Significant New Use Rules on Certain Chemical Substances (20-1.5e)
A Rule by the Environmental Protection Agency on 09/17/2020
AGENCY:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION:
Final rule.
SUMMARY:
EPA is issuing significant new use rules (SNURs) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for chemical substances that were the subject of premanufacture notices (PMNs) and are subject to Orders issued by EPA pursuant to TSCA. This action requires persons to notify EPA at least 90 days before commencing manufacture (defined by statute to include import) or processing of any of these chemical substances for an activity that is designated as a significant new use by this rule. The required notification initiates EPA's evaluation of the chemical under the conditions of use within the applicable review period. Persons may not commence manufacture or processing for the significant new use until EPA has conducted a review of the notice, made an appropriate determination on the notice, and has taken such actions as are required as a result of that determination.
DATES:
This rule is effective on November 16, 2020. For purposes of judicial review, this rule shall be promulgated at 1 p.m. (EST) on October 1, 2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For technical information contact: William Wysong, Chemical Control Division (7405M), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 564-4163; email address: wysong.william@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.
A Notice by the Rural Business-Cooperative Service on 09/21/2020
AGENCY:
Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.
ACTION:
Notice.
SUMMARY:
This Notice announces the solicitation of applications for funds available under the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program (the Program) to provide guaranteed loans to fund the development, construction, and retrofitting of commercial scale biorefineries using eligible technology and of biobased product manufacturing facilities that use technologically new commercial scale processing and manufacturing equipment to convert renewable chemicals and other biobased outputs of biorefineries into end-user products, on a commercial scale.
DATES:
With this Notice, the Agency is announcing two separate application cycles, which have application closing dates of 4:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), October 1, 2020, and 4:30 p.m. EDT, April 1, 2021.
Applications must be received in the USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Program Processing Division no later than 4:30 p.m. EDT of the application closing date to compete for program funds. Any application received after 4:30 p.m. EDT of the application closing date will be considered for the subsequent application cycle, provided that funding is still available.
ADDRESSES:
Applications and forms may be obtained from:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Aaron Morris, Director, USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Program Processing Division, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 5801-S, Washington, DC 20250-3225. Telephone: (202) 720-1501. Email: Aaron.Morris@usda.gov.
A Notice by the Environmental Protection Agency on 09/04/2020
AGENCY:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION:
Notice.
SUMMARY:
As required by the final rule on fees for the administration of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) (the Fees Rule), in which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established fees to defray some of the costs of administering certain provisions of TSCA, EPA this document announces the availability of the final lists identifying the manufacturers (including importers) of the 20 chemical substances that have been designated as a High-Priority Substance for risk evaluation and for which fees will be charged. In January 2020, EPA announced the availability of and solicited public comment on the preliminary lists identifying manufacturers subject to fee obligations for EPA-initiated risk evaluations under TSCA. During the comment period, which closed on June 15, 2020, manufacturers (including importers) were also required to self-identify as a manufacturer of one of the 20 High-Priority Substances irrespective of whether they are included on the preliminary lists. Where appropriate, entities had the opportunity to avoid or reduce fee obligations by making certain certifications consistent with the Fees Rule. The public had the opportunity to correct errors or provide comments on the preliminary lists. Manufacturers (including importers) identified on the final list will be subject to applicable fees.
DATES:
Effective on August 27, 2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For technical information contact: Benjamin Dyson, Environmental Assistance Division (7408M), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 774-8976; email address: dyson.benjamin@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.
Notice by the Environmental Protection Agency on 09/04/2020
AGENCY:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION:
Notice.
SUMMARY:
In accordance with the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which was amended by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act in June 2016, and implementing regulations, EPA is announcing the availability of the final scope documents for the risk evaluations to be conducted for the 20 High-Priority Substances designated in December 2019. The scope document for each chemical substance includes the conditions of use, hazards, exposures, and the potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulations the EPA plans to consider in conducting the risk evaluation for that chemical substance.
DATES:
The scope documents announced in this notice are dated August 27, 2020.
ADDRESSES:
The docket for this action is identified by docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2019-0131, and the docket ID numbers for the individual chemical substances are listed with the chemical substance in Unit IV. All the dockets are available at http://www.regulations.gov or at the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics Docket (OPPT Docket), Environmental Protection Agency Docket Center (EPA/DC), West William Jefferson Clinton Bldg., Rm. 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC.
Due to the public health concerns related to COVID-19, the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC) and Reading Room is closed to visitors with limited exceptions. The staff continues to provide remote customer service via email, phone, and webform. For the latest status information on EPA/DC services and docket access, visit https://www.epa.gov/dockets.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For technical information contact: Ross Geredien, Risk Assessment Division, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency (Mailcode 7403M), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 564-1864; email address: geredien.ross@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.
A Rule by the Environmental Protection Agency on 09/03/2020
AGENCY:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION:
Final rule.
SUMMARY:
The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (“CERCLA” or “the Act”), as amended, requires that the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (“NCP”) include a list of national priorities among the known releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants throughout the United States. The National Priorities List (“NPL”) constitutes this list. The NPL is intended primarily to guide the Environmental Protection Agency (“the EPA” or “the agency”) in determining which sites warrant further investigation. These further investigations will allow the EPA to assess the nature and extent of public health and environmental risks associated with the site and to determine what CERCLA-financed remedial action(s), if any, may be appropriate. This rule adds six sites to the General Superfund section of the NPL.
DATES:
The document is effective on October 5, 2020.
ADDRESSES:
Contact information for the EPA Headquarters:
The contact information for the regional dockets is as follows:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Terry Jeng, phone: (703) 603-8852, email: jeng.terry@epa.gov, Site Assessment and Remedy Decisions Branch, Assessment and Remediation Division, Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation (Mailcode 5204P), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460; or the Superfund Hotline, phone (800) 424-9346 or (703) 412-9810 in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area.
A Notice by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on 09/14/2020
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) for the North Baja XPress Project, proposed by North Baja Pipeline, LLC (North Baja) in the above-referenced docket. North Baja requests authorization to modify an existing compressor station in La Paz County, Arizona, as well as install additional flow measurement facilities and piping modifications at two existing meter stations in La Paz County, Arizona, and Imperial County, California, respectively. The project would enable the transport of 495,000 dekatherms per day to the United States/Mexico border. North Baja states that the purpose of the project is to create capacity to meet growing market demand and provide transportation of feed gas for the Energia Costa Azul liquefied natural gas terminal in Baja California, Mexico.
The EA assesses the potential environmental effects of the construction and operation of the North Baja XPress Project in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The FERC staff concludes that approval of the proposed project, with appropriate mitigating measures, would not constitute a major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.
The U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management (BLM) participated as a cooperating agency in the preparation of the EA. Cooperating agencies have jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to resources potentially affected by the proposal and participate in the NEPA analysis. The BLM will adopt and use the EA to consider the issuance of a right-of-way grant for the use of a potential temporary workspace on BLM-administered public lands adjacent to the Ogilby Meter Station. North Baja submitted an application requesting a right-of-way for use of a temporary workspace on BLM-administered public lands.
The proposed North Baja XPress Project includes the following facilities:
The Commission mailed a copy of the Notice of Availability for the project to federal, state, and local government representatives and agencies; elected officials; environmental and public interest groups; Native American tribes; potentially affected landowners and other interested individuals and groups; and newspapers and libraries in the project area. The EA is only available in electronic format. It may be viewed and downloaded from the FERC's website (www.ferc.gov), on the natural gas environmental documents page (https://www.ferc.gov/industries-data/naturalgas/environment/environmental-documents). In addition, the EA may be accessed by using the eLibrary link on the FERC's website. Click on the eLibrary link (https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/elibrary/overview), select “General Search” and enter the docket number in the “Docket Number” field, excluding the last three digits (i.e. CP20-27). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free at (866) 208-3676, or for TTY, contact (202) 502-8659.
The EA is not a decision document. It presents Commission staff's independent analysis of the environmental issues for the Commission to consider when addressing the merits of issues raised in this proceeding. Any person wishing to comment on the EA may do so. Your comments should focus on the EA's disclosure and discussion of potential environmental effects, reasonable alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts. The more specific your comments, the more useful they will be. To ensure that the Commission has the opportunity to consider your comments prior to making its decision on this project, it is important that we receive your comments in Washington, DC on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on October 8, 2020.
For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to file your comments to the Commission. The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has staff available to assist you at (866) 208-3676 or FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. Please carefully follow these instructions so that your comments are properly recorded.
(1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment feature on the Commission's website (www.ferc.gov) under the link to FERC Online. This is an easy method for submitting brief, text-only comments on a project;
(2) You can also file your comments electronically using the eFiling feature on the Commission's website (www.ferc.gov) under the link to FERC Online. With eFiling, you can provide comments in a variety of formats by attaching them as a file with your submission. New eFiling users must first create an account by clicking on “eRegister.” You must select the type of filing you are making. If you are filing a comment on a particular project, please select “Comment on a Filing”; or
(3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to the Commission. Be sure to reference the project docket number (CP20-27-000) on your letter. Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, MD 20852.
Filing environmental comments will not give you intervenor status, but you do not need intervenor status to have your comments considered. Only intervenors have the right to seek rehearing or judicial review of the Commission's decision. At this point in this proceeding, the timeframe for filing timely intervention requests has expired. Any person seeking to become a party to the proceeding must file a motion to intervene out-of-time pursuant to Rule 214(b)(3) and (d) of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedures (18 CFR 385.214(b)(3) and (d)) and show good cause why the time limitation should be waived. Motions to intervene are more fully described at https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/ferc-online/how-guides.
Additional information about the project is available from the Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC, or on the FERC website (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. The eLibrary link also provides access to the texts of all formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings.
In addition, the Commission offers a free service called eSubscription which allows you to keep track of all formal issuances and submittals in specific dockets. This can reduce the amount of time you spend researching proceedings by automatically providing you with notification of these filings, document summaries, and direct links to the documents. Go to https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview to register for eSubscription.
Dated: September 8, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-20169 Filed 9-11-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
A Notice by the Environmental Protection Agency on 09/24/2020
AGENCY:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION:
Notice.
SUMMARY:
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an information collection request (ICR),Start Printed Page 60162Generic Clearance for TSCA Section 4 Test Rules, Test Orders, Enforceable Consent Agreements (ECAs), Voluntary Data Submissions, and Exemptions from Testing Requirement (EPA ICR Number 1139.12 and OMB Control Number 2070-0033) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a proposed revision of the ICR that is currently approved through October 31, 2021. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. A fuller description of the ICR is given below, including its estimated burden and cost to the public. An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
DATES:
Comments must be received on or before October 26, 2020.
ADDRESSES:
Submit your comments, referencing docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2015-0436 to EPA online using www.regulations.gov or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the public docket without change including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI), or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
Submit written comments and recommendations to OMB for the proposed information collection within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Harlan Weir, Chemical Control Division, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 564-9885; email address: weir.harlan@epa.gov.
A Notice by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 09/28/2020
AGENCY:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce (DOC).
ACTION:
Notice of stay—closure of administrative appeal decision record.
SUMMARY:
This announcement provides notice that the Department of Commerce has stayed, for a period of 60 days, closure of the decision record in an administrative appeal filed by Jordan Cove Energy Project, L.P. and Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline, LP (collectively, “Appellants”) under the Coastal Zone Management Act. Appellants appealed to the Secretary of Commerce to override an objection by the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development to a consistency certification for a proposed project to construct and operate a liquified natural gas export terminal and a 229-mile natural gas pipeline and compressor station off the Pacific Coast.
DATES:
The decision record for Appellants' federal consistency appeal of Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development's objection will now close on November 27, 2020.
ADDRESSES:
NOAA has provided access to publicly available materials and related documents comprising the appeal record on the following website: https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=NOAA-HQ-2020-0058.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For questions about this Notice, contact Rachel Morris, Attorney-Advisor, NOAA Office of the General Counsel, Oceans and Coasts Section, and Patrick Carroll, Attorney-Advisor, NOAA Office of the General Counsel, Oceans and Coasts Section, at jordancove.appeal@noaa.gov or (301) 713-7387.