Recent Additions for 2012

EPA announced an update on the schedule of the draft assessment in response to over 230,000 public comments and the comments received from expert peer reviewers. EPA plans to have a group of qualified experts review the revised assessment prior to completion of the final assessment. The Agency is working to determine the schedule, scope, and methodology of this additional review. No deadline for completing the assessment has been set.

EPA's IRIS Program is developing updated schedules for many chemicals in the assessment development process. The new schedules will be announced on the IRIS website and available in IRISTrack in the near future. While the new schedules are being developed, the IRIS Program is continuing to improve the development process to meet our goal to complete IRIS assessments in a timely manner.

EPA is announcing the availability of the final report, Provisional Assessment of Recent Studies on Health Effects of Particulate Matter Exposure. This report presents the findings of EPA's survey and provisional assessment of studies published since the completion of the 2009 PM ISA. EPA has screened and surveyed the recent literature and developed a provisional assessment that places those studies of potentially greatest relevance to the current PM NAAQS review in the context of the findings of the 2009 PM ISA.

EPA is announcing a Public Stakeholders Workshop for the IRIS assessment of Inorganic Arsenic on January 8-9, 2013, in Research Triangle Park, NC. Participants will be asked to highlight significant new and emerging research, discuss methods for evaluating literature, identify critical research issues that may impact the toxicological review, and discuss approaches for dose-response. The deadline for registration is January 2, 2013. [Federal Register Notice Dec 6, 2012]

EPA is announcing the release of the draft document, Integrated Science Assessment for Lead - Third External Review Draft for public review and comment. This draft document represents a concise synthesis and evaluation of the most policy-relevant science and will ultimately provide the scientific bases for EPA's decision regarding the adequacy of the current national ambient air quality standards for lead to protect human health, public welfare, and the environment. [Federal Register Nov 27, 2012]

EPA announced that the public workshop to discuss the IRIS assessment for inorganic arsenic is being rescheduled for early next year. More information will be forthcoming.

EPA announced a public stakeholders workshop for the IRIS assessment of inorganic arsenic to be held November 29-30, 2012, in Research Triangle Park, NC. Participants will be asked to highlight significant new and emerging research, discuss methods for evaluating literature, identify critical research issues (including mode of action) that may impact the risk assessment, and discuss approaches for dose-response.

EPA has posted the final peer review report of the draft Bristol Bay Assessment from the August 7-9, 2012 independent expert external peer review meeting that was held in Anchorage, Alaska. This report contains the recommendations, comments, and suggestions provided by 12 independent peer reviewers and their response to specific charge questions developed by the Agency with public input. The document that was under review was the draft report entitled, An Assessment of Potential Mining Impacts on Salmon Ecosystems of Bristol Bay, Alaska (EPA/910/R-12/004/a-d).

EPA announces a public meeting to be held on November 13, 2012 in Arlington, VA for an open discussion about the IRIS Program. The public is invited to share their comments and listen to a panel discussion about IRIS and changes that are underway to improve the IRIS Program.

EPA has released the final report, Implications of Climate Change for State Bioassessment Programs and Approaches to Account for Effects (Final Report). The report uses biological data collected by four states to examine the components of state and tribal bioassessment and biomonitoring programs that may be vulnerable to climate change. The study investigates the potential to identify biological response signals to climate change within existing bioassessment data sets; analyzes how biological responses can be categorized and interpreted; and assesses how they may influence the decision-making processes.

EPA announces the release of the final report, Climate and Land-Use Change Effects on Ecological Resources in Three Watersheds: A Synthesis Report (EPA/600/R-07/086F). This report provides a summary of climate change impacts to selected watersheds and recommendations for how to improve the process of conducting watershed assessments in the future.

EPA is announing a web summary that highlights 8 recently published papers that provide background information on cumulative risk assessment and approaches to characterize and quantify combined exposures and risks due to multiple agents or stressors, with an emphasis on chemical mixtures exposures, toxicity and risk.

EPA is announcing the release of the web summary, Application of Computational Toxicological Approaches in Supporting Human Health Risk Assessment. This summary describes some of the recent progress in computational toxicology that has been conducted by EPA's National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) and Human Health Risk Assessment research program. This research provides alternative approaches to the risk assessment community in their efforts to conduct hazard identification and dose-response assessment, which are used in combination with site-specific exposure information to inform the characterization of risk to support regulatory and clean-up decisions.

