corp.; Watson Laboratories, Inc.; and Ross & Roberts, Inc. This action will have a beneficial effect on air quality by reducing VOC emissions which contribute to ground-level ozone formation. EPA is taking this action in accordance with the Clean Air Act (CAA).

EPA is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Maine. This revision establishes requirements to reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from consumer products. The intended effect of this action is to approve these requirements into the Maine SIP. EPA is taking this action in accordance with the Clean Air Act (CAA).

On September 8, 1994, we promulgated national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP) from industrial process cooling towers (59 FR 46350). The NESHAP eliminated the use of chromium-based water treatment chemicals that are known or suspected to cause cancer or have a serious health or environmental effect. Section 112(f)(2) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) directs EPA to assess the risk remaining (residual risk) after the application of the NESHAP and promulgate additional standards if warranted to provide an ample margin of safety to protect public health or prevent an adverse environmental effect. Also, section 112(d)(6) of the CAA requires EPA to review and revise the NESHAP as necessary at least every 8 years, taking into account developments in practices, processes, and control technologies. Based on our findings from the residual risk review and technology review, we are proposing no further action at this time to revise the NESHAP. This proposed action requests public comments on the residual risk review and technology review for the NESHAP.

On December 15, 1994, we promulgated national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (HAP) from magnetic tape manufacturing operations (59 FR 64580). The national emission standards limit and control HAP that are known or suspected to cause cancer or have other serious health or environmental effect. Section 112(f)(2) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) directs EPA to assess the risk remaining (residual risk) after the application of national emission standards controls and to promulgate more stringent standards, if necessary, to protect public health with an ample margin of safety and to prevent adverse environmental effect. Also, section 112(d)(6) of the CAA requires EPA to review and revise the national emission standards, as necessary, taking into account developments in practices, processes, and control technologies. Based on our findings from the residual risk and technology review, we are proposing no further action at this time to revise the national emission standards. Today's proposed action requests public comments on the residual risk and technology review for the national emission standards.