### 23545 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 81 / Tuesday, April 28, 2015 / Notices

This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. A fuller description of the ICR is given below, including its estimated burden and cost to the public. An Agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

**DATES :**  Additional comments may be submitted on or before May 28, 2015.

**ADDRESSES :**  Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA– HQ–OARM–2011–0748, to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by email to oei.docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB via email to oira

_submission@omb.eop.gov. Address comments to OMB Desk Officer for EPA.

EPA’s policy is that all comments received will be included in the public docket without change including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Thomas Valentino, Policy Training and Oversight Division, Office of Acquisition Management, (3802R), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202–564– 4522; email address: valentino.thomas@

epa.gov.
**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :** 

Supporting documents which explain in detail the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The telephone number for the Docket Center is 202–566–1744. For additional information about EPA’s public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/ dockets.

Abstract: Government surveillance of contractor performance is required to give reasonable assurance that efficient methods and effective cost controls are being used for various cost-reimbursable and fixed-rate contracts. Per 48 CFR 1552.211 regulations, the Agency on a monthly basis requires contractors to provide the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) with a report detailing: a) what was accomplished on the contract for that period, b) expenditures for the same period of time, and c) what is expected to be accomplished on the contract for the next month. Responses to the information collection are mandatory for contractors and are required for the contractors to receive monthly payments.

Form Numbers: 1900–68. Respondents/affected entities: Private

contractors.

Respondent’s obligation to respond: Mandatory (48 CFR 1552.211).

Estimated number of respondents: 266 (total).

Frequency of response: Monthly. Total estimated burden: 77,406 hours (per year). Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b)

Total estimated cost: $7,207,568 (per year), includes $39,900 annualized capital or operation & maintenance

costs.

Changes in the Estimates: There is an increase of 16,506 hours in the total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently approved by OMB. This is due to an increase in the number of contracts that are being awarded.

Courtney Kerwin, Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.

[FR Doc. 2015–09837 Filed 4–27–15; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 6560–50–P**

**ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY** 

**[EPA–HQ–OPPT–2015–0078; FRL–9923–84]**

**Notice of Availability of Work Plan Chemical Problem Formulation and**  **Initial Assessment for 1,4-Dioxane; Request for Public Comment** 

**AGENCY :**  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

**ACTION :**  Notice.

**SUMMARY :**  With this notice, EPA is announcing that it will be publishing a problem formulation and initial assessment or data needs assessment document for each TSCA Work Plan Chemical prior to conducting further risk analysis. This notice is also announcing the availability of a problem formulation and initial assessment document for the Work Plan Chemical 1,4-Dioxane and opening the 60-day public comment period for the document. Based on experience in conducting TSCA Work Plan Chemical assessments to date and stakeholder feedback, starting in 2015 EPA will publish a problem formulation and initial assessment or data needs assessment for each TSCA Work Plan Chemical as a stand-alone document to facilitate public and stakeholder input prior to conducting further risk analysis. EPA believes publishing problem formulations and initial assessments for TSCA Work Plan Chemicals will increase transparency about EPA’s thinking and analysis process, provide opportunity for the public and stakeholders to comment on EPA’s approach and provide the opportunity to receive additional information/data to supplement or refine the assessment approach prior to EPA conducting detailed risk analysis and risk characterization.

**DATES :**  Comments must be received on or before June 29, 2015.

**ADDRESSES :**  Submit your comments, identified by docket identification (ID) number EPA–HQ–OPPT–2015–0078, by one of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Do not submit electronically any information you consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

• 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: To make special arrangements for hand delivery or delivery of boxed information, please follow the instructions at http:// www.epa.gov/dockets/contacts.html. Additional instructions on commenting or visiting the docket, along with more information about dockets generally, is available at http://www.epa.gov/ dockets.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  For technical information contact: Stanley Barone, Risk Assessment Division (7403M), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460–0001; telephone number: (202) 564–1169; email address: barone.stan@epa.gov.

For general information contact: The TSCA-Hotline, ABVI-Goodwill, 422 South Clinton Ave., Rochester, NY 14620; telephone number: (202) 554– 1404; email address: TSCA-Hotline@

epa.gov.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :** 

I. General Information A. Does this action apply to me?

This action is directed to the public in general, and may be of interest to a


### 23546 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 81 / Tuesday, April 28, 2015 / Notices

wide range of stakeholders including those interested in environmental and human health; the chemical industry; chemical users; consumer product companies and members of the public interested in the assessment of chemical risks. Since others also may be interested, the Agency has not attempted to describe all the specific entities that may be affected by this action. B. 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 email. 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 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 preparing and submitting your comments, see the commenting tips at http://www.epa.gov/dockets/ comments.html. II. What action is the Agency taking?

