Environmental Protection Agency April 18, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EPA is announcing a 60-day public comment period and listening session for the external review draft human health assessment titled, ``Toxicological Review of Methanol (Non-Cancer): In Support of Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)'' (EPA/ 635/R-11/001). The draft assessment was prepared by the National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within the EPA Office of Research and Development (ORD). EPA is releasing this draft assessment solely for the purpose of pre-dissemination peer review under applicable information quality guidelines. This draft assessment has not been formally disseminated by EPA. It does not represent and should not be construed to represent any Agency policy or determination. In January 2010, EPA released an external peer review draft IRIS Toxicological Review for methanol (EPA/635/R-09/013), containing both cancer and non-cancer analyses, and requested that the Science Advisory Board conduct a review of this human health assessment. Following a report from the National Toxicology Program, EPA placed the external peer review of the draft IRIS Methanol Toxicological Review on hold. The National Toxicology Program report recommended that pathology reviews be carried out to resolve differences of opinion in the diagnoses of certain tumors reported in a Ramazzini Institute methanol research study, which was cited and used to support some of the conclusions in the draft IRIS assessment. As a result, EPA and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences plan to jointly sponsor an independent Pathology Working Group (PWG) review of select studies conducted at the Institute. EPA is today releasing the draft IRIS Methanol Toxicological Review (Non-Cancer) for public comment while continuing to hold the cancer assessment that was previously released in January 2010. The data and studies used in the draft IRIS Methanol Toxicological Review (Non-Cancer) are unrelated to the tumor diagnoses being re-examined by the PWG. The information, analyses and conclusions of the draft assessment announced in this notice are identical to the non-cancer portions of the draft assessment previously released in January 2010. Comments relevant to the non-cancer methanol assessment that were received during the previous public comment period for the joint cancer and non-cancer assessment will be considered along with new comments. An EPA listening session will be held on May 26, during the public comment period for this draft assessment. The purpose of the listening session is to allow all interested parties to present scientific and technical comments on the draft IRIS health assessment to EPA and other interested parties attending the listening session. EPA welcomes the comments that will be provided to the Agency by the listening session participants. The comments will be considered by the Agency as it revises the draft assessment after the external peer review. EPA will compile a list of meeting participants, including the name, principal affiliation, and sponsor of each person attending or calling in to the meeting. The list of listening session participants as well as presentations and written materials given to NCEA will be made a part of the public record. After public review and comment, an EPA contractor will hold a meeting of expert panelists for independent external peer review of this draft assessment. The public comment period and external peer review meeting are separate processes that provide opportunities for all interested parties to comment on the assessment. The external peer review meeting, to be scheduled at a later date, will be open to the public and announced in the Federal Register. Public comments submitted during the public comment period will be provided to the external peer reviewers before the panel meeting and considered by EPA in the disposition of public comments. Public comments received after the public comment period closes will not be submitted to the external peer reviewers and will only be considered by EPA if time permits.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) is amending the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule to exempt all milk and milk product containers and associated piping and appurtenances from the SPCC requirements. The Agency is also removing the compliance date requirements for the exempted containers.

EPA is proposing to approve submittals from the State of Louisiana pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) that address the infrastructure elements specified in the CAA section 110(a)(2), necessary to implement, maintain, and enforce the 1997 8-hour ozone and 1997 fine particulate matter (PM2.5) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS or standards). We are proposing to find that the current Louisiana State Implementation Plan (SIP) meets the following infrastructure elements for the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS and the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS: 110(a)(2)(A), (B), (C), (D)(ii), (E), (F), (G), (H), (J), (K), (L), and (M). EPA is also proposing to approve SIP revisions that modify Louisiana's PSD SIP for the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS to include nitrogen oxides (NOX) as an ozone precursor. This action is being taken under section 110 and part C of the Act.