Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 243 / Wednesday, December 18, 2024 / Notices 102903 

IV. Designation as High-Priority 

Substances for Risk Evaluation 

Based on the information provided in 

the proposed designation documents, as 

referenced in the document that 

appeared in the Federal Register of July 

25, 2024 (Ref. 2), and public comments 

received, including information 

pertaining to individual chemical 

substances, EPA is designating the same 

five chemicals as High-Priority 

Substances for risk evaluation under 

TSCA. Pursuant to 40 CFR 702.11, 

which states: ‘‘For High-Priority 

Substances, EPA generally expects to 

indicate which condition(s) of use were 

the primary basis for such 

designations.’’ For all five High-Priority 

Substances the conditions of use which 

formed the primary basis for the 

designation were included in the 

proposed designation documents. The 

final High-Priority Substance 

designations are as follows: 

• Acetaldehyde, CASRN 75–07–0, 

Docket ID number: EPA–HQ–OPPT– 

2018–0497; 

• Acrylonitrile, CASRN 107–13–1, 

Docket ID number: EPA–HQ–OPPT– 

2018–0449; 

• Benzenamine, CASRN 62–53–3, 

Docket ID number: EPA–HQ–OPPT– 

2018–0474; 

• Vinyl chloride, CASRN 75–01–4, 

Docket ID number: EPA–HQ–OPPT– 

2018–0448; and 

• 4,4′-Methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) 

(MBOCA), CASRN 101–14–4, Docket ID 

number: EPA–HQ–OPPT–2018–0464. 

The final designations are based on 

the conclusion that each chemical 

substance satisfies the definition of 

High-Priority Substance in TSCA 

section 6(b)(1)(B) and 40 CFR 702.3. 

EPA developed a document for each 

substance to identify the information, 

analysis and basis used to support the 

proposed designations as a High-Priority 

Substance for risk evaluation. These 

documents are available in the docket of 

each of the chemical substances. Also 

included in each document is an 

explanation of the approach used by 

EPA to conduct the review. Each 

document includes an overview of the 

requirements in TSCA section 6(b)(1)(A) 

and a regulatory section addressing the 

review criteria and considerations (40 

CFR 702.9). 

These designated High-Priority 

Substances will fulfill the statutory 

requirement to designate at least one 

high-priority substance upon 

completion of each risk evaluation for a 

High-Priority Substance, under TSCA 

section 6(b)(3)(C). Pursuant to TSCA 

section 6(b)(3)(A) and 40 CFR 702.17, 

the designation of these chemical 

substances as High-Priority Substances 

constitutes the initiation of the risk 

evaluations on the substances. 

A designation of a chemical substance 

as a High-Priority Substance is not a 

finding of unreasonable risk; rather, a 

final designation as a High-Priority 

Substance initiates the risk evaluation 

for the chemical substance. This is a 

three-year process that will culminate in 

a finding of whether or not the chemical 

substance presents an unreasonable risk 

of injury to health or the environment 

under the conditions of use. The 

chemical-specific designation 

documents containing the information, 

analysis and basis used to support the 

proposed designations are located in the 

docket for each chemical substance. As 

previously discussed, to the extent that 

comments provided information on 

additional conditions of use for the 

candidate High-Priority Substances for 

risk evaluation, those conditions of use 

were noted in the proposed designation 

documents for each chemical substance 

and may be reflected in the draft scope 

of the risk evaluation for each chemical 

substance, which will include the 

conceptual model and analysis plan for 

carrying out the evaluation. As such, 

EPA will not amend the proposed 

designation documents. Instead, 

additional submitted potentially 

relevant information specific to HighPriority Substances (e.g., relevant 

studies and assessments) will be 

considered in subsequent phases of risk 

evaluation, including draft scope 

documents and draft risk evaluation 

documents, both of which will be 

subject to public comment 

opportunities. 

V. References 

The following is a listing of the 

documents that are specifically 

referenced in this document. The docket 

for this action includes these documents 

and other information considered by 

EPA, including documents that are 

referenced within the documents that 

are included in the docket. For 

assistance in locating these referenced 

documents, please consult the technical 

person listed under FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT. 

1. EPA. Initiation of Prioritization Under the 

Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). 

Notice. Federal Register. 88 FR 87423, 

December 18, 2023 (FRL–11581–01– 

OCSPP). 

2. EPA. Proposed High-Priority Substance 

Designations Under the Toxic 

Substances Control Act (TSCA). Federal 

Register. 89 FR 60420, July 25, 2024 

(FRL–11581–03–OCSPP). 

3. EPA. EPA Response to Public Comments 

Received on the ‘‘Initiation of 

Prioritization Under the Toxic 

Substances Control Act’’ and ‘‘Proposed 

High-Priority Substance Designations 

Under the Toxic Substances Control 

Act.’’ December 18, 2024. 

4. EPA. ‘‘A Working Approach for Identifying 

Potential Candidate Chemicals for 

Prioritization.’’ (https://www.epa.gov/ 

sites/production/files/201809/ 

documents/preprioritization_white_

paper_9272018.pdf). September 27, 

2018. 

