60206 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 196 / Tuesday, October 10, 2000 / Notices

Dated: October 3, 2000.

LaVerne Y. Stringfield,

Director, Office of Federal Advisory

Committee Policy.

[FR Doc. 00–25879 Filed 10–6–00; 8:45 am]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES

Public Health Service

National Toxicology Program; National

Institute of Environmental Health

Sciences; Center for the Evaluation of

Risks to Human Reproduction

Announces the Availability of Seven

Expert Panel Reports on Phthalate

Esters and Solicits Public Comments

on These Reports

Background

The National Toxicology Program

(NTP) and the National Institute of

Environmental Health Sciences have

established the NTP Center for the

Evaluation of Risks to Human

Reproduction (CERHR; December 14,

1998 [63 FR 68782]). The purpose of the

Center is to provide timely and

unbiased, scientifically sound

evaluations of human and experimental

evidence for adverse effects on

reproduction, including development,

caused by agents to which humans may

be exposed. The goals of the individual

assessments are to (1) interpret for and

provide to the general public

information about the strength of

scientific evidence that a given exposure

or exposure circumstance may pose a

hazard to reproduction and the health

and welfare of children: (2) provide

regulatory agencies with objective and

scientifically thorough assessments of

the scientific evidence that adverse

reproductive/development health effects

are associated with exposure to specific

chemicals or classes of chemicals,

including descriptions of any

uncertainties that would diminish

confidence in assessment of risks, and

(3) identify knowledge gaps to help

establish research and testing priorities.

Phthalate Esters Reviewed

This evaluation of seven phthalate

esters was conducted over a one year

period by a 16-member Expert Panel

made up of scientists from government,

universities, and industry (May 23, 2000

[65 FR 33343–33345]). Public

deliberations by the Panel were

completed in July, 2000. Since that

time, the draft reports have been revised

to incorporate the conclusions reached

by the Panel in their July, 2000, meeting

and have been reviewed for accuracy by

the CERHR Core Committee, made up of

representatives of NTP-participating

agencies, NTP scientists, and members

of the Phthalates Expert Panel. Phthalate

esters are used as plasticizers in a wide

range of polyvinyl chloride-based

consumer products. These phthalate

esters were selected for the initial

evaluation by the CERHR based on their

high production volume, extent of

human exposures, use in children’s

products, published evidence of

reproductive or developmental toxicity,

and public concern.

The following phthalate esters were

reviewed by CERHR (Chemical Abstract

Service Registry Number):

butyl benzyl phthalate (85–68–7)

di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (117–81–7)

di-isodecyl phthalate (26761–40–0,

68515–49–1)

di-isononyl phthalate (28553–12–0,

68515–48–0)

di-n-butyl phthalate (84–74–2)

di-n-hexyl phthalate (84–75–3)

di-n-octyl phthalate (117–84–0)

Availability of Phthalate Reports

Expert Panel reports on the above

phthalate esters can be obtained from

the CERHR website http://

cerhr.niehs.nih.gov). Hard copies can be

obtained by contacting: Ms. Harriet

McCullom, Management Coordinator,

CERHR, 1800 Diagonal Road, Suite 500,

Alexandria, VA 22314–2808,

Telephone: 703–838–9440, Facsimile:

703–684–2223.

Request for Public Comment on the

Expert Panel Reports

The Center invites public comment on

the Expert Panel Reports listed above,

including any recent relevant toxicology

data and human exposure information.

These reports are the product of the

Expert Panel review of data available as

of July 1, 2000. Public comments

received on the Expert Panel Reports

will be reviewed, summarized, and

included in the NTP Center transmittal

report prepared by the NTP staff. NTP

will transmit the NTP Center report, the

Expert Panel Report, the public

comments received on the expert panel

report, and any new information since

completion of the expert panel report to

the appropriate Federal and State

Agencies, the public, and the scientific

community. Further information on the

Center’s chemical review process can be

obtained from the CERHR website

(http://cerhr.niehs.nih.gov).

Written comments received by

December 11, 2000 will be considered.

Please forward comments and chemical

information to: Michael D. Shelby,

Ph.D.; Director, CERHR, NIEHS/NTP

B3–09; P.O. Box 12233; Research

Triangle Park, NC 27709–2233;

Telephone: 919–541–3455; Facsimile:

919–541–4634.

Dated: October 2, 2000.

Samuel H. Wilson,

Deputy Director, NIEHS.

[FR Doc. 00–25892 Filed 10–6–00; 8:45 am]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[AZ–040–00–1040–XX]

Gila Box Riparian National

Conservation Area (RNCA) Advisory

Committee Meeting

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Interior.

SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is

to announce the next meeting of the Gila

Box Riparian National Conservation

Area Advisory Committee Meeting. The

purpose of the Advisory Committee is to

provide informed advice to the Bureau

of Land Management (BLM) Safford

Field Manager on management of public

lands in the Gila Box Riparian National

Conservation Area. The committee

meets as needed, generally between two

and four times a year.

The meeting will begin at the BLM

Safford Field Office on November 3,

2000, commencing at 7 a.m. and ending

at 5 p.m. The meeting’s agenda will

consist of a tour of portions of the Gila

Box RNCA with community leaders

from Graham and Greenlee counties to

build support for the implementation of

the Gila Box RNCA management plan. A

public comment period will begin at 7

a.m. and may continue for the duration

of the meeting at the discretion of the

Gila Box Advisory Committee. The

public may accompany the Committee

and invited guests on the tour, but must

provide their own transportation and

lunch.

DATES: Meeting will be held on

November 3, 2000, starting at 7 a.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jon

Collins, Gila Box RNCA Project

Coordinator, BLM, Safford Field Office,

711 14th Avenue, Safford, Arizona

85546; telephone number: (520) 348–

4400.

Dated: September 28, 2000.

Wayne King,

Acting Field Office Manager.

[FR Doc. 00–25911 Filed 10–6–00; 8:45 am]

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