This page provides access to a listing of some of the recent additions and new materials made available on the EPA Web site within the past six weeks.

November 4, 2009

• Response to EPA Administrator's Request for Investigation into Allegations of a Cover-up in the Risk Assessment for the Coal Ash Rulemaking (PDF) - Based on the request, OIG reviewed EPA activities pertaining to the draft risk assessment supporting the rulemaking process for the disposal of coal ash in landfills and surface impoundments. While EPA has been involved in a wide range of coal ash-related activities, the scope of this review was restricted to the landfill and surface impoundment rulemaking and does not include activities related to minefilling or beneficial use. A 10 pp, 77K Adobe Acrobat PDF document from the Office of Inspector General.

• Publication: IRIS Toxicological Review of Trichloroethylene (External Review Draft) - EPA announces the release of the draft Toxicological Review of Trichloroethylene (TCE) for a 90-day public review and comment period. Additionally, as per the new IRIS process, all comments received from federal agencies and White House offices on draft IRIS assessments will be made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments and the interagency draft of the trichloroethylene IRIS assessment have also been released (Integrated Risk Information System Program).

• Pesticide Spray and Dust Drift - EPA is issuing proposed guidance for new pesticide labeling to reduce off-target spray and dust drift (Office of Pesticide Programs).

October 29, 2009

• New from the Office of Inspector General:

  • EPA Recovery Act Recipient Reporting and Data Review Process (PDF) - The Recovery Act awarded $7.2 billion to EPA. We conducted this review to determine whether EPA established a process to perform limited data quality reviews intended to identify material omissions and/or significant reporting errors, and to notify the recipients of the need to make appropriate and timely changes. An 8 pp, 166K Adobe Acrobat PDF document.

  • Compendium of Unimplemented Recommendations as of September 30, 2009 (PDF) - The purpose of this Compendium of Unimplemented Recommendations is to highlight for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) management significant recommendations that have remained unimplemented past the due date agreed upon by EPA and the Office of Inspector General (OIG). A 45 pp, 277K Adobe Acrobat PDF document.
  • EPA Needs to Improve Continuity of Operations Planning (PDF) - The objective of this evaluation was to determine how well the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can accomplish its mission essential functions in the event of a pandemic influenza or equivalent national emergency that necessitates Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation. A 19 pp, 153K Adobe Acrobat PDF document.

• Publication: Highlights of the Child-Specific Exposure Factors Handbook (Final Report) - EPA is announcing the release of the final report, Highlights of the Child-Specific Exposure Factors Handbook. This highlights document provides some introductory information about the handbook and presents a summary of the recommendations presented in the Child-Specific Exposure Factors Handbook (National Center for Environmental Assessment).

• Registration Review Final Work Plan for Boric Acid - The Final Registration Review Work Plan for Boric acid and Sodium Borate Salts is available (Office of Pesticide Programs).

• New Brochure on Laboratory Waste (PDF) - A new EPA brochure on "Managing Laboratory Hazardous Waste" is now available (Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery).

October 26, 2009

• EPA responded to a stakeholder petition on lead, and agreed to revisit the current lead dust hazards standard and to work with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to modify the definition of lead-based paint in its regulations. EPA is also proposing to expand coverage of its 2008 Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule as part of its ongoing commitment to eliminate lead poisoning. The proposed rule would eliminate an exemption from the RRP rule (Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics).

October 22, 2009

• Tracking Air Pollution to Improve Your Health - This summer, scientists in EPA's National Exposure Research Laboratory began sampling air across Cleveland, Ohio, to better understand the links between sources of air pollution and adverse health effects. The research will be used to develop new tools and models for air quality managers to reduce and control air pollutants at their source (National Exposure Research Laboratory).

• New from the Integrated Risk Information System Program:

  • Publication: External Peer Review Comments available on the Toxicological Review of ethylene glycol monobutyl ether (EGBE) - On April 25, 2008, the Toxicological Review of ethylene glycol monobutyl ether (EGBE) was released for external review. Comments from the first and second rounds of this review were consolidated and reports are now available.

  • Publication: External Peer Review Comments available on the Toxicological Review of Pentachlorophenol - On August 4, 2009, an external peer review panel workshop was hosted by an independent contractor on the Toxicological Review of Pentachlorophenol (External Review Draft). Completing this review, a final report of the comments from the workshop were collected and is now available.

