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Nanoscale Program Approach for Comment

July 12, 2007 -- To ensure stakeholder involvement in the development of the Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program, EPA has issued Federal Register (FR) notices seeking public comment on a concept paper and other materials connected to this program.

Federal Register Notice on the Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program

Federal Register Notice on Information Collection Activities in Support of EPA's Stewardship Program for Nanoscale Materials

Comments are due to EPA 60 days after publication in the FR.  How to comment. 

Public Meeting Announced

In a separate FR notice, EPA announced a public meeting to discuss and receive comments on the development of the voluntary Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program under the Toxics Substances Control Act (TSCA). The meeting will be held on Thursday, August 2, 2007, in Arlington, VA.  Additional information and to register for the meeting.

Background Information

On October 18, 2006, EPA launched a collaborative process and invited stakeholders to participate in the design, development and implementation of a Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program (NMSP) under TSCA. The release of the July 2007 NMSP concept paper, TSCA Inventory paper, and Information Collection Request for the NMSP for public review and comment are an important part of the collaborative development process.  These draft documents are intended to further discussion about the NMSP and will serve as the foundation for establishing the details of the NMSP.  More information on the program.  

Key Questions

While EPA is seeking comment on all aspects of the NMSP, the Inventory paper, and the ICR, the Agency is especially interested in comments on the following items:

  1. Whether the data elements that have been identified in the NMSP are appropriate for nanoscale materials;
  1. Timing and phasing of submissions under the NMSP basic and in-depth programs and whether approaches for tiering data submissions are appropriate;
  1. Who would participate in the NMSP and how to encourage participation, especially from small and medium sized enterprises;
  1. What criteria to use for NMSP program evaluation and views on the timing and nature of any reports the Agency may issue; 
  1. How to engage industry and other stakeholders in the NMSP in-depth program and approaches for generating test data;
  1. The processes and roles for EPA, participants, and other stakeholders during development and evaluation of data for the in-depth program;
  1. Possible approaches for identification and use of alternative sources of data, in order to minimize the burden of information collection associated with the NMSP;
  1. Uses for the data submitted to EPA under the NMSP program; 
  1. Issues relevant to scope, definitions and descriptions;
  1. The suitability of the approach for determining the TSCA Inventory status of nanoscale materials discussed in the Inventory paper; and,
  1. Whether, in combination, the TSCA Inventory paper and the NMSP concept paper are sufficiently clear in how EPA plans at this time to address nanoscale materials that are new or existing chemicals under TSCA and the NMSP. 

How To Comment

Comments will be accepted for 60 days from the date of publication in the FR.  All comments should be identified by the relevant docket ID number that EPA has established for these actions:

Publicly available docket materials are available either in the electronic docket, Regulations.gov or, if only available in hard copy, at the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) Regulatory Public Docket.

Comments may be submitted by one of the following methods:

For further information contact Jim Alwood, 202-564-8974, alwood.jim@epa.gov. 

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