Authority: 15 U.S.C. 2601 et seq. 

Dated: December 12, 2024. 

Michal Freedhoff, 

Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical 

Safety and Pollution Prevention. 

[FR Doc. 2024–29830 Filed 12–17–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[EPA–HQ–OPPT–2023–0601; FRL–11581– 

06–OCSPP] 

Initiation of Prioritization Under the 

Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA); 

Notice of Availability 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: Under the Toxic Substances 

Control Act (TSCA) and related 

implementing regulations, EPA is 

initiating the prioritization process for 

five chemical substances as candidates 

for designation as High-Priority 

Substances for risk evaluation. This 

action provides the identity of the 

chemical substances being initiated for 

prioritization, a general explanation of 

why the Agency chose these chemical 

substances, and information on the data 

sources EPA plans to use to support the 

designation. EPA is providing a 90-day 

comment period, during which 

interested persons may submit relevant 

information on these chemical 

substances. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before March 18, 2025. 

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, 

identified by docket identification (ID) 

number, through https://

www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 

instructions for submitting comments. 

For comments not related to a specific 

chemical, including general comments 

on Unit IV.A., use docket ID number 

EPA–HQ–OPPT–2023–0601; submit 

information on the candidates for which 

EPA is initiating the prioritization 

process to the applicable chemicalspecific docket ID number identified in 

Unit III.B.; submit information on the 

potential candidates for which EPA is 

not currently initiating the prioritization 


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process to the docket ID number 

identified in Unit IV.B. Do not submit 

electronically any information you 

consider to be Confidential Business 

Information (CBI) or other information 

whose disclosure is restricted by statute. 

Additional instructions on commenting 

or visiting the docket, along with more 

information about dockets generally, is 

available at https://www.epa.gov/ 

dockets. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

For technical information: Sarah Au, 

Data Gathering, Management, and 

Policy Division (7406M), Office of 

Pollution Prevention and Toxics, 

Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 

Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 

20460–0001; telephone number: (202) 

564–0398; email address: au.sarah@

epa.gov. 

For general information: The TSCAHotline, ABVI-Goodwill, 422 South 

Clinton Ave., Rochester, NY 14620; 

telephone number: (202) 554–1404; 

email address: TSCA-Hotline@epa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Executive Summary 

A. Does this action apply to me? 

This action is directed to the public 

in general and may be of interest to 

entities that currently or may 

manufacture (including import) a 

chemical substance regulated under 

TSCA (e.g., entities identified under 

North American Industrial 

Classification System (NAICS) codes 

325 and 324110). The action may also 

be of interest to chemical processors, 

distributors in commerce, users, nonprofit organizations in the 

environmental and public health 

sectors, state and local government 

agencies, Tribes, and members of the 

public. Because other entities may also 

be interested, the Agency has not 

attempted to describe all the specific 

entities and corresponding NAICS codes 

for entities that may be interested in or 

affected by this action. 

B. What action is the Agency taking? 

EPA is initiating the prioritization 

process under TSCA, 15 U.S.C. 2601 et 

seq., for five chemical substances as 

candidates for designation as HighPriority Substances for risk evaluation. 

This document includes the identity of 

the chemical substances entering the 

prioritization process before designation 

and a general explanation of why the 

Agency chose to initiate prioritization 

on these chemical substances. In 

addition, EPA is providing a 90-day 

comment period during which 

interested persons may submit relevant 

information on these chemical 

substances. Relevant information might 

include, but is not limited to, any 

information that may inform the 

prioritization screening review 

conducted pursuant to 40 CFR 702.9(a). 

C. Why is the Agency taking this action? 

TSCA section 6(b) requires that EPA 

initiate the prioritization process for 

chemical substances that may be 

designated as high priority or low 

priority for risk evaluation. Because 

EPA generally expects to complete five 

risk evaluations per year over the next 

several years, EPA is initiating the 

prioritization process for five chemical 

substances per TSCA section 6(b)(3)(C), 

which requires EPA to designate at least 

one High-Priority Substance upon 

completion of each risk evaluation for a 

High-Priority Substance. In the Federal 

Register on December 18, 2023 (88 FR 

87423) (FRL–11581–01–OCSPP)), EPA 

initiated prioritization for five chemical 

substances that have undergone 

consideration as High-Priority 

Substances pursuant to TSCA section 

6(b)(2)(B). By initiating prioritization 

another five chemical substances 

pursuant to TSCA section 6(b)(2)(B), 

EPA intends to maintain a sustainable 

pipeline of existing chemical risk 

evaluations under TSCA section 6(b). 

The request for interested persons to 

submit relevant information on a 

chemical substance for which EPA has 

initiated the prioritization process is 

required by TSCA section 6(b)(1)(C)(i). 

D. What is the Agency’s authority for 

taking this action? 

This document is issued pursuant to 

the authority in TSCA section 6(b)(1) 

and (3)(C). 

E. What are the estimated incremental 

impacts of this action? 