• Superfund 104(e) Information Request Collection of Questions - EPA uses many approaches to gather information and locate evidence to determine liability, including the use of "information request letters." The collection of questions, divided into 36 categories, is intended to assist the Regions in tailoring specific information requests based on the type of potentially responsible party and their involvement at a site (Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance).

• Insect Repellents: Use and Effectiveness - EPA has launched a new Web page containing product information on certain skin-applied insect repellents (Office of Pesticide Programs).

October 20, 2009

• Publication: IRIS Toxicological Review of Cerium Oxide and Cerium Compounds (Interagency Review Draft) - EPA has released the draft documents and comments from the Interagency Science Discussion of the Toxicological Review of Cerium Oxide and Cerium Compounds. As per the new IRIS process, all comments received from federal agencies and White House offices on draft IRIS assessments will be made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments and the interagency draft of the Cerium Oxide and Cerium Compounds IRIS assessment have now been posted on the EPA Web site (Integrated Risk Information System Program).

• New Fuel Economy Guide available - EPA releases Fuel Economy Guide for new 2010 vehicles (Office of Transportation and Air Quality).

• EPA Signs Proposed Rule for HFO-1234yf as an Automotive Refrigerant - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program implements section 612 of the amended Clean Air Act of 1990, which requires EPA to evaluate substitutes for the ozone-depleting substances to reduce overall risk to human health and the environment. Through these evaluations, SNAP generates lists of acceptable and unacceptable substitutes for each of the major industrial use sectors. The intended effect of the SNAP program is to promote a safe, smooth transition away from ozone depleting compounds to the available substitutes (Significant New Alternatives Policy Program).

October 15, 2009

• Sophisticated NASA Radar Aids EPA Ecosystem Services Research - EPA scientists recently initiated research to test the effectiveness of a new, advanced radar system’s ability to gather data to help EPA understand how wetlands control reactive nitrogen — a significant environmental stressor on the nation’s water quality (National Exposure Research Laboratory).

• New publications from the Integrated Risk Information System Program:

  • IRIS Toxicological Review of Trichloroacetic Acid (Interagency Review Draft) - EPA has released the draft documents and comments from the Interagency Science Discussion of the Toxicological Review of Trichloroacetic Acid. As per the new IRIS process, all comments received from federal agencies and White House offices on draft IRIS assessments will be made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments and the interagency draft of the Trichloroacetic Acid IRIS assessment have now been posted on the EPA Web site.

  • IRIS Toxicological Review of Chlordecone (Interagency Review Draft) - EPA has released the draft documents and comments from the Interagency Science Discussion of the Toxicological Review of Chlordecone. As per the new IRIS process, all comments received from federal agencies and White House offices on draft IRIS assessments will be made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments and the interagency draft of the Chlordecone IRIS assessment have now been posted on the EPA Web site.

  • IRIS Toxicological Review of 2-Hexanone (Interagency Review Draft) - EPA has released the draft documents and comments from the Interagency Science Discussion of the Toxicological Review of 2-Hexanone. As per the new IRIS process, all comments received from federal agencies and White House offices on draft IRIS assessments will be made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments and the interagency draft of the 2-Hexanone IRIS assessment have now been posted on the EPA Web site.

  • IRIS Toxicological Review of 1,2,3-Trichloropropane (Interagency Review Draft) - EPA has released the draft documents and comments from the Interagency Science Discussion of the Toxicological Review of 1,2,3-Trichloropropane. As per the new IRIS process, all comments received from federal agencies and White House offices on draft IRIS assessments will be made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments and the interagency draft of the 1,2,3-Trichloropropane IRIS assessment have now been posted on the EPA Web site.

October 8, 2009

• Review of Hotline Complaint on Employee Granted Full-Time Work-at-Home Privilege (PDF) - We conducted this review in response to an anonymous Hotline complaint. The complaint alleged that the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) inappropriately granted full-time work-at-home status to an employee so that employee could move outside of the Washington, DC, area. A 17 pp, 205K Adobe Acrobat PDF document from the Office of Inspector General.

• Interim Policy on Managing the Duration of Remedial Design/Remedial Action Negotiations (PDF) - Memorandum sets forth revised, interim procedures for managing the duration of remedial design/remedial action (RD/RA) negotiations. A 9 pp, 697K Adobe Acrobat PDF document from the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.

• Optimization Model for Reducing Emissions of Greenhouse Gases from Automobiles (OMEGA) - This model, which estimates the technology cost for automobile manufacturers to achieve variable fleet-wide levels of vehicle greenhouse gas emissions, is now available (Office of Transportation and Air Quality).

