Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 1 / Friday, January 2, 1998 / Notices 75

Hogback Basin, Wenatchee and

Gifford, Pinchot National Forests,

Yakima and Lewis Counties, WA,

Due: February 17, 1998, Contact: Jim

Pena (509) 653–2205.

EIS No. 970495, Final EIS, FAA, MO,

Lambert-St. Louis International

Airport (Lambert) Improvements,

Construction and Operation, Airport

Layout Plan Approval, City of St.

Louis, St. Louis County, MO, Due:

February 02, 1998, Contact: Ms. Moira

Keane (816) 426–4731.

EIS No. 970496, Draft EIS, FRC, ND, IA,

MN, IL, lliance Natural Gas Pipeline

Project, Construction and Operation,

Funding, NPDES Permit, COE Section

10 and 404 Permit, ND, MN, IA and

IL, Due: February 17, 1998, Contact:

Paul McKee (202) 208–1088.

EIS No. 970497, Final EIS, URC, UT,

Provo River Restoration Project

(PRRP), Riverine Habitat Restoration,

Reconstruction and Realignment of

the existing Provo River Channel and

Floodplain System between Jordanell

Dam and Deer River Reservoir,

Wasatch County, UT, Due: February

26, 1998, Contact: Mark A. Holden

(801) 524–3146. The US Department

of the Interior is a Joint Lead Agency

for the above Project along with the

Utah Reclamation Mitigation and

Conservation Commission (URC).

Dated: December 30, 1998.

Cliff Rader,

Environmental Protection Specialist, NEPA

Compliance Division, Office of Federal

Activities.

[FR Doc. 97–34227 Filed 12–31–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–U

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[FRL–5945–3]

Integrated Risk Information System

(IRIS); Announcement of 1998

Program; Request for Information

AGENCY: U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency.

ACTION: Notice; Announcement of IRIS

1998 Program and request for scientific

information on chronic health effects of

chemical substances.

SUMMARY: The Integrated Risk

Information System (IRIS) is a data base

of the United States Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) that contains

EPA scientific consensus positions on

potential human health effects from

environmental contaminants. On April

2, 1996 EPA announced the IRIS Pilot

Program and solicited scientific

information from the public for

consideration in assessing the chronic

health effects of eleven chemical

substances. (See FR Vol. 61 No. 64 p.

14570.) The Pilot program is near

completion, and the Agency is

preparing a new set of chemical health

assessments for IRIS. The purpose of

this notice is to communicate to the

public the Agency’s plans, and solicit

scientific data and evaluations for

consideration in EPA’s new

assessments.

DATES: Please submit information in

response to this notice by March 3,

1998.

ADDRESSES: Please send relevant

scientific information to the IRIS

Submission Desk in accordance with the

instructions provided under

‘‘Submission of Information’’ in this

notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

information on the IRIS program,

contact Amy Mills, National Center for

Environmental Assessment (mail code

8623), U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency, 401 M St. SW, Washington, DC

20460, or call (202) 260–0569, or send

electronic mail inquiries to

mills.amy@epamail.epa.gov. For general

questions about access to IRIS, the

content of IRIS, or how to submit

information in response to this notice,

please call the Risk Information Hotline

at (513) 569–7254. For scientific issues

contact Terry Harvey, National Center

for Environmental Assessment, 26

Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati,

OH 45268, or call (513) 569–7531, or

send electronic mail inquiries to

harvey.terry@epamail.epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The Integrated Risk Information

System (IRIS) is an EPA data base

containing Agency consensus scientific

positions on potential adverse human

health effects that may result from

chronic (or lifetime) exposure to

environmental contaminants. IRIS

currently provides health effects

information on over 500 specific

chemical substances.

IRIS contains chemical-specific

summaries of qualitative and

quantitative health information in

support of the first two steps of the risk

assessment process, i.e., hazard

identification and dose-response

evaluation. IRIS information includes

the reference dose for non-cancer health

effects resulting from oral exposure, the

reference concentration for non-cancer

health effects resulting from inhalation

exposure, and the carcinogen

assessment for both oral and inhalation

exposure. Combined with specific

situational exposure assessment

information, the summary health hazard

information in IRIS may be used as a

source in evaluating potential public

health risks from environmental

contaminants.

The Pilot Program

As a consequence of analyzing the

IRIS program and considering

suggestions received about IRIS through

1995, the Agency tested some

improvements through a Pilot Program.

The Pilot focused on improving the

scientific consensus and review process

that precedes IRIS data base entries.

EPA developed (or updated, for existing

entries) non-cancer and cancer

information for eleven Pilot substances.