This document does not establish 

requirements on persons or entities 

outside of the Agency. No incremental 

impacts are therefore anticipated, and 

consequently EPA did not estimate 

potential incremental impacts for this 

action. 

F. What should I consider as I prepare 

my comments for EPA? 

1. Submitting CBI 

Do not submit CBI to EPA through 

https://www.regulations.gov or email. If 

you wish to include CBI in your 

comment, please follow the applicable 

instructions at https://www.epa.gov/ 

dockets/commenting-epa-dockets#rules 

and clearly mark the part or all the 

information you claim to be CBI. In 

addition to one complete version of the 

comment including 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 and/or 40 CFR part 703, 

as applicable. 

2. Tips for Preparing Your Comments 

When preparing and submitting your 

comments, see the commenting tips at 

https://www.epa.gov/dockets/ 

commenting-epa-dockets.html. 

II. Background 

TSCA section 6(b)(1) requires EPA to 

prioritize chemical substances for risk 

evaluation and to establish a process for 

prioritizing chemical substances. Under 

TSCA section 6(b) and as described in 

40 CFR 702.7, EPA is initiating the 

prioritization process for five chemical 

substances as candidates for HighPriority Substances for risk evaluation. 

Under TSCA section 6(b)(1)(B) and its 

implementing regulations (40 CFR 

702.3), a High-Priority Substance is 

defined as a chemical substance that 

EPA determines, without consideration 

of costs or other non-risk factors, may 

present an unreasonable risk of injury to 

health or the environment because of a 

potential hazard and a potential route of 

exposure under the conditions of use, 

including an unreasonable risk to 

potentially exposed or susceptible 

subpopulations identified as relevant by 

EPA. 

Initiation of prioritization for 

chemical substances as High-Priority 

Substance candidates is not a finding of 

risk. Rather, when prioritization is 

complete, for those chemicals 

designated as High-Priority Substances, 

EPA will have evidence that this 

substance may present an unreasonable 

risk of injury to health or the 

environment because of a potential 

hazard and a potential route of exposure 

under the conditions of use. Final 

designation of a High-Priority Substance 

initiates the risk evaluation process (40 

CFR 702.17), which culminates in a 

finding of whether the chemical 

substance presents an unreasonable risk 

under the conditions of use. 

This document is intended to fulfill 

the TSCA section 6(b)(1)(C)(i) 

requirement that the Administrator 

request interested persons to submit 

relevant information on chemical 

substances for which the Administrator 

has initiated the prioritization process. 

As described in 40 CFR 702.7, this 

document initiates the prioritization 

process and provides 90 days during 

which interested persons may submit 

relevant information. 


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As described in 40 CFR 702.9(b), in 

conducting the screening review during 

the prioritization process, EPA will 

consider sources of information relevant 

to the screening review criteria as 

outlined in the statute (TSCA section 

6(b)(1)(A)) and implementing 

regulations (40 CFR 702.9(a)) and 

consistent with the scientific standards 

of TSCA section 26(h), including, as 

appropriate, sources for hazard and 

exposure data listed in Appendices A 

and B of the TSCA Work Plan 

Chemicals: Methods Document 

(February 2012). 

Consistent with the approach 

described in 40 CFR 702.7, and the ‘‘A 

Working Approach for Identifying 

Potential Candidate Chemicals for 

Prioritization’’ document (September 

27, 2018), available at https://

www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2018- 

09/documents/preprioritization_white_

paper_9272018.pdf, EPA consulted with 

other federal agencies and intends to 

continue to collaborate with them to 

identify information that is useful 

throughout the prioritization process. 

III. High Priority Candidate Chemical 

Substances for Which EPA Is Initiating 

Prioritization 

A. How did EPA select these candidates 

for prioritization for potential 

designation as High-Priority Substances 

for risk evaluation? 

In general, EPA’s working approach to 

select candidates for designation as 

High-Priority Substances for risk 

evaluation is outlined in the document, 

titled ‘‘A Working Approach for 

Identifying Potential Candidate 

Chemicals for Prioritization,’’ released 

to the public on September 27, 2018, 

available at https://www.epa.gov/sites/ 

default/files/2018-09/documents/ 

preprioritization_white_paper_

9272018.pdf. To identify candidates for 

designation as High-Priority Substances, 

EPA primarily reviewed the ‘‘TSCA 

Work Plan for Chemical Assessments: 

2014 Update (2014 TSCA Work Plan),’’ 

available at https://www.epa.gov/ 

assessing-and-managing-chemicalsunder-tsca/tsca-work-plan-chemicalassessments-2014-update. TSCA 

requires EPA to preferentially consider 

chemicals on the 2014 TSCA Work Plan 

that are persistent and bioaccumulative 

and those that are known human 

carcinogens and highly toxic, based on 

scores and criteria documented in the 

Work Plan, as these chemicals were 

selected for inclusion on the Work Plan 

due to their potential risk to human 

health and the environment. Aside from 

this statutory requirement, TSCA gives 

EPA discretion in how the Agency 

ultimately selects a chemical substance 

for prioritization. EPA strives to 

designate as High-Priority Substances 

those chemicals with the greatest hazard 

and exposure potential first, consistent 

with the policy objectives codified in 40 

CFR 702.5(a) in the Federal Register on 

July 20, 2017 (82 FR 33753) (FRL–9964– 

24)). 

The number of chemical substances 

remaining on the 2014 TSCA Work Plan 

with persistence and bioaccumulation 

scores of 3 has been significantly 

reduced over time as EPA has expedited 

rulemaking under TSCA section 6(h) for 

five persistent, bioaccumulative, and 

toxic (PBT) chemical substances and as 

the Agency has conducted risk 

evaluations and promulgated risk 

management for rules for other chemical 

substances from the 2014 TSCA Work 

Plan. TSCA section 6(b)(2)(B) further 

requires that at least 50 percent of all 

ongoing risk evaluations be drawn from 

the 2014 TSCA Work Plan for Chemical 

Assessments. Given EPA’s statutory 

deadlines and the timing of 

prioritization actions needed to offset 

the completion of risk evaluations for 

chemical substances designated as HighPriority Substances in 2019, EPA 

heavily weighed data availability in 

deciding which chemical substances to 

include in this action. Chemical 

substances remaining on the 2014 TSCA 

Work Plan that have persistence and 

bioaccumulation scores of 3 have 

significant data gaps, were submitted as 

potential manufacturer-requested risk 

evaluation candidates or are categories 

for which EPA is in the process of 

determining specific chemical 

structures that may be considered for 

inclusion in those categories. 

EPA consulted with other EPA 

program offices and partner federal 

agencies to inform the Agency’s 

prioritization efforts. With these 

considerations, the chemicals for which 

prioritization is initiated in this action 

were selected based on a variety of 

factors and reflect Agency priorities. 

While data availability was a significant 

driver of the Agency’s selections, EPA 

also considered the complexity of 

evaluating broad chemical categories 

such as metal compounds. For EPA to 

build a sustainable TSCA prioritization, 

evaluation, and (when appropriate) risk 

management pipeline, chemicals 

ultimately designated as High-Priority 

Substances for risk evaluation should 

have a robust data landscape. In future 

rounds of prioritization, EPA intends to 

use its data gathering authorities earlier 

and commits to regular stakeholder 

engagement to ensure the Agency has 

the information needed to meet its 

statutory mandates. 

Using data sources such as those 

described in the document titled, ‘‘A 

Working Approach for Identifying 

Potential Candidate Chemicals for 

Prioritization,’’ EPA considered various 

types of information and data from 

existing resources such as EPA’s 

National Center for Computational 

Toxicology’s Chemistry Dashboard 

(CompTox Chemicals Dashboard), 

available at https://comptox.epa.gov/ 

dashboard. EPA also conducted initial 

searches of additional sources of public 

and gray literature (e.g., PubMed, Web 

of Science, other U.S. government and 

international websites). 

EPA also considered existing 

information from public and non-public 

(i.e., confidential business information) 

sources maintained by authoritative 

sources, such as other EPA program 

offices, state and federal agencies, and 

various U.S. and international 

organizations (including but not limited 

to EPA’s Office of Water, EPA’s Office 

of Air and Radiation, EPA’s Office of 

Research and Development, California 

Environmental Protection Agency, 

National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health, Agency for Toxic 

Substances and Disease Registry, 

European Chemicals Agency, Health 

Canada, International Agency for 

Research on Cancer, and Organisation 

for Economic Co-operation and 

Development). 

After identifying information from 

reasonably available sources, the 

information was screened across several 

data elements including physical and 

chemical properties, environmental fate 

and transport properties, hazard, 

exposure, and use information to 

determine the breadth of data 

availability for a chemical substance. 

Using experience gained from TSCA 

implementation activities to date, EPA 

considered previous and planned 

Agency activities related to a given 

chemical substance, including how to 

better leverage experience gained from 

previously conducted or ongoing risk 

evaluations. EPA also considered 

whether analyses from previous risk 

assessments could be used to better 

understand each chemical substance’s 

potential exposure and/or hazard 

characteristics. 

In the absence of measured empirical 

data on chemicals being evaluated, EPA 

may use alternative means or new 

approach methods (NAMs) to obtain 

relevant data. NAMs can reduce 

vertebrate testing, consistent with TSCA 

section 4(h)(1)(A). EPA intends to use 

this approach to the extent practicable 

and scientifically justified. 

EPA also considered information such 

as data submitted to EPA in 2020 under 


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the Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule 

under TSCA regarding reported uses 

and products to inform prioritization 

and risk evaluation. EPA considered the 

use information for these chemicals and 

screened them according to the types of 

industrial uses and types of products for 

which the chemicals were used as 

reported in the 2020 CDR. Information 

reported to the Toxics Release Inventory 

Program was also considered to identify 

reported uses and releases of chemical 

substances. 

EPA intends to update and refine its 

initial review based on data sources 

identified by the public during the 

comment period (see EPA’s request for 

data in Unit IV.) and, as permitted by 

TSCA section 14 and subject to EPA 

confidentiality regulations at 40 CFR 

part 2, subpart B and 40 CFR part 703, 

intends to make this information 

publicly available for the initiated 

chemicals when EPA publishes the 

proposed priority designation. 