EPA announces the release of the final report, Advances in Inhalation Gas Dosimetry for Derivation of a Reference Concentration (RfC) and Use in Risk Assessment. This report provides the scientific foundation necessary for ensuring that methods and guidance used and implemented by EPA in inhalation risk assessment of gases reflects the state of the science.

EPA annouces that NCEA's BMDS Web site has been updated with BMDS version 2.3. This update (Build 68) fixes several interface problems with Windows 7, in which clipboard errors would occasionally crash both BMDS and Microsoft Office. In addition, BMDS 2.3 now includes more flexible data input error-trapping functionality, enabling users to store comments, documentation, notations, etc. on dataset spreadsheets without triggering data validation errors. This change in functionality enables researchers to document their datasets as necessary within the BMDS environment. Find out more about the improvements to BMDS under the "what's new" section.

EPA is announcing the availability of the final report, BASINS and WEPP Climate Assessment Tools (CAT): Case Study Guide to Potential Applications, which supports the application of two recently developed water modeling tools, the Better Assessment Science Integrating point & Non-point Sources (BASINS) and the Water Erosion Prediction Project Climate Assessment Tool (WEPPCAT). This report presents a series of short case studies designed to illustrate the capabilities of these tools for conducting scenario based assessments of the potential effects of climate change on streamflow and water quality.

EPA is announcing an update to CatReg. The new CatReg version 2.3 is not only compatible with Microsoft Windows, but will also run in Mac OS X systems, with R-2.15.1 for Mac OS X installed. Functionality and plot display on both Windows and OS X platforms should be the same. In the upcoming months, EPA will also be releasing a new Windows-based beta version (version 3.0 beta) of CatReg. Stay tuned for announcements of upcoming training opportunities.

EPA is announcing the availability of the final report, Freshwater Biological Traits Databaseand on-line searchable traits database. The report discusses the development of a database of freshwater biological traits for this project. The database combines several existing traits databases into an on-line format. The database is also augmented with additional traits that are relevant to detecting climate change-related effects, especially traits related to temperature tolerance and flow. For more details visit the site Freshwater Biological Traits Database at http://www.epa.gov/ncea/global/traits/

EPA has revised its schedule to develop the IRIS Toxicological Review of Inorganic Arsenic (Cancer and Non-Cancer Effects of Oral Exposures). Information on the new schedule will be available on IRIS Track in the near future.

EPA is announcing the availability of this final report, Nanomaterial Case Study: Nanoscale Silver in Disinfectant Spray. This report presents a case study of engineered nanoscale silver (nano-Ag), focusing on the specific example of nano-Ag as possibly used in disinfectant sprays. To learn more about the research done on nanomaterials, visit http://www.epa.gov/ncea/nano.

On March 3-4, 2010, an external peer review panel meeting was hosted by an independent contractor on the draft Exposure Factors Handbook: 2009 Update (External Review Draft). Completing this review, a final report of the comments from the workshop were collected and is now available.

IRIS is announcing the availability of the literature search for benzo[a]pyrene (50-32-8) and asking the public for any additional scientific information on health effects that may result from exposure to this chemical substance. EPA will also accept information related to any other compound being assessed by the IRIS Program. [Federal Register Notice Jul 16, 2012]

EPA is announcing an update to CatReg. The new CatReg version 2.2 will make it more compatible with the latest versions of the R program it is based on. In the upcoming months, EPA will also be releasing a new Windows-based beta version (version 3.0 beta) of CatReg. So stay tuned for important CatReg information such as software updates and details regarding upcoming training opportunities.

EPA announces the availability of the final report, Lymphohematopoietic Cancers Induced By Chemicals and Other Agents: Overview and Implications for Risk Assessment. This report provides an overview of the types of mechanisms underlying the lymphohematopoietic cancers induced by chemical agents and radiation in humans, with a primary emphasis on leukemia and leukemia-inducing agents. It focuses on how mechanistic information on human leukemia-inducing agents can inform risk assessment.

