§702.9. Screening review and proposed priority designation. — Inbound Citations

(g) EPA's proposed priority designations under § 702.9 and final priority designations under § 702.11 will be consistent with the scientific standards provision in 15 U.S.C. 2625(h) and the weight of the scientific evidence provision in 15 U.S.C. 2625(i).

(a) After considering any additional information collected from the proposed designation process in § 702.9, as appropriate, EPA will finalize its designation of a chemical substance as either a High-Priority Substance or a Low-Priority Substance consistent with 15 U.S.C. 2625(h) and (i).

EPA may revise a final designation of a chemical substance from Low-Priority to High-Priority Substance at any time based on reasonably available information. To revise such a designation, EPA will re-initiate the prioritization process on that chemical substance in accordance with § 702.7, re-screen the chemical substance and propose a priority designation pursuant to § 702.9, and finalize the priority designation pursuant to § 702.11.

(d) The purpose of the preferences and criteria in paragraphs (a) through (c) of this section is to inform EPA's decision whether or not to initiate the prioritization process pursuant to § 702.7, and the proposed designation of the chemical substance as either a High-Priority Substance or a Low-Priority Substance pursuant to § 702.9.

(d) Publication of the notice in the Federal Register pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section will initiate a period of 90 days during which interested persons may submit relevant information on that chemical substance. Relevant information might include, but is not limited to, any information that may inform the screening review conducted pursuant to § 702.9(a). EPA will open a separate docket for each chemical substance to facilitate receipt of information.

(2) EPA generally expects to publish the draft scope during the prioritization process concurrent with publication of a proposed designation as a High-Priority Substance pursuant to § 702.9(g), but no later than 3 months after the initiation of the risk evaluation process for the chemical substance.