Between December 18, 2023, and 

October 31, 2024, EPA received 

information regarding candidate 

chemical substances being considered 

for prioritization actions during two 

periods. During September and October 

2023, EPA hosted a series of preprioritization meetings with various 

stakeholders, Tribes, state and local 

governments, and other federal agencies 

to explain the prioritization process and 

provide an overview of information that 

may be used to inform the 

considerations that ultimately support a 

High- or Low-Priority Substance 

designation. A list of 15 candidate 

chemical substances being considered 

for future prioritization actions, 

including those undergoing initiation in 

this prioritization action, was presented 

to provide an opportunity for partners, 

stakeholders, and any interested persons 

to comment on the data and scientific 

literature available that may be used to 

help EPA determine which chemical 

substances may undergo prioritization 

in the near term. EPA also opened 

docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OPPT–2023– 

0606 for 90 days to receive any 

potentially relevant information on the 

10 chemical substances communicated 

as candidates for prioritization but not 

selected for initiation on December 18, 

2023, which included the chemical 

substances for which prioritization is 

being initiated with this action. 

As a part of EPA’s commitment to 

greater transparency and to maintain 

engagement with partners, stakeholders 

or any interested persons about 

upcoming prioritization actions, EPA 

hosted public webinars on September 

30 and October 1, 2024, that explained 

the prioritization process, provided an 

overview of information that may be 

used to inform the considerations that 

ultimately support a High- or LowPriority Substance designation, and 

shared an expanded list of 27 candidate 

chemical substances being considered 

for prioritization actions. This expanded 

list included the 10 chemical substances 

previously communicated in 2023 as 

being potential candidates for 

prioritization but not yet selected for 

initiation. Following the public 

webinars, EPA opened docket ID No. 

EPA–HQ–OPPT–2023–0606 for 30 days 

to receive any potentially relevant 

information on the 27 chemical 

substances communicated as being 

candidates for prioritization. EPA also 

engaged with Tribes, state and local 

governments, and other federal agencies 

and presented the same information that 

was provided during the public 

webinars. 

EPA considered all comments and 

information received during the various 

meetings and webinars, as well as those 

submitted to docket ID no. EPA–HQ– 

OPPT–2023–0606 on all candidate 

chemical substances considered for 

prioritization actions communicated 

between September 2023 and October 

2024 to identify the five chemical 

substances being initiated for 

prioritization. During the first 90-day 

public comment period accompanying 

the initiation action that began in 

December 2023, EPA received 

comments pertaining to six chemical 

substances communicated as potential 

candidates for prioritization during the 

pre-prioritization presentations in 

September and October 2023 and 

September and October 2024: 4-tertoctylphenol, N-(1,3-Dimethylbutyl)-N′- 

phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6PPD), 

benzene, ethylbenzene, naphthalene, 

and styrene. 

One commentor (EPA–HQ–OPPT– 

2018–0448–0027) wrote in general 

support of the consideration of benzene, 

ethylbenzene, naphthalene, and styrene 

for upcoming prioritization actions and 

the consideration of submitted 

information on natural disasters and 

environmental impacts on potential 

exposure. 

Some commenters (EPA–HQ–OPPT– 

2023–0606–0005; EPA–HQ–OPPT– 

2023–0606–0006; EPA–HQ–OPPT– 

2023–0606–0007) included information 

on 6PPD and/or 6PPD-quinone (a 

degradation product of 6PPD) for 

consideration in upcoming 

prioritization actions and in support of 

the petition submitted under TSCA 

section 21 requesting the promulgation 

of risk management regulations under 

TSCA section 6(a) to prohibit the 

manufacturing, processing, use and 

distribution of 6PPD for and in tires to 

eliminate unreasonable risk to the 

environment. 

Another commenter (EPA–HQ– 

OPPT–2023–0606–0005) requested that 

docket ID. No. EPA–HQ–OPPT–2023– 

0606 remain open to allow for 

continuous submission of potentially 

relevant information regarding the 

characterization of 6PPD risk. EPA 

intends to re-open docket ID No. EPA– 

HQ–OPPT–2023–0606 during specific 

timeframes during pre-prioritization to 

allow for submission of information 

using regulations.gov. 

As described in Unit IV.B., EPA is 

also re-opening docket ID No. EPA–HQ– 

OPPT–2023–0606 to solicit comments 

and information on 22 chemical 

substances that are candidates for future 

prioritization actions. Regarding the 

TSCA section 21 petition from 

Earthjustice on behalf of the Yurok 

Tribe, the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, 

and the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, EPA 

issued an Advance Notice of Proposed 

Rulemaking in the Federal Register on 

November 18, 2024 (89 FR 91299) (FRL– 

11682–01–OCSPP)) for 6PPD and 6PPDquinone under TSCA section 6(a), and 

is committed to finalizing a TSCA 

section 8(d) rulemaking by the end of 

2024 that would require persons who 

manufacture (including import) 6PPD to 

submit lists or copies of unpublished 

health and safety studies to EPA. 

