Document ID: EPA-HQ-OPPT-2017-0244-0001
Agency: epa
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Formaldehyde Emission Standards for Composite Wood Products; Compliance Date Extension
Posted Date: 2017-05-24T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 99 (Wednesday, May 24, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 23769-23770]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-10547]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 770

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2017-0244; FRL-9962-85]
RIN 2070-AK35

Compliance Date Extension; Formaldehyde Emission Standards for 
Composite Wood Products

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: EPA is proposing to amend a final rule that published in the 
Federal Register on December 12, 2016, concerning formaldehyde emission 
standards for composite wood products. EPA is publishing this proposed 
amendment to extend the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Title VI 
final rule compliance dates including: extending the December 12, 2017 
date for emission standards, recordkeeping, and labeling provisions 
until March 22, 2018; extending the December 12, 2018 date for import 
certification provisions until March 22, 2019; and extending the 
December 12, 2023 date for provisions applicable to producers of 
laminated products until March 22, 2024. Additionally, this proposed 
amendment would extend the transitional period during which the 
California Air Resources Board (CARB) Third Party Certifiers (TPC) may 
certify composite wood products under TSCA Title VI without an 
accreditation issued by an EPA TSCA Title VI Accreditation Body so long 
as the TPC remains approved by CARB, is recognized by EPA, and complies 
with all aspects of the December 12, 2016 final rule. Extension of 
these compliance dates and the transitional period for CARB TPCs adds 
regulatory flexibility for regulated entities, reduces compliance 
burdens, and helps to prevent disruptions to supply chains. EPA 
believes that the proposed amendment is non-controversial and does not 
expect to receive any adverse comments. Therefore, in addition to this 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, elsewhere in this issue of the Federal 
Register, EPA is promulgating the amendment as a direct final rule.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before June 8, 2017. 
Comments postmarked after the close of the comment period will be 
stamped ``late'' and may or may not be considered by the Agency.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification 
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2017-0244, 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: 
Erik Winchester, National Program Chemicals Division, Office of 
Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: 
(202) 564-6450; email address: winchester.erik@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: For further information about the proposed 
changes to the compliance dates, please see the information provided in 
the direct final action, with the same title, that is located in the 
``Rules and Regulations'' section of this issue of the Federal 
Register.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 770

    Environmental protection, Formaldehyde, Incorporation by reference, 
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Third-party certification, 
Toxic substances, Wood.

[[Page 23770]]

    Dated: May 17, 2017.
Louise P. Wise,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2017-10547 Filed 5-23-17; 8:45 am]
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