The Pilot process consisted of, (1) a call

for technical information on the eleven

substances from the public via a FR

Notice, April 2, 1996, (2) a search of the

current literature, (3) development of

health assessments and draft IRIS

summaries, (3) internal peer review (i.e.,

within EPA), (4) external peer review

(i.e., outside EPA), (5) Agency

consensus review and management

approval within EPA, (6) preparation of

final IRIS summaries and supporting

documents, and (7) entry of summaries

into the IRIS data base. The last stage is

currently underway for most of the Pilot

substances.

EPA’s evaluation of the Pilot provided

the basis for designing the operation of

the future IRIS program. For example,

the Agency standardized (1) the

solicitation of scientific information

from the public via a FR notice, (2) the

use of the ‘‘Toxicological Review’’ as a

preferred support document for IRIS

entries which combines cancer and

noncancer assessments, and (3) the use

of rigorous external peer review

procedures for IRIS summaries and

Toxicological Reviews. The final

Agency consensus review process,

while still being tested, is replacing the

former ‘‘CRAVE’’ and ‘‘RfD/RfC Work

Groups’’.

The following substances were

reviewed under the Pilot Program:

Name CAS. No.

Arsenic ...................................... 7440–38–2

Bentazon ................................... 25057–89–0

Beryllium ................................... 7440–41–7

Chlordane ................................. 12789–03–6

Chromium:

Cr (III) .................................... 16065–83–1

Cr (VI) .................................... 18540–29–9

Total Cr ................................. 7440–47–3

Cumene .................................... 98–82–8

Methyl methacrylate .................. 80–62–6

Diphenylmethane diisocyanate 101–68–8

Naphthalene .............................. 91–20–3

Tributyltin oxide ......................... 56–35–9
76 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 1 / Friday, January 2, 1998 / Notices

Name CAS. No.

Vinyl chloride ............................ 75–01–4

A cancer assessment for

polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and

an oral noncancer assessment for

trinitrobenzene were also added to IRIS

during the Pilot period. The IRIS

summaries and support documents for

the substances listed above are now

provided on the IRIS web site at

www.epa.gov/iris, or will be provided

shortly. This publicly-available web site

will be the primary location for all new

IRIS summaries and Toxicological

Reviews.

New Starts and Completions for FY

1998

EPA will continue building and

updating the IRIS data base utilizing the

experiences gained from the IRIS Pilot.

The Agency recognizes that many of the

assessments on IRIS need updating to

incorporate new scientific information

and methodologies. Further, many

additional substances are candidates for

adding to IRIS. However, due to limited

resources in the Agency to address the

spectrum of needs, a list of priority

substances was developed internally by

EPA for attention in FY 1998. The

following lists of substances are

priorities for IRIS due to one or more of

the following reasons: (1) Agency

statutory, regulatory, or program

implementation need; (2) new scientific

information or methodology is available

that might significantly change current

IRIS information, (3) interest to other

levels of government or the public, (4)

most of the scientific assessment work

has been completed while meeting other

Agency requirements, and only a

modest additional effort will be needed

to complete the review and

documentation for IRIS. Unless

otherwise noted, noncancer and cancer

endpoints will be assessed for each

substance.

Assessments in Progress—Completion

Planned for FY 1998

In addition to completing the

remaining Pilot assessments, the

following assessments are underway or

generally complete, and are planned for

update on IRIS in FY 1998:

Name CAS No.

Acetonitrile ................................ 75–05–8

Barium ....................................... 7440–39–3

Benzene .................................... 71–43–2

1,3-Butadiene ............................ 106–99–0

Cadmium ................................... 7440–43–9

Chloroethane ............................ 75–00–3

Diesel emissions ....................... [N.A.]

Name CAS No.

Ethylene glycol butyl ether ....... 111–76–2

Information requested on new

assessments

The following IRIS health assessments

have recently begun or will be started in

FY 1998, with completion expected

between late FY 1998 and early FY

2000. It is for these substances that the

Agency is primarily requesting

information from the public for

consideration in the assessment.

Name CAS No.

Boron ........................................ 7440–42–8

Bromate .................................... 7758–01–2

Chloral hydrate ......................... 75–87–6

Chloroform ................................ 67–66–3

Dichloroacetic acid .................... 79–43–6

1,3-Dichloropropene ................. 542–75–6

Formaldehyde ........................... 50–00–0

Lindane ..................................... 58–89–9

Nitrobenzene ............................. 98–95–3

Pentachlorophenol .................... 87–86–5

Polychlorinated biphenyls

(PCBs)—[noncancer

endpoints] .............................. 1336–36–3

Styrene ...................................... 100–42–5

Tetrachloroethylene .................. 127–18–4

Tetrahydrofuran ........................ 109–99–9

Toxaphene ................................ 8001–35–2

Trichloroethylene ...................... 79–01–6

Vinyl acetate ............................. 108–05–4

Check the IRIS web site at

www.epa.gov/iris for any additions to

the above list during the course of FY

1998. Follow-up Federal Register

notices will address new starts for

subsequent fiscal years. In the future,

these notices will include chemical

substances selected for assessment or

reassessment under EPA’s new

guidelines for carcinogen risk

assessment that are also planned for

inclusion in IRIS (See FR Vol. 61 no. 64

p. 32799, June 25, 1996).

Submission of Information

The IRIS program is providing an

opportunity for public involvement on

new assessments starting in FY 1998.

While the Agency conducts a thorough

literature search for each chemical

substance, there may be other articles or

unpublished studies we are not aware

of. The Agency would greatly appreciate

receiving scientific information from the

public during the information gathering

stage for the list of ‘‘new assessments’’

listed above. Interested persons should

provide scientific comments, analyses,

studies, and other pertinent scientific

information. The most useful

documents for EPA are unpublished

studies or other primary technical

sources that we may not otherwise

obtain through open literature searches.

Also note that if you have submitted

certain information previously then

there is no need to resubmit that

information. Information from the

public is being solicited for 60 days via

this notice.

Similar to the process described in the

FR Notice for the IRIS Pilot,

submissions will be handled in a threestep process:

1. First, interested parties should

simply provide a list (submission

inventory), briefly identifying all the

information they wish to submit to the

IRIS Submission Desk. The list should

specify by name and CAS (Chemical

Abstract Registry) number the chemical

substance(s) to which the information

pertains, state the type of assessment

that is being addressed (e.g.,

carcinogenicity), and describe briefly

the information being submitted for

consideration. Where possible,

documents should be listed in scientific

citation format, that is, author(s), title,

journal, and date. A cover letter should

state that the correspondence is an IRIS

Submission, describe in general terms

the purpose of the submission, and

include names, addresses, and

telephone numbers of persons to contact

for additional information on the

submission. Three copies of the

submittal should be mailed to the IRIS

Submission Desk, NCEA (MS–105), U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency, 26

Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati,

OH 45268.

The submission inventory and cover

letter may instead be submitted

electronically to

IRIS.comments@epamail.epa.gov.

Electronic information must be

submitted in Wordperfect or as an ASCII

file. Information will also be accepted

on 3.5′′ floppy disks. All information in

electronic form must be identified as an

IRIS Submission.

2. In the second step, EPA will

compare the submission inventory to

existing files and identify the

information that should be submitted.

This step will help prevent an influx of

duplicative information. The submitter

will receive notification requesting full

submission of the selected material.

3. In the third step, the submitter

must send in the information requested

by EPA within 30 days to ensure its

consideration in the assessment.

Submittals should include a cover letter

addressing all of the points in item 1

above. In addition, persons submitting

results of new health effects studies

concerning existing substances on IRIS

should include a specific explanation of

how and why the study results could

change the information in IRIS.
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 1 / Friday, January 2, 1998 / Notices 77

Submitters are requested to send three

copies, at least one of which should be

unbound. The submittal should be

mailed to the IRIS Submission Desk,

NCEA (MS–105), U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency, 26 Martin Luther

King Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268.

Receipt of information will be

acknowledged by the IRIS Submission

Desk.

Confidential Business Information

(CBI) should not be submitted to the

IRIS Submission Desk. CBI must be

submitted to the appropriate EPA Office

via approved Agency procedures for

submission of CBI as codified in the

Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR,

Part 2, Subpart B). If a submitter

believes that a CBI submission contains

information with implications for IRIS,

it should be noted in the cover letter

accompanying the submission to the

appropriate office.

Submitters may also request to

augment their submission with a

scientific briefing to EPA staff. Such

requests should be made directly to

Amy Mills, acting IRIS Assessment

Manager (see ADDRESSEES).

Dated: December 24, 1997.

William H. Farland,

Director, National Center for Environmental

Assessment.

[FR Doc. 97–34198 Filed 12–31–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[FRL–5943–1]

Common Sense Initiative Council

(CSIC)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notification of Public Advisory

for CSI Iron and Steel Sector and

Petroleum Refining Sector

Subcommittee Meetings; Open

Meetings.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal

Advisory Committee Act, Public Law

92–463, notice is hereby given that the

Iron and Steel Sector and Petroleum

Refining Sector Subcommittees of the

CSIC will meet on the dates and times

described below. Both meetings are

open to the public. Seating at both

meetings will be on a first-come basis

and limited time will be provided for

public comment. For further

information concerning specific

meetings, please contact the individuals

listed with the announcements below.