EPA is announcing that it will be publishing a problem formulation and initial assessment or data needs assessment document for each TSCA Work Plan Chemical prior to conducting further risk analysis. Based on experience in conducting TSCA Work Plan Chemical assessments to date and stakeholder feedback, starting in 2015 EPA will publish a problem formulation and initial assessment or data needs assessment document for each TSCA Work Plan Chemical as a stand-alone document. A problem formulation and initial assessment document will serve to inform the public and other interested stakeholders about EPA’s initial scoping of findings and plan for any further risk assessment. Problem formulation and initial assessment is the analytical phase of the assessment in which the purpose for the assessment is articulated, the problem defined and a plan for analyzing and characterizing risk is determined.

Outcomes of a problem formulation and initial assessment are: (a) Conceptual Model—including a visual representation and written description of actual or predicted relationships between chemicals and human or wildlife; (b) Analysis Plan—describing the intentions regarding the technical aspects of the risk assessment. In some instances, as a result of problem formulation and initial assessment, EPA identifies data gaps (uses, exposure pathways, toxicity data) so significant as to prevent conducting a meaningful risk assessment. In these cases, EPA will publish a Data Needs Assessment document and provide opportunity for the public and stakeholders to comment, identify or provide data or information that may fill identified data gaps prior to EPA pursing data collection via TSCA authorities.

To facilitate public and stakeholder input prior to conducting further risk analysis, EPA will open a public docket for receiving comments, data or information from interested stakeholders when it publishes each problem formulation and initial assessment or data needs assessment document. EPA believes publishing problem formulation and initial assessment documents for TSCA Work Plan Chemicals will increase transparency of EPA’s thinking and analysis process, provide opportunity for the public and stakeholders to comment on EPA’s approach and provide additional information or data to supplement or refine assessment approaches prior to EPA conducting detailed risk analysis and risk characterization. Following receipt of comments on the problem formulation and initial assessment document and consideration of any additional data or information received, EPA will initiate a risk assessment which is the process to estimate the nature and probability of adverse health and environmental effects in humans and ecological receptors from chemical contaminants that may be present in the environment.

EPA is also announcing the availability of the TSCA Work Plan Chemical Problem Formulation and Initial Assessment for 1,4-Dioxane for public comment. 1,4-Dioxane is the first chemical for which EPA is releasing a problem formulation and initial assessment document under the TSCA Work Plan Chemical Assessment Program. 1,4-Dioxane is a chemical that is used primarily as a solvent in the manufacture of other chemicals. 1,4- Dioxane is also found as an impurity in anti-freeze and aircraft deicing fluids and in some consumer products [deodorants, shampoos, and cosmetics] (ATSDR 2012; EPA 2006; Mohr 2001). During problem formulation and initial assessment, EPA reviewed previous assessments by EPA and other organizations and additional published studies on the exposure and hazard of 1,4-Dioxane. EPA examined likely exposure and hazard scenarios based on current production, use, and fate information to identify scenarios amenable to a risk analysis. The data available and scenarios evaluated for conducting a risk assessment are provided in EPA’s TSCA Work Plan Chemical Problem Formulation and Initial Assessment for 1,4-Dioxane. The conclusions of the problem formulation and initial assessment are: (a) EPA will further assess potential risks to workers exposed during product formulation and use as a cleaning agent; (b) EPA will further assess potential risks to workers and consumers exposed during the use of TSCA-use products that contain 1,4- Dioxane as a contaminant, such as paints, varnishes, adhesives, cleaners and detergents; (c) Risk to the general population through inhalation exposure to ambient air emissions is estimated to be low; (d) An assessment of risk from exposure through drinking water is not needed at this time because 1,4-Dioxane is currently being monitored and EPA will determine whether or not regulatory action is needed as part of its Regulatory Determination Process; (e) Based on the low hazard profile for 1,4- Dioxane to aquatic organisms, risks to these organisms are expected to be low. EPA does not have the hazard data needed to determine if there are risks to sediment and soil organisms. Therefore, further analysis of environmental risk is not planned. EPA plans to review and evaluate the results of previous exposure assessments and health benchmarks for this chemical. As a result, EPA/OPPT will develop margins of exposure and cancer risk estimates to evaluate the potential risks from worker and consumer exposure to 1,4-Dioxane. Use the docket ID number: EPA–HQ– OPPT–2015–0078 to locate a copy of the 1,4-Dioxane problem formulation and initial assessment document, as well as to submit comments via http:// www.regulations.gov.

Authority: 15 U.S.C. 2601 et seq. Dated: April 21, 2015. Wendy C. Hemnett, Director, Office of Pollution Prevention and
Toxics.

[FR Doc. 2015–09888 Filed 4–27–15; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 6560–50–P**