EPA has convened a panel of experts and will organize and conduct an independent expert external peer review meeting on August 7-9, 2012 in Anchorage, Alaska, to review the draft report entitled An Assessment of Potential Mining Impacts on Salmon Ecosystems of Bristol Bay, Alaska (EPA/910/R-12/004/a-d). [Federal Register Notice Jul 6, 2012]

EPA has released the draft report, Nanomaterial Case Study: A Comparison of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube and Decabromodiphenyl Ether Flame-Retardant Coatings Applied to Upholstery Textiles (External Review Draft), for a 60-day public review and comment period. Additionally, the EPA will hold a public meeting on October 29, 2012 to receive comments and questions on the draft document and related material. The deadline for comments is August 31, 2012. [Federal Register Notice Jul 2, 2012 ]

EPA is announcing the release of the draft IRIS Toxicological Review of Trimethylbenzenes (External Review Draft) for a 60-day public review and comment period. An upcoming Federal Register Notice will announced a public listening session to be held on August 1, 2012, and the close of the comment period as August 28, 2012. [Federal Register Notice Jun 29, 2012]

IRIS announces the availability of the literature search for acrylonitrile (107-13-1) and is asking the public for any additional scientific information on health effects that may result from exposure to this chemical substance.

EPA is announcing availability of Benchmark Dose Technical Guidance (BMD) Final Report. This document was developed as part of an agency-wide guidance development program by a technical panel of the EPA's Risk Assessment Forum. [Federal Register Notice, Jun 19, 2012]

EPA is announcing the availability of the report, Integrated Science Assessment for Ozone and Related Photochemical Oxidants (Third External Review Draft) for public review and comment. The deadline for comments is August 20, 2012. [Federal Register Jun 19, 2012]

On April 3, 2012, an external peer review panel meeting was hosted by an independent contractor on the Toxicological Review of Biphenyl: In Support of the Summary Information in the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). Completing this review, a final report of the comments from the workshop were collected and is now available.

On June 5, EPA announced an independent scientific peer review panel that will review the draft Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment. In addition, EPA announced the draft charge questions, which will help guide the panel's consideration of EPA's assessment. The public has an opportunity to comment on these draft charge questions during a public comment period, which begins on June 5 and ends on June 26, 2012. [Federal Register Notice Jun 5, 2012]

EPA has released the draft IRIS Toxicological Review of Ammonia (External Review Draft) for a 60-day public review and comment period. This draft ammonia assessment represents major progress for EPA in implementing the April 2011 National Academy of Sciences (NAS) recommendations for improving IRIS assessments. The draft assessment uses a new streamlined document structure that is more transparent and clear; includes a template for describing the literature search approach; identifies the strengths and weaknesses of analyzed studies; and describes how EPA applied their guidance, methods, and criteria in developing the assessment. [ Read more in the June 1, 2012 Press Release] The listening session is scheduled for July 12, 2012, and the deadline for comments is August 7,2012 . [Federal Register Notice Jun 8, 2012]

On March 19, 2012, an external peer review panel meeting was hosted by an independent contractor on the Toxicological Review of 1,4-Dioxane (Inhalation): In Support of the Summary Information in the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). Completing this review, a final report of the comments from the workshop were collected and is now available.

On March 7, 2012, an external peer review panel meeting was hosted by an independent contractor on the Toxicological Review of Vanadium Pentoxide: In Support of the Summary Information in the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). Completing this review, a final report of the comments from the workshop were collected and is now available.

EPA is announcing the release of the draft report, An Assessment of Potential Mining Impacts on Salmon Ecosystems of Bristol Bay, Alaska, for public review and comment soon to be announced in the Federal Register. This report assesses potential impacts of large-scale mining development on fish populations, wildlife, and indigenous cultures within the Nushagak and Kvichak River watersheds of Bristol Bay, Alaska. The comment period opened on May 18, 2012 and closes on July 23, 2012. [Press Release May 18, 2012] [Federal Register Notice May 25, 2012]

EPA announced that the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) will conduct a comprehensive review of the agency’s IRIS program’s assessment development process. This is a follow-up to when in April 2011, NAS recommended several ways to improve the development of IRIS assessments. EPA has embraced these recommendations and is implementing them using a phased approach. Future draft IRIS assessments released for public comment and peer review will demonstrate the progress EPA has made in implementing the NAS recommendations. [ Press Release May 16, 2012]

EPA has developed a new schedule for completing the IRIS Acrylonitrile assessment, which can be found in IRIS Track (IRISTrack - Acrylonitrile). EPA has decided to make further revisions to the acrylonitrile assessment to more fully address scientific issues in the assessment. The revised draft acrylonitrile assessment will be released for public comment and rigorous, independent expert peer review. EPA will seek to have the peer review performed by the new Chemical Assessment Advisory Committee that is being formed under the auspices of the Science Advisory Board.