One commentor (EPA–HQ–OPPT– 

2023–0606–0003) stated that the 

information presented in the 2014 TSCA 

Work Plan was incorrect for 4-tertoctylphenol and that EPA should not 

include 4-tert-octylphenol on the fourth 

Candidate Chemical List under SDWA. 

Under TSCA, EPA is required to 

consider chemical substances identified 

in the 2014 TSCA Work Plan and does 

not plan to revise the Work Plan as part 

of this action. Additional information 

received regarding the potential hazard, 

potential exposure, and 

bioaccumulation and persistence of 4- 

tert-octylphenol may be considered 

during prioritization. 

For more information on the 

comments and EPA’s responses 

regarding the candidate chemical 

substances, see Section 1.7 and 7.1 of 

the ‘‘EPA Response to Public Comments 

Received on the ‘‘Initiation of 

Prioritization Under the Toxic 

Substances Control Act’’ and ‘‘Proposed 

High-Priority Substance Designations 

Under the Toxic Substances Control 

Act’’ document published in docket ID 

no. EPA–HQ–OPPT–2023–0601 and 

EPA–HQ–OPPT–2023–0606. 


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B. What chemicals are being initiated? 

EPA is initiating the prioritization 

process for the following five chemicals 

as candidates for designation as HighPriority Substances: 

1. 4-Tert-Octylphenol, CASRN 140–66– 

9, Docket ID No.: EPA–HQ–OPPT– 

2018–0496 

This chemical was listed in the 2014 

TSCA Work Plan with a hazard score of 

3; an exposure score of 3; and a 

persistence and bioaccumulation score 

of 2. Exposure to 4-tert-octyphenol (4- 

(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)-phenol may 

result in a range of human health effects 

such as kidney inflammation and 

impaired fertility (i.e., lowered sperm 

count). Data related to human 

carcinogenicity have not been 

identified. Data regarding the use of this 

chemical was reported to EPA in the 

2020 CDR. EPA also receives 

information annually on this chemical 

through the Toxics Release Inventory 

(TRI). Information is available from 

assessments conducted by international 

organizations, and other countries. 

2. Benzene, CASRN 71–43–2, Docket ID 

No.: EPA–HQ–OPPT–2018–0475 

This chemical was listed in the 2014 

TSCA Work Plan with a hazard score of 

3; an exposure score of 3; and a 

persistence and bioaccumulation score 

of 1. Data regarding the use of this 

chemical was reported to EPA in the 

2020 CDR. Benzene is a known human 

carcinogen. Exposure to benzene may 

also result in a range of health effects 

such as immune function (e.g., 

decreased immune lymphocyte count) 

and developmental abnormalities (i.e., 

fetal malformations). EPA also receives 

information annually on this chemical 

through the TRI. Information is 

available from assessments conducted 

by other federal agencies, the state of 

California, international organizations, 

and other countries. 

3. Ethylbenzene, CAS RN 100–41–4, 

Docket ID No.: EPA–HQ–OPPT–2018– 

0487 

This chemical was listed in the 2014 

TSCA Work Plan with a hazard score of 

3; an exposure score of 3; and a 

persistence and bioaccumulation score 

of 1. Ethylbenzene is a probable human 

carcinogen. Exposure to ethylbenzene 

may also result in a range of health 

effects such as changes to liver and 

kidney tissue, hearing loss, and 

developmental abnormalities (i.e., fetal 

malformations). Data regarding the use 

of this chemical was reported to EPA in 

the 2020 CDR. EPA also receives 

information annually on this chemical 

through the TRI. Information is 

available from assessments conducted 

by other federal agencies, the state of 

California, international organizations, 

and other countries. 

4. Naphthalene, CASRN 91–20–3, 

Docket ID No.: EPA–HQ–OPPT–2018– 

0454 

This chemical was listed in the 2014 

TSCA Work Plan with a hazard score of 

3; an exposure score of 3; and a 

persistence and bioaccumulation score 

of 2. Naphthalene is a probable human 

carcinogen. Exposure to naphthalene 

may also result in a range of health 

effects such as destruction of red blood 

cells resulting in lower blood oxygen, 

damage to eyesight, and changes to 

liver, lung, and nasal tissue. Data 

regarding the use of this chemical was 

reported to EPA in the 2020 CDR. EPA 

also receives information annually on 

this chemical through the TRI. 

Information is available from 

assessments conducted by other federal 

agencies, the state of California, 

international organizations, and other 

countries. 

5. Styrene, CASRN 100–42–5, Docket ID 

No.: EPA–HQ–OPPT–2018–0461 

This chemical was listed in the 2014 

TSCA Work Plan with a hazard score of 

3; an exposure score of 3; and a 

persistence and bioaccumulation score 

of 1. Styrene is a probable human 

carcinogen. Exposure to styrene may 

also result in a range of health effects 

such as hearing loss, memory loss, fetal 

death, and tissue changes in the lungs 

and nasal passages. Data regarding the 

use of this chemical was reported to 

EPA in the 2020 CDR. EPA also receives 

information annually on this chemical 

through the TRI. Information is 

available from assessments conducted 

by other federal agencies, the state of 

California, international organizations, 

and other countries. 