(1) Iron and Steel Sector

Subcommittee Meeting—January 21–22,

1998. The Iron and Steel Sector

Subcommittee will hold an open

meeting on Wednesday, January 21 and

Thursday, January 22, 1998. On

Wednesday, the meeting will begin at

10:00 a.m. CST and will run until 5:00

p.m. CST. Shortly after convening, the

Subcommittee will break into work

group sessions and reconvene in the

afternoon. On Thursday, the meeting

will begin at 8:00 a.m. CST and end at

4:00 p.m. CST. The Subcommittee will

review the status of the two work groups

it has created to deal with

environmental performance and

monitoring and decide its next steps.

The meeting will be held both days at

the Metcalf Federal Building, Great

Lakes Conference Center, 12th floor, 77

West Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604.

At its October meeting, the

Subcommittee decided to create two

work groups: environmental

performance and monitoring. The

environmental performance work group

is working on developing a code of

conduct and a definition of substantial

compliance for the industry, and the

monitoring work group is exploring the

different federal, state, and local

monitoring requirements with a goal of

considering if current monitoring of the

industry is relevant to today’s needs. At

the January meeting, the Subcommittee

will allow time on January 21st for the

two work groups to meet in the morning

and early afternoon, then review the

progress of these two work groups and

decide its next steps. Additionally, it

will review the status of ongoing

projects and discuss the development of

papers dealing with industry-specific

Resource Conservation and Recovery

Act issues.

For more information about this

meeting, please contact: Ms. Judith

Hecht, Designated Federal Officer

(DFO), at US EPA by telephone at 202–

260–5682 in Washington, D.C. or by Email at hecht.judy@epamail.epa.gov, or

Mr. Robert Tolpa at EPA Region 5 in

Chicago, Illinois, on 312–886–6706, or

Dr. Mahesh Podar at EPA, Washington,

DC on 202–260–5387.

(2) Petroleum Refining Sector

Subcommittee Meeting—January 26–27,

1998. The Petroleum Refining Sector

Subcommittee will hold an open

meeting on January 26 and 27, 1998.

Work Group meetings will be held from

1:00 pm CST to 5:00 pm CST on

Monday, January 26. The full

Subcommittee will meet from

approximately 8:00 am CST until 5:00

pm CST on Tuesday, January 27, 1998.

The meeting will be held at the Harvey

Hotel Dallas, 7800 Alpha Road, Dallas,

Texas 75240. The hotel telephone

number is 972–960–7000.

The Subcommittee meeting agenda

includes an update on the status of the

Refinery Air Information Reporting

System Project and the Equipment

Leaks Project. The Subcommittee also

plans to discuss potential new project

ideas. A public comment period has

been scheduled from approximately

2:00 pm CST until 3:00 pm CST on

Tuesday, January 27, 1998.

For further information concerning

this meeting of the Petroleum Refining

Sector Subcommittee, please contact

either Craig Weeks, Designated Federal

Officer (DFO), at US EPA Region 6

(6EN), 1445 Ross Avenue, Dallas, TX

75202–2733, by telephone at 214–665–

7505 or E-mail at

weeks.craig@epamail.epa.gov or Steve

Souders, Alternate DFO, at US EPA

(5306W), 401 M Street, SW,

Washington, DC 20460, by telephone at

703–308–8431 or E-mail at

souders.steve@epamail.epa.gov.

Inspection of Subcommittee

Documents: Documents relating to the

above topics will be publicly available

at the meeting. Thereafter, these

documents, together with the official

minutes for the meetings, will be

available for public inspection in room

2821M of EPA Headquarters, Common

Sense Initiative Staff, 401 M Street, SW,

Washington, D.C. 20460, telephone

number 202–260–7417. Common Sense

Initiative information can be accessed

electronically on our web site at http./

/www.epa.gov/commonsense.

Dated: December 24, 1997.

Kathleen Bailey,

Designated Federal Officer.

[FR Doc. 97–34197 Filed 12–31–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS

COMMISSION

Notice of Public Information

Collection(s) Being Reviewed by the

Federal Communications Commission

December 22, 1997.

SUMMARY: The Federal Communications

Commission, as part of its continuing

effort to reduce paperwork burden,

invites the general public and other

Federal agencies to take this

opportunity to comment on the

following information collection(s), as

required by the Paperwork Reduction

Act of 1995, Public Law 104–13. An

agency may not conduct or sponsor a

collection of information unless it

displays a currently valid control

number. No person shall be subject to

any penalty for failing to comply with

a collection of information subject to the