Environmental Protection Agency November 28, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EPA issued a proposed rule in the Federal Register of October 1, 2014, concerning 15 related chemical substances commonly known as nonylphenols (NP) and nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPE). For 13 NPs and NPEs, EPA proposed to designate any use as a ``significant new use,'' and for 2 additional NPs, EPA proposed that any use other than use as an intermediate or use as an epoxy cure catalyst would constitute a ``significant new use.'' This document extends the comment period for 45 days, from December 1, 2014, to January 15, 2015. The comment period is being extended because EPA received comments contending that the proposed NP/NPE Significant New Use Rule (SNUR) contains many chemicals that need to be analyzed, there are many documents in the docket that need to be reviewed, the rule involves some companies correcting how they identify chemicals, and companies need more time to determine whether they use the chemicals for purposes other than what EPA has identified. Extending the comment period will allow companies to more accurately assess and communicate to EPA how the chemicals are being used.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is deleting the system of records for the Confidential Business Information Tracking System (EPA-20) published in the Federal Register on April 7, 2009, from its inventory of Privacy Act Systems. The system is no longer active.

EPA is announcing a 30-day public comment period for the draft document titled, ``Regional Monitoring Networks to Detect Climate Change Effects in Stream Ecosystems'' (EPA/600/R-14/341). The document was prepared by the National Center for Environmental Assessment within EPA's Office of Research and Development. The document describes the development of the current regional monitoring networks (RMNs) for small, freshwater wadeable streams. EPA intends to forward the public comments that are submitted in accordance with this document to the external peer reviewers for their consideration during the letter review. When finalizing the draft document, EPA intends to consider any public comments received in accordance with this document. EPA is releasing this draft document solely for the purposes of public comment and in connection with pre- dissemination peer review. This draft document is not final as described in EPA's information quality guidelines, has not been publicly disseminated by the EPA, and does not represent and should not be construed to represent Agency policy or views. The draft document is available via the Internet on the NCEA home page under the Recent Additions and the Data and Publications menus at https://www.epa.gov/ncea.