IV. Relevant Information 

A. What additional information is EPA 

seeking for the five candidate chemical 

substances for which EPA is initiating 

prioritization? 

Through this initiation of 

prioritization for chemical substances, 

EPA is providing a 90-day comment 

period as required by the statute (TSCA 

section 6(b)(1)(C)(i)) and implementing 

regulations (40 CFR 702.7(d)) and 

requesting that interested persons 

voluntarily submit relevant information. 

Relevant information might include, but 

is not limited to, information that may 

inform the screening review conducted 

pursuant to 40 CFR 702.9(a), consistent 

with the scientific standard of TSCA 

section 26(h), about the following 

criteria and considerations: 

• The chemical substance’s hazard 

and exposure potential; 

• The chemical substance’s 

persistence and bioaccumulation; 

• Potentially exposed or susceptible 

subpopulations which the submitter 

believes are relevant to the 

prioritization; 

• Whether there is any storage of the 

chemical substance near significant 

sources of drinking water, including the 

storage facility location and the nearby 

drinking water source(s); 

• The chemical substance’s 

conditions of use or significant changes 

in conditions of use, including 

information regarding trade names; 

• The chemical substance’s 

production volume or significant 

changes in production volume; and 

• Any other information relevant to 

the potential risks of the chemical 

substance that might be relevant to the 

designation of the chemical substance’s 

priority for risk evaluation. 

If the information is publicly 

available, citations are sufficient 

(including, but not limited to: Title, 

author, date of publication, publication 

source), and the submission does not 

need to include copies of the 

information. 

B. What information is the Agency 

seeking for the 22 additional chemical 

substances that EPA considered, but did 

not select, for the current round of 

prioritization? 

During the pre-prioritization process, 

EPA hosted public webinars and met 

with federal partners, industry, 

environmental organizations, labor 

organizations, state and local 

governments, and Tribes to discuss the 

prioritization process and presented a 

list of 27 chemical substances EPA was 

considering for prioritization. EPA took 

feedback from these discussions into 

consideration when selecting the five 

chemicals for prioritization listed in 

Unit III.B. Interested persons may 

submit relevant information on the 

chemical substances listed in this unit 

that are not currently undergoing 

prioritization by using docket ID 

number EPA–HQ–OPPT–2023–0606. 

EPA has not yet determined which 

specific chemical structures are being 

considered for the chemical substances 

designated as a category in the 2014 

TSCA Work Plan (i.e., do not have 

CASRN listed). Therefore, EPA 

welcomes comments and information 

on specific chemical structures that may 

be relevant for addressing the various 

prioritization criteria and considerations 

on the chemical categories listed in this 


khammond on DSK9W7S144PROD with NOTICES
102908 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 243 / Wednesday, December 18, 2024 / Notices 

1See 12 CFR 217.402, 217.404. 2Method 2 uses similar inputs to those used in 

method 1 but replaces the substitutability category 

with a measure of a firm’s use of short-term 

wholesale funding. In addition, method 2 is 

calibrated differently from method 1. See 12 CFR 

217.405. 

unit. Information submitted on the 

substances within a category should be 

reported for each individual chemical 

structure, to the extent possible (i.e., 

known or reasonably ascertainable). If 

the chemical identity of some of the 

individual chemical structures are not 

known or reasonably ascertainable by 

the commenter, the information 

associated with those chemical 

substances may be reported as a group 

of chemical structures (i.e., isomeric 

mixture) or as the chemical category: 

• 1-Hexadecanol, CASRN 36653–82– 

4; 

• 2-Ethylhexyl 2,3,4,5- 

tetrabromobenzoate (TBB), CASRN 

183658–27–7; 

• Bis(2-Ethylhexyl)-3,4,5,6- 

Tetrabromophthalate (TBPH), CASRN 

26040–51–7; 

• Bisphenol A, CASRN 80–05–7; 

• Creosote, CASRN 8001–58–9; 

• Di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP), 

CASRN 117–84–0; 

• N-Nitroso-diphenylamine, CASRN 

86–30–6; 

• P,P′- 

Oxybis(benzenesulfonylhydrazide), 

CASRN 80–51–3; 

• Tribromomethane, CASRN 75–25– 

2; 

• Triglycidyl isocyanurate, CASRN 

2451–62–9; 

• M-Xylene, CASRN 108–38–3; 

• O-Xylene, CASRN 95–47–6; 

• P-Xylene, CASRN 106–42–3; 

• Antimony and Antimony 

Compounds, Category; 

• Arsenic and Arsenic Compounds, 

Category; 

• Cobalt and Cobalt Compounds, 

Category; 

• Lead and Lead Compounds, 

Category; 

• Long-chain chlorinated paraffins 

(C18-20), Category; 

• Medium-chain chlorinated paraffins 

(C14-17), Category; 

• Bisphenol S, CASRN 80–09–1; 

• Hydrogen Fluoride, CASRN 7664– 

39–3; 

• N-(1,3-Dimethylbutyl)-N′-phenyl-pphenylenediamine (6PPD), CASRN 793– 

24–8. 