IRIS announces the IRIS 2012 agenda and is requesting scientific information on health effects that may result from exposure to the chemical substances on this agenda, including assessments that EPA is starting this year. [Federal Register Notice May 7, 2012]

EPA is announcing a workshop, organized by EPA's National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within the Office of Research and Development, to explore the possible ways by which mode-of-action and toxicity pathways approaches may contribute to interpretation of cumulative human health risks of the criteria air pollutants. The workshop will be held on May 31, 2012, in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. [Federal Register Notice May 4, 2012]

IRIS announces the availability of literature searches for acetaldehyde (75-07-0) and 1,2,3-trimethlybenzene (526-73-8) and ask the public for any additional scientific information on health effects that may result from exposure to these chemical substances. [Federal Register Notice April 6, 2012]

EPA's Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office announced a follow-up teleconference of the CASAC Lead Review Panel to review EPA's Integrated Science Assessment for Lead (2nd External Review Draft) on April 10-11, 2012 in Durham, NC. See notice for additional details and meeting information. [Federal Register Notice Mar 13, 2012]

EPA is extending the deadline to submit nominations for an independent external peer review panel. EPA anticipates releasing a draft report for public comment and external peer review describing impacts associated with potential large-scale mining development in the Nushagak and Kvichak watersheds of Bristol Bay, Alaska. EPA invites the public to nominate qualified experts to be considered for this external peer review panel. See FRN for details on submitting nominations. The updated deadline for submissions is March 16, 2012. [Federal Register Notice Mar 8, 2012]

EPA announces an update on the use of data from an Italy-based lab, known as the Ramazzini Institute or "RI". This decision will impact IRIS assessments under development for methanol, MTBE and ETBE. The draft assessment for acrylonitrile is not affected, as EPA relied on data from sources other than the Ramazzini Institute to complete this draft assessment.

EPA has announced that an independent public peer review meeting for the draft IRIS Toxicological Review of Biphenyl has been scheduled for April 3, 2012 in Arlington, Virgina. [Federal Register Notice Mar 2, 2012]

EPA has released the final report, Vulnerability Assessments in Support of the Climate Ready Estuaries Program: A Novel Approach Using Expert Judgement, Volume I: Results for the San Francisco Estuary Partnership (Final Report). This report is part of a pilot ecological vulnerability assessment using a novel methodology, based on expert judgment, to inform adaptation planning under EPA's Climate Ready Estuaries Program.

EPA has released the final report, Vulnerability Assessments in Support of the Climate Ready Estuaries Program: A Novel Approach Using Expert Judgement, Volume II: Results for the Massachusetts Bays Program (Final Report). This report is part of a pilot ecological vulnerability assessment using a novel methodology, based on expert judgment, to inform adaptation planning under EPA's Climate Ready Estuaries Program.

EPA has developed a new schedule for completing the IRIS hexavalent chromium assessment, which can be found in IRIS Track (IRISTrack - hexavalent chromium). Based on the recommendations of the external peer review panel, which met in May 2011 to review the draft IRIS assessment for hexavalent chromium (oral exposure only), EPA will consider the results of recently and soon to be completed peer-reviewed primary research on the chemical before finalizing the IRIS assessment. The oral assessment will be revised to address the peer review comments and combined with the inhalation assessment, which is currently in draft development. EPA anticipates that the draft assessment for hexavalent chromium (oral and inhalation) will be released for public comment and external peer review in 2013.