• New EPA Watershed Academy Online Module Posted - The new module is called "The Effect of Climate Change on Water Resources and Programs" (Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds).

October 6, 2009

• Issuance of 2009 Revised CERCLA Model Remedial Design/Remedial Action (RD/RA) Consent Decree (PDF) - Transmittal memorandum for the 2009 revision to the model language remedial design/remedial action consent decree, incorporating model language changes since the model was last issued in 2001. Package includes model document, chart showing changes between 2001 and 2009 versions and redlined version of the model language. A 172 pp, 1.02MB Adobe Acrobat PDF document from the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.

• EPA recognized a select group of organizations with its 2009 SmartWay Excellence Awards. These awards recognized freight industry leaders that have made significant contributions to protecting the environment through their participation in the SmartWay Transport Partnership.

October 5, 2009

• A new Summary for Thallium (I), soluble salts and accompanying Toxicological Review (PDF) (163 pp, 1M, About PDF) have been added to the IRIS Web site. This assessment replaces the assessments for the following related substances:
  • Thallium acetate
  • Thallium carbonate
  • Thallium chloride
  • Thallium nitrate
  • Thallium (I) sulfate

  In addition, Thallic oxide has been renamed and replaced by Thallium oxide, for which an updated Summary is available. An updated Summary for Thallium selenite is also available. A new Toxicological Review (PDF) (163 pp, 1M, About PDF) is available for both Thallium oxide and Thallium selenite (Integrated Risk Information System Program).

• Extension of Public Comment Period: Second External Review Draft Integrated Science Assessment for Particulate Matter - EPA published a notice in the Federal Register of Monday, August 31, 2009, announcing the extension of the public comment period for the "Integrated Science Assessment for Particulate Matter--Second External Review Draft"' (EPA/600/R-08/139B and EPA/600/R-08/139BA). The closing date of the extended comment period is a Federal holiday, October 12, 2009. Thus, the comment period is being extended to October 13, 2009 (National Center for Environmental Assessment).

September 30, 2009

• A new Summary for Bromobenzene and accompanying Toxicological Review (PDF) (123 pp, 764K) are now available (Integrated Risk Information System Program).

• EPA Steps Up Enforcement Against Illegal Mini-Trucks (PDF) - Law Requires All Vehicles to Meet Federal Emissions Standards. A 2 pp, 360K Adobe Acrobat PDF document from the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.

• New principles on chemical management - EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson released a set of essential principles for reform of chemical management legislation to help inform efforts underway in Congress to reauthorize and significantly strengthen the effectiveness of TSCA, and announced a comprehensive approach to enhancing chemical management under existing laws. The Agency posted information on hazards posed by 100 additional high production volume (HPV) chemicals. Looking for information on existing chemicals? Check out EPA's updated existing chemicals Web site (Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics).

• EPA Finalizes List of Surface Coal Mining Applications for Enhanced Coordination - EPA evaluated each of the proposed surface coal mining projects on the ECP list in light of available project data, the existing environmental condition of the watershed, and the nature of environmental and water quality impacts predicted to result from construction and operation (Wetlands Protection Division).

September 29, 2009

• Publication: IRIS Toxicological Review of Cerium Oxide and Cerium Compounds (Final Report) - EPA announces a new Summary for Cerium oxide and cerium compounds and accompanying Toxicological Review (PDF) (118 pp, 703K) have been added to the IRIS Web site.

As per the new IRIS process, all comments received from federal agencies and White House offices on draft IRIS assessments will be made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments and the interagency draft of the Cerium IRIS assessment will be available on the website on or before October 14, 2009 (Integrated Risk Information System Program).

• Interim Guidance: Providing Communities with Opportunities for Independent Technical Assitance in Superfund Settlements (PDF) - Transmittal memorandum and six attachments provide guidance on Technical Assistance Plan (TAP) provisions in Superfund settlements. A 29 pp, 375K Adobe Acrobat PDF document from the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.

• FY10 Guidelines For Brownfields Job Training Grants (PDF) - The Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act (“Brownfields Law”, P.L. 107-118) requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to publish guidance to assist applicants in preparing proposals for grants. This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits proposals from eligible entities, including non-profit organizations to deliver environmental job training. Applicants must propose to serve a community that currently receives, or has received, financial assistance from EPA for a brownfields assessment, revolving loan fund, or cleanup grant, a targeted brownfield assessment, and/or site-specific brownfields work carried out under a state or tribal response program. A 28 pp, 158K Adobe Acrobat PDF document from the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response.