Proposed Revocation of Significant New Use Rule on a Certain Chemical Substance

Federal Register: December 31, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 250)

Proposed Rules

Page 69320-69322

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

DOCID:fr31de09-24

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Part 721

EPA-HQ-OPPT-2009-0668; FRL-8796-6

RIN 2070-AB27

Proposed Revocation of Significant New Use Rule on a Certain

Chemical Substance

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule.

SUMMARY: EPA is proposing to revoke a significant new use rule (SNUR) promulgated under section 5(a)(2) of the Toxic Substances Control Act

(TSCA) for one chemical substance. For the chemical substance covered by premanufacture notice (PMN) P-95-1772, EPA issued a non-5(e) SNUR

(i.e. SNUR on a substance that is not subject to a TSCA section 5(e) consent order) designating certain activities as significant new uses based on the concern criteria in 40 CFR 721.170(b). EPA has received and reviewed new information and test data for the chemical substance and proposes to revoke the SNUR pursuant to 40 CFR 721.185.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 1, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification

(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2009-0668, by one of the following methods:

Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.

Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.

Mail: Document Control Office (7407M), Office of Pollution

Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200

Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001.

Hand Delivery: OPPT Document Control Office (DCO), EPA

East Bldg., Rm. 6428, 1201 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC.

Attention: Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2009-0668. The DCO is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the DCO is (202) 564-8930. Such deliveries are only accepted during the DCO's normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information.

Instructions: Direct your comments to docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPPT- 2009-0668. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the docket without change and may be made available on-line at http://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 regulations.gov or e- mail. The regulations.gov website 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 regulations.gov, your e-mail address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the 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.

Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the docket index available at http://www.regulations.gov. 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 electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, or, if only available in hard copy, at the OPPT Docket. The OPPT Docket is located in

Page 69321

the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC) at Rm. 3334, EPA West Bldg., 1301

Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number of the EPA/DC Public

Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the OPPT

Docket is (202) 566-0280. Docket visitors are required to show photographic identification, pass through a metal detector, and sign the EPA visitor log. All visitor bags are processed through an X-ray machine and subject to search. Visitors will be provided an EPA/DC badge that must be visible at all times in the building and returned upon departure.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information contact: Colby

Lintner, Regulatory Coordinator, Environmental Assistance Division

(7408M), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental

Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460- 0001; telephone number: (202) 554-1404; e-mail address: TSCA-

Hotline@epa.gov.

For technical information contact: Tracey Klosterman, Chemical

Control Division (7405M), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics,

Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,

Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 564-2209; e-mail address: klosterman.tracey@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. General Information

   1. Does this Action Apply to Me?

      You may be potentially affected by this action if you manufacture, import, process, or use the chemical substance contained in this proposed revocation. Potentially affected entities may include, but are not limited to:

      Manufacturers, importers, or processors of the subject chemical substance (NAICS codes 325 and 324110), e.g., chemical manufacturing and petroleum refineries.

      This listing is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather provides a guide for readers regarding entities likely to be affected by this action. Other types of entities not listed in this unit could also be affected. The North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) codes have been provided to assist you and others in determining whether this action might apply to certain entities. To determine whether you or your business may be affected by this action, you should carefully examine the applicability provisions in Sec. 721.5. If you have any questions regarding the applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the technical person listed under FOR

      FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

   2. What Should I Consider as I Prepare My Comments for EPA? 1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this information to EPA through regulations.gov or e-mail. Clearly mark the part or all of the information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI information in a disk or

      CD-ROM that you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the disk or CD-ROM that you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the disk or CD-ROM as CBI and then identify electronically within the disk or CD-ROM the specific information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to one complete version of the comment that includes information claimed as CBI, a copy of the comment that does not contain the information claimed as CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public docket. Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2. 2. Tips for preparing your comments. When submitting comments, remember to: i. Identify the document by docket ID number and other identifying information (subject heading, Federal Register date and page number). ii. Follow directions. The Agency may ask you to respond to specific questions or organize comments by referencing a Code of

      Federal Regulations (CFR) part or section number. iii. Explain why you agree or disagree; suggest alternatives and substitute language for your requested changes. iv. Describe any assumptions and provide any technical information and/or data that you used. v. If you estimate potential costs or burdens, explain how you arrived at your estimate in sufficient detail to allow for it to be reproduced. vi. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns and suggest alternatives. vii. Explain your views as clearly as possible, avoiding the use of profanity or personal threats. viii. Make sure to submit your comments by the comment period deadline identified.

2. Background

   1. What Action is the Agency Taking?

      In the Federal Register of January 22, 1998 (63 FR 3393) (FRL-5720- 3), EPA promulgated a SNUR for the chemical substance covered by PMN P- 95-1772. This non-5(e) SNUR designated certain activities as significant new uses based on the concern criteria identified in Sec. 721.170(b)(4)(ii). EPA has received and reviewed test data for the chemical substance, and, based on that test data, EPA now proposes to revoke the SNUR pursuant to Sec. 721.185. In this unit, EPA provides a brief description of this chemical substance, including the PMN number, chemical name (generic name if the specific name is claimed as CBI),

      CAS number (if assigned and not claimed as CBI), the Federal Register publication date and reference, the docket number, the basis for revoking the SNUR under Sec. 721.185, and the CFR citation of the

      SNUR.