EPA is seeking expert nominations for an independent external peer review panel. EPA anticipates releasing a draft report for public comment and external peer review describing impacts associated with potential large-scale mining development in the Nushagak and Kvichak watersheds of Bristol Bay, Alaska. An external, independent panel of experts will be formed to review and provide comments on EPA's draft report. EPA invites the public to nominate qualified experts to be considered for this external peer review panel. See FRN for details on submitting nominations. Deadline for submissions is March 9, 2012. [Federal Register Notice Feb 24, 2012]

EPA is announcing the release of the final report, Toxicological Review of Tetrahydrofuran (THF): In Support of Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). This includes an updated Summary for THF and an accompanying toxicological review. Additionally, as per the 2009 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 Science Discussion Draft of the Tetrahydrofuran IRIS assessment have also been released [Updated 2/23/12].

EPA is announcing the release of the final report, Reanalysis of Key Issues Related to Dioxin Toxicity and Response to NAS Comments, Volume 1. This includes an updated Summary for 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and supporting documents. Additionally, as per the 2009 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 Science Discussion Draft of the Dioxin Reanalysis, volume 1 have also been released. [More information on Dioxin can be found on the EPA consumer fact sheet on the Dioxin Science Assessment.]

EPA announces an external peer review meeting for the review of the draft report, IRIS Toxicological Review of 1,4-Dioxane (Inhalation) (External Review Draft) to be held on March 19, 2012 in Morrisville, NC. [Federal Register Notice Feb 13, 2012]

EPA is preparing an Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) as part of the review of the primary National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for oxides of nitrogen (NO_x). This ISA is intended to update the scientific assessment presented in the Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen--Health Criteria (EPA 600/R-08/071), published in July 2008. Interested parties are invited to assist the EPA in developing and refining the scientific information base for the review of the NO₂ NAAQS by submitting research studies that have been published, accepted for publication, or presented at a public scientific meeting. In addition, EPA is also announcing that a workshop entitled ''Kickoff Workshop to Inform EPA's Review of the Primary NO₂ NAAQS," will be held February 29 to March 1, 2012, in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. [Federal Register Notice Feb 10, 2012]

EPA is announcing the release of the final report, Toxicological Review of Tetrachloroethylene (Perchloroethylene): In Support of Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). This includes an updated Summary for Tetrachloroethylene, or Perc and an accompanying toxicological review. Additionally, as per the 2009 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 Science Discussion Draft of the Tetrachloroethylene IRIS assessment have also been released. [More information on Perc can be found on the EPA fact sheet on Tetrachloroethylene/Perchloroethylene]

EPA's Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office announced a follow-up teleconference of the CASAC Ozone Review Panel to review EPA's Integrated Science Assessment for Ozone and Related Photochemical Oxidants (2nd External Review Draft) on March 9, 2012. [Federal Register Notice Feb 9, 2012]

EPA held a workshop in Research Triangle Park, NC on January 4-7, 2011 to identify and prioritize research questions related to nanoscale silver based on the external review draft of the Nanomaterial Case Study: Nanoscale Silver in Disinfectant Spray document. A summary report (PDF), "Nanomaterial Case Studies Workshop: Developing a Comprehensive Environmental Assessment Research Strategy for Nanoscale Silver," is now available that describes the workshop and its outcomes.

EPA's announcing the release of the final report, "Biofuels and the Environment: The First Triennial Report to Congress" (EPA/600/R-10/183F) in February 2012. This is the first triennial Report to Congress required under Section 204 of the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA). EISA increases the renewable fuel standards (RFS) to 36 billion gallons per year by 2022. Section 204 requires an assessment of environmental and resource conservation impacts of the RFS program. Air and water quality, soil quality and conservation, water availability, ecosystem health and biodiversity, invasive species, and international impacts are assessed, as well as opportunities to mitigate these impacts.

EPA announces an external peer review meeting for the review of the draft report, IRIS Toxicological Review of Vanadium Pentoxide (External Review Draft) to be held on March 7, 2012 in Arlington, Virginia. [Federal Register Feb 6, 2012]

EPA is announcing the release of the draft document, Integrated Science Assessment for Lead - Second External Review Draft for public review and comment. This draft document represents a concise synthesis and evaluation of the most policy-relevant science and will ultimately provide the scientific bases for EPA's decision regarding the adequacy of the current national ambient air quality standards for lead to protect human health, public welfare, and the environment. [Federal Register Feb 2, 2012]

EPA's Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office announced a public meeting of the SAB Libby Asbestos Panel to conduct a review of EPA's draft Toxicological Review of Libby Amphibole Asbestos (released in August 2011). [Federal Register Notice Dec 23, 2011]