C. How will confidential business 

information be protected? 

A person seeking to protect from 

disclosure as ‘‘confidential business 

information’’ any information that 

person submits under TSCA must assert 

and substantiate a claim for protection 

from disclosure concurrent with 

submission of the information in 

accordance with the requirements of 

TSCA section 14 and 40 CFR 703, with 

limited exceptions provided in the 

statute. TSCA section 14(b) limits 

confidentiality protections for health 

and safety studies and information from 

such studies, however, and while EPA 

considers confidential business 

information when conducting its review 

under 40 CFR 702.9(a), the Agency 

encourages submitters to minimize 

claims for protection from disclosure 

wherever possible to maximize 

transparency in EPA’s screening review. 

More information on asserting and 

submitting confidential business 

information claims under TSCA can be 

found at 40 CFR 703 and https://

www.epa.gov/tsca-cbi. 

Authority: 15 U.S.C. 2601 et seq. 

Dated: December 12, 2024. 

Michal Freedhoff, 

Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical 

Safety and Pollution Prevention. 

[FR Doc. 2024–29829 Filed 12–17–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION 

Sunshine Act Meetings 

FEDERAL REGISTER CITATION NOTICE OF

PREVIOUS ANNOUNCEMENT: 89 FR 89012. 

PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED TIME AND DATE OF

THE MEETING: Thursday, November 14, 

2024 at 11:00 a.m., Hybrid Meeting: 

1050 First Street NE, Washington, DC 

(12th Floor) and virtual. 

CHANGE IN THE MEETING: The November 

14, 2024 Open Meeting was canceled. 

CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION: 

Judith Ingram, Press Officer. Telephone: 

(202) 694–1220. 

(Authority: Government in the Sunshine Act, 

5 U.S.C. 552b) 

Laura E. Sinram, 

Secretary and Clerk of the Commission. 

[FR Doc. 2024–30107 Filed 12–16–24; 11:15 am] 

BILLING CODE 6715–01–P 

FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM 

[Docket No. OP–1863] 

Regulation Q; Regulatory Capital Rule: 

Risk-Based Capital Surcharges for 

Global Systemically Important Bank 

Holding Companies 

AGENCY: Board of Governors of the 

Federal Reserve System (Board). 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Board is providing notice 

of the 2024 aggregate global indicator 

amounts, as required under the Board’s 

rule regarding risk-based capital 

surcharges for global systemically 

important bank holding companies. 

DATES: December 18, 2024. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Anna Lee Hewko, Associate Director, 

(202) 250–1577, Brian Chernoff, 

Manager, (202) 731–8914, Alexander 

Jiron, Senior Financial Institution Policy 

Analyst II, (202) 450–7350, or Aakash 

Jani, Senior Financial Institution Policy 

Analyst I, (202) 941–8305, Division of 

Supervision and Regulation; or Jay 

Schwarz, Deputy Associate General 

Counsel, (202) 452–2970, Mark Buresh, 

Senior Special Counsel, (202) 499–0261, 

Jonah Kind, Senior Counsel, (202) 309– 

5287, or David Imhoff, Senior Attorney 

(202) 834–3222, Legal Division. Board of 

Governors of the Federal Reserve 

System, 20th and C NW, Washington, 

DC 20551. For the hearing impaired and 

users of Telecommunications Device for 

the Deaf (TDD) and TTY–TRS, please 

call 711 from any telephone, anywhere 

in the United States. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Board’s framework for determining riskbased capital surcharges for global 

systemically important bank holding 

companies (GSIB surcharge rule) 

establishes a methodology to identify 

global systemically important bank 

holding companies (GSIBs) in the 

United States based on indicators that 

are correlated with systemic 

importance.1 Under the GSIB surcharge 

rule, a firm must calculate its GSIB 

score using a specific formula (method 

1). Method 1 uses five equally weighted 

categories that are correlated with 

systemic importance—size, 

interconnectedness, cross-jurisdictional 

activity, substitutability, and 

complexity—and subdivided into 

twelve systemic indicators. 

A firm divides its own measure of 

each systemic indicator by an aggregate 

global indicator amount. A firm’s 

method 1 score is the sum of its 

weighted systemic indicator scores 

expressed in basis points. A firm that 

calculates a method 1 score of 130 basis 

points or more is identified as a GSIB 

under the GSIB surcharge rule. The 

GSIB surcharge for a firm is the higher 

of the GSIB surcharge determined under 

method 1 and a second method, method 

2, which is calculated based on 

measures of size, interconnectedness, 

cross-jurisdictional activity, complexity, 

and the firm’s reliance on short-term 

wholesale funding.2

The aggregate global indicator 

amounts used in the score calculation 


khammond on DSK9W7S144PROD with NOTICES