      PMN Number P-95-1772

      Chemical name: Polyalkyl phosphate (generic).

      CAS number: Not available.

      Federal Register publication date and reference: January 22, 1998 (63

      FR 3393).

      Docket number: OPPTS-50628.

      Basis for revocation of SNUR: EPA issued a SNUR for this substance based on the concern criteria at Sec. 721.170(b)(4)(ii). Subsequently, the PMN submitter petitioned EPA to revoke the SNUR based on the results of submitted biodegradation testing. The biodegradation testing demonstrated that the substance is readily biodegradable, mitigating concerns for chronic toxicity to aquatic organisms. Therefore, EPA no longer finds that releases to water resulting in stream concentrations that exceed 1 parts per billion (ppb) may cause significant adverse environmental effects. Based on available information, the substance no longer meets the concern criteria at Sec. 721.170(b)(4)(ii).

      Therefore, EPA proposes that the SNUR for this chemical substance be revoked pursuant to Sec. 721.185(a)(4).

      CFR citation: 40 CFR 721.5995.

   2. What is the Agency's Authority for Taking this Action?

      Section 5(a)(2) of TSCA (15 U.S.C. 2604(a)(2)) authorizes EPA to determine that a use of a chemical substance is a ``significant new use.'' EPA must make this determination by rule after considering all relevant factors, including those listed in TSCA section 5(a)(2). Once

      EPA determines that a use of a chemical substance is a significant new use, TSCA section 5(a)(1)(B) requires persons to submit a significant new use notice (SNUN) to EPA at least 90 days before they manufacture, import, or process the chemical substance for that use. The mechanism for reporting under this requirement is established under Sec. 721.5.

      Upon conclusion of the review for P-95-1772, based on the concern criteria

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      in Sec. 721.170(b)(4)(ii) as discussed in Unit II.A., EPA determined that there was a concern for potential environmental effects of the substance and promulgated a non-5(e) SNUR for this chemical substance.

      Under Sec. 721.185, EPA may at any time revoke a SNUR for a chemical substance which has been added to subpart E of 40 CFR part 721 if EPA makes one of the determinations set forth in Sec. 721.185(a)(1) through (a)(6). Revocation may occur on EPA's initiative or in response to a written request. Under Sec. 721.185(b)(3), if EPA concludes that a SNUR should be revoked, the Agency will propose the changes in the

      Federal Register, briefly describe the grounds for the action, and provide interested parties an opportunity to comment.

      EPA has determined that the criteria set forth in Sec. 721.185(a)(4) have been satisfied for the chemical substance; therefore, EPA is proposing to revoke the SNUR provisions for this chemical substance. When this revocation becomes final, EPA will no longer require notice of intent to manufacture, import, or process this substance for any significant new uses. In addition, export notification requirements under section 12(b) of TSCA triggered by this

      SNUR will no longer be required.

3. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

   This proposed rule would revoke or eliminate an existing regulatory requirement and does not contain any new or amended requirements. As such, the Agency has determined that this proposed SNUR revocation would not have any adverse impacts, economic or otherwise.

   The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has exempted these types of regulatory actions from review under Executive Order 12866, entitled

   Regulatory Planning and Review (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993). This proposed rule does not contain any information collections subject to approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Since this proposed rule eliminates a reporting requirement, the

   Agency certifies pursuant to section 605(b) of the Regulatory

   Flexibility Act (RFA) (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), that this SNUR revocation would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.

   For the same reasons, this action does not require any action under

   Title II of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA) (Public Law 104-4). This proposed rule has neither Federalism implications, because it would not have substantial direct effects on States, on the relationship between the national government and the States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels of government, as specified in Executive Order 13132, entitled Federalism

   (64 FR 43255, August 10, 1999), nor tribal implications, because it would not have substantial direct effects on one or more Indian Tribes, on the relationship between the Federal Government and Indian tribes, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities between the

   Federal Government and Indian tribes, as specified in Executive Order 13175, entitled Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal

   Governments (65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000).

   This action is not subject to Executive Order 13045, entitled

   Protection of Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks

   (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997), because this is not an economically significant regulatory action as defined under Executive Order 12866, and it does not address environmental health or safety risks disproportionately affecting children. It is not subject to Executive

   Order 13211, entitled Actions Concerning Regulations That Significantly

   Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001), because this action is not expected to affect energy supply, distribution, or use. Because this action does not involve any technical standards, section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (NTTAA), Public Law 104-113, section 12(d)

   (15 U.S.C. 272 note), does not apply to this action. This action does not involve special considerations of environmental justice related issues as required by Executive Order 12898, entitled Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income

   Populations (59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994).

   List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 721

   Environmental protection, Chemicals, Hazardous substances,

   Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

   Dated: December 22, 2009.

   Barbara A. Cunningham,

   Acting Director, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics.

   Therefore, it is proposed that 40 CFR part 721 be amended as follows:

   PART 721--[AMENDED] 1. The authority citation for part 721 continues to read as follows:

   Authority: 15 U.S.C. 2604, 2607, and 2625(c).

   Sec. 721.5995 [Removed] 2. By removing Sec. 721.5995.

   FR Doc. E9-30990 Filed 12-30-09; 8:45 am

   BILLING CODE 6560-50-S