U.S. EPA is releasing a database called ToxRefDB to allow scientists and the interested public to search and download thousands of toxicity testing results on hundreds of chemicals. This database includes 30 years of testing results. ToxRefDB is a part of ACToR (Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource), an online data warehouse that collects data from about 500 public sources on thousands of environmentally relevant chemicals.

ToxRefDB contains toxicity information that forms the basis for pesticide risk assessments when combined with other sources of information, such as those on exposure and metabolism. It connects to an EPA chemical screening tool called ToxCast. ToxCast uses advanced science tools to help understand biological processes impacted by chemicals that may lead to adverse health effects. This tool currently includes 500 automated chemical screening tests that have assessed over 300 environmental chemicals. ToxRefDB allows users to take advantage of this linkage to find and download these results.

In January 2010, as part of EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson's commitment to strengthening and reforming chemical management, EPA announced a policy to increase the public's access to information on chemicals. As part of this announcement, EPA intends to reject a certain type of confidentiality claim, known as Confidential Business Information (CBI), on the identity of chemicals. The chemicals that will be affected by this action are those that are submitted to EPA with studies that show a substantial risk to people's health and the environment and have been previously disclosed on the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Chemical Inventory.

The Environmental Council of the States and US Environmental Protection Agency hope you will attend the Spring 2010 TRI webinar:Using TRI to Support Environmental Justice. The purpose of the webinar is to share experiences and lessons learned using TRI to address environmental justice concerns and, building from those experiences, expand TRI use among current and potential users who work on environmental justice issues. This webinar is open to the public.  The date of the webinar will be in May and will be announced soon so please check this site often for updates!

On April 10, the U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson announced that EPA is awarding more than $2 million in job training grants for environmental cleanups in communities across the country. The agency's Brownfields Job Training Program helps train people for jobs in the assessment, cleanup and redevelopment of brownfields properties, including abandoