Access to Confidential Business Information by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

EPA has authorized the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to access information which has been submitted to EPA under all sections of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Some of the information may be claimed or determined to be Confidential Business Information (CBI).

DATES:

Access to the confidential data submitted to EPA under all sections of TSCA occurred as a result of an on-going Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between CPSC and the U.S. EPA dated September 23, 1986, which granted CPSC immediate access to all sections of TSCA CBI.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For general information contact: Colby Lintner, Regulatory Coordinator, Environmental Assistance Division (7408M), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 554-1404; e-mail address: TSCA-Hotline@epa.gov.

For technical information contact: Pam Moseley, Information Management Division (7407M), Office Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 564-8956; e-mail address: pamela. moseley @epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this Action Apply to Me?

You may be potentially affected by this action if you are or may be required to conduct testing of chemical substances under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Since other entities may also be interested, the Agency has not attempted to describe all the specific entities that may be affected by this action. If you have any questions regarding the applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

B. How Can I Get Copies of this Document and Other Related Information?

1. Docket. EPA has established a docket for this action under docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2003-0004. All documents in the docket are listed in the docket's index available at http://www.regulations.gov . Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly available, e.g., Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only in hard copy. Publicly available docket materials are available electronically at http://www.regulations.gov , or, if only available in hard copy, at the OPPT Docket. The OPPT Docket is located in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC) at Rm. 3334, EPA West Bldg., 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays. The telephone number of the EPA/DC Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the OPPT Docket is (202) 566-0280. Docket visitors are required to show photographic identification, pass through a metal detector, and sign the EPA visitor log. All visitor bags are processed through an X-ray machine and subject to search. Visitors will be provided an EPA/DC badge that must be visible at all times in the building and returned upon departure.

2. Electronic access. You may access this Federal Register document electronically through the EPA Internet under the Federal Register listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr .

II. What Action is the Agency Taking?

Under a MOU dated September 23, 1986, the CPSC agreed to EPA procedures governing access to CBI submitted to EPA under TSCA.

In accordance with 40 CFR 2.306(h), EPA determined that CPSC requires access to CBI submitted to EPA under all sections of TSCA to perform successfully their responsibilities under the Consumer Product Safety Act and TSCA.

CPSC's personnel are given access to information submitted to EPA under all sections of TSCA. Some of the information is claimed or determined to be CBI. Under terms of the MOU, CPSC is not required to renew its access to TSCA CBI. EPA publishes this notice to the public from time to time to reiterate and confirm that access to TSCA CBI has been granted to this other federal agency. In a previous notice published in the Federal Register on February 26, 2003 (68 FR 8892) (FRL-7293-2), EPA confirmed that CPSC continues to have access to CBI under all sections of TSCA. EPA is issuing notice to once again confirm that CPSC maintains access under the existing MOU.

EPA issues this notice to inform all submitters of information under all sections of TSCA that EPA provides the CPSC access to these CBI materials on a need-to-know basis only. All access to TSCA CBI under this MOU will take place at EPA Headquarters and CPSC's 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD site.

CSPC is required to adhere to all provisions of EPA's TSCA CBI Protection Manual.

CPSC personnel are required to sign nondisclosure agreements and are briefed on appropriate security procedures before they are permitted access to TSCA CBI.

List of Subjects

• Environmental protection
• Confidential Business Information