50546 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 187 / Friday, September 26, 1997 / Proposed Rules

SUMMARY: The EPA proposes to approve

the recodification of, and revisions to,

the New Mexico State Implementation

Plan (SIP). The existing Air Quality

Control Regulations (AQCR) have been

renumbered and reformatted into the

New Mexico Administrative Code as

required by the New Mexico State

Records Center. In addition to having

renumbered and reformatted the

regulations, standard administrative

changes have been made throughout all

AQCRs, and revisions made to seven

particular AQCRs. The intended effects

of these revisions are to delete obsolete,

nonessential, redundant, and

technically inadequate regulations;

make certain rules and definitions more

explicit and; make one particular

regulation more closely reflect current

New Mexico Environment Department

policy.

In the Rules and Regulations section

of this Federal Register, EPA is

approving the State’s SIP revision as a

direct final rule without prior proposal

because the Agency views this as a

noncontroversial revision and

anticipates no adverse comments. The

rationale for the approval is set forth in

the direct final rule. If no adverse

comments are received in response to

this proposed rule, no further activity is

contemplated in relation to this rule. If

EPA receives adverse comments, the

direct final rule will be withdrawn, and

all public comments received during the

30-day comment period set forth below

will be addressed in a subsequent final

rule based on this proposed rule. Any

parties interested in commenting on this

action should do so at this time.

DATES: Comments on this proposed rule

must be received in writing by October

27, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on this

action should be addressed to Mr.

Thomas Diggs, Chief, Air Planning

Section, at the EPA Region 6 Office

listed below. Reference Docket Number:

File Code SIP 1–3–10; NM–90–05.

Copies of the documents relevant to this

proposed rule are available for public

inspection during normal business

hours at the following locations.

Anyone wanting to examine these

documents should make an

appointment with the appropriate office

at least two working days in advance.

Environmental Protection Agency,

Region 6, Air Planning Section (6PD–L),

Multimedia Planning and Permitting

Division, 1445 Ross Avenue, Suite 700,

Dallas, Texas 75202–2733.

New Mexico Environment

Department, Air Quality Bureau, 1190

St. Francis Drive, Room So. 2100, Santa

Fe, New Mexico 87503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Eaton R. Weiler, of the EPA Region 6 Air

Planning Section at the above address,

telephone (214) 665–2174.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: See the

information provided in the direct final

action of the same title which is

published in the Rules and Regulations

section of this Federal Register.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

Environmental protection, Air

pollution control, Carbon monoxide,

Hydrocarbons, Incorporation by

reference, Intergovernmental relations,

Lead, Nitrogen dioxide, Ozone,

Particulate matter, Reporting and

recordkeeping requirements, Sulfur

oxides, Volatile organic compounds.

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401–7671q.

Dated: September 8, 1997.

Lynda F. Carroll,

Acting Regional Administrator.

[FR Doc. 97–25503 Filed 9–25–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

40 CFR Part 799

[OPPTS–42187J; FRL–5748–8]

RIN 2070–AC76

Proposed Test Rule for Hazardous Air

Pollutants; Extension of Comment

Period

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of

comment period.

SUMMARY: EPA is extending the public

comment period from September 30,

1997 to December 1, 1997, on the

proposed rule published in the Federal

Register of June 26, 1996 (61 FR

33178)(FRL–4869–1) requiring the

testing of 21 hazardous air pollutants

(HAPs) for certain health effects. This

extension is needed to allow the Agency

more time to amend the HAPs test rule

proposal to reference eleven new Toxic

Substances Control Act (TSCA) test

guidelines and make other changes and

clarifications to the proposed rule.

DATES: Written comments on the

proposed rule must be received by EPA

on or before December 1, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit three copies of

written comments on the proposed

HAPs test rule, identified by docket

control number (OPPTS–42187A; FRL–

4869–1) to: Environmental Protection

Agency, Office of Pollution Prevention

and Toxics (OPPT), Document Control

Office (7407), Rm. G–099, 401 M St.,

SW., Washington, DC 20460.

Comments and data may also be

submitted electronically to

oppt.ncic@epamail.epa.gov. Follow the

instructions under Unit II. of this

document. No Confidential Business

Information (CBI) should be submitted

through e-mail.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Susan B. Hazen, Director,

Environmental Assistance Division

(7408), Rm. ET–543B, Office of

Pollution Prevention and Toxics,

Environmental Protection Agency, 401

M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460;

telephone (202) 554–1404; TDD: (202)

554–0551; e-mail: TSCAHotline@epamail.epa.gov. For technical

information contact: Richard W.

Leukroth, Jr., Project Manager, Chemical

Control Division (7405), Office of

Pollution Prevention and Toxics,

Environmental Protection Agency, 401

M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460;

telephone: (202) 260–0321; fax: (202)

260–8850; e-mail:

leukroth.rich@epamail.epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Availability: Electronic

copies of this document, all Federal

Register support documents, and the

eleven TSCA test guidelines are

available from the EPA Home Page at

the Federal Register - Environmental

Documents entry under ‘‘Laws and

Regulations’’ (http://www.epa.gov/

fedrgstr).

I. Background and General Information

On June 26, 1996 (61 FR 33178), EPA

proposed health effects testing, under

section 4(a) of TSCA, of the following

hazardous air pollutants (HAPs): 1,1’-

biphenyl, carbonyl sulfide, chlorine,

chlorobenzene, chloroprene, cresols (3

isomers: ortho-, meta-, para-),

diethanolamine, ethylbenzene, ethylene

dichloride, ethylene glycol,

hydrochloric acid, hydrogen fluoride,

maleic anhydride, methyl isobutyl

ketone, methyl methacrylate,

naphthalene, phenol, phthalic

anhydride, 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene,

1,1,2-trichloroethane, and vinylidene

chloride. EPA would use the data

generated under the rule to implement

several provisions of section 112 of the

Clean Air Act and to meet other EPA

data needs and those of other Federal

agencies. In the HAPs proposal, EPA

invited the submission of proposals for

pharmacokinetics (PK) studies for the

HAPs chemicals, which could provide

the basis for negotiation of enforceable

consent agreements (ECAs). These PK

studies would be used to conduct routeto-route extrapolation of toxicity data

from routes other than inhalation to
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 187 / Friday, September 26, 1997 / Proposed Rules 50547

predict the effects of inhalation

exposure, as an alternative to testing

proposed under the HAPs rule.

On October 18, 1996, EPA extended

the public comment period on the

proposed rule from December 23, 1996,

to January 31, 1997 (61 FR 54383) (FRL–

5571–3). This extension was for the

purpose of allowing more time for the

submission of PK proposals and

adequate time for comments on the

proposed rule to be submitted after the

Agency had responded to the proposals.

EPA has received eight PK proposals for

diethanolamine, ethylene dichloride,

ethylene glycol, hydrogen fluoride,

maleic anhydride, phthalic anhydride,

1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, and

1,1,2trichloroethane). In addition, the

Agency has received another proposal to

develop an ECA for an alternative

testing program for methyl isobutyl

ketone. EPA has agreed to review the

contents of this proposal and to provide

comments on its technical merit and

relevance to the proposed HAPs testing

requirements.

Due to the complexity of the issues

raised by the PK proposals and other

issues related to test guidelines, EPA

successively extended the public

comment period (61 FR 67516,

December 23, 1996 (FRL–5580–6); 62 FR

9142, February 28, 1997 (FRL–5592–1);

62 FR 14850, March 28, 1997 (FRL–

5598–4); 62 FR 29318, May 30, 1997

(FRL–5722–1); 62 FR 37833, July 15,

1997 (FRL–5732–2)) to allow the

Agency more time to respond to the PK

proposals and to finalize the test

guidelines to be referenced in the

proposed HAPs test rule. This extension

of the comment period is needed to

allow the Agency more time to complete

work on amending the proposed HAPs

test rule.

EPA has completed seven preliminary

technical analyses for the PK proposals

that were submitted in response to the

Agency’s solicitation on June 26, 1996.

These include HAPs chemicals:

hydrogen fluoride, 1,1,2-trichlorethane,

ethylene dichloride, maleic anhydride,

phthalic anhydride, 1,2,4-

trichlorobenzene, and ethylene glycol.

Copies of these preliminary technical

analyses have been sent to the

submitters and placed in the public

record for this action (OPPTS–42187B;

FRL–4869–1). The Agency intends to

provide comments to the submitter of

the other PK proposal as soon as

possible but in any event prior to the

close of the comment period. EPA also

recognizes that submitters may need to

revise their proposals based on EPA

comments. If the Agency decides to

proceed with the ECA process, EPA will

announce, in the Federal Register, one

or more public meetings to discuss the

proposals and to negotiate ECAs. In that

document, the Agency will solicit

persons interested in participating in or

monitoring negotiations to develop

ECAs based on: the PK testing proposals

or revisions thereof, EPA’s preliminary

technical analyses, and additional

comments on EPA’s preliminary

technical analyses provided by the

submitters. The procedures for ECA

negotiations are described at 40 CFR

790.22(b).

The Agency emphasizes that the

submission of proposals to develop

ECAs to conduct alternative testing

using PK is no guarantee that EPA and

the submitters will, in fact, conclude

such agreements. Therefore, EPA urges

all submitters of PK proposals to

comment on the HAPs proposed rule as

an activity separate from the PK

proposal/ECA process.

On August 15, 1997, EPA

promulgated eleven new TSCA test

guidelines (62 FR 43820)(FRL–5719–5),

codified at 40 CFR part 799, subpart H.

These TSCA part 799 test guidelines

were developed based on the OPPTS

harmonized guidelines that were

developed from the OPPTS guideline

harmonization process. In the original

HAPs proposal and subsequent notices

extending the comment period on the

rule, EPA indicated that, for the

purposes of this rulemaking and testing

under TSCA section 4(a), the Office of

Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT)

intends to reference final TSCA test

guidelines developed from the OPPTS

harmonized guidelines. The eleven

TSCA test guidelines are included in the

record for this rulemaking.

EPA is amending the proposed HAPs

test rule to reference the eleven new

TSCA part 799 test guidelines and to

seek comment on the guidelines as

referenced in enforceable test standards

in the forthcoming amended HAPs

proposal. In addition, the amendment

will provide a revised economic

assessment and describe other changes

and clarifications to the proposed test

rule. This amendment to the proposed

HAPs test rule will be published in the

Federal Register as soon as possible but

in any event no later than December 1,

1997.

II. Public Record

The official record for this

rulemaking, as well as the public

version, has been established for this

rulemaking under docket control

number (OPPTS–42187A; FRL–4869–1)

(including comments and data

submitted electronically as described

below). A public version of this record,

including printed, paper versions of

electronic comments, which does not

include any information claimed as CBI,

is available for inspection from 12 noon

to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday,

excluding legal holidays. The official

rulemaking record is located in the

TSCA Nonconfidential Information

Center, Rm NE–B607, 401 M St., SW.,

Washington, DC.

Electronic comments can be sent

directly to EPA at

oppt.ncic@epamail.epa.gov

Electronic comments must be

submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the

use of special characters and any form

of encryption. Comments and data will

also be accepted on disks in

WordPerfect in 5.1 file format or ASCII

file format. All comments and data in

electronic form must be identified by

the docket control number (OPPTS–

42187A; FRL–4869–1). Electronic

comments on the proposed rule may be

filed online at many Federal Depository

Libraries.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 799

Environmental protection, Chemicals,

Hazardous substances, Reporting and

recordkeeping requirements.

Dated: September 22, 1997.

Charles M. Auer,

Chemical Control Division, Office of Pollution

Prevention and Toxics.

Accordingly, EPA is extending the

comment period on the proposed rule to

December 1, 1997.

[FR Doc. 97–25657 Filed 9–25–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–F

COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM

PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR

SEVERELY DISABLED

41 CFR Parts 51–2, 51–4, and 51–6

Miscellaneous Amendments to

Committee Regulations

AGENCY: Committee for Purchase From

People Who Are Blind or Severely

Disabled.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

SUMMARY: The Committee is proposing

to make changes to five sections of its

regulations to clarify them and improve

the efficiency of operation of the

Committee’s Javits-Wagner-O’Day

(JWOD) Program. The changes are

necessary to clarify and expand earlier

regulation changes and to eliminate

unnecessary regulatory language.

DATES: Submit comments on or before

November 25, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Committee for Purchase

From People Who Are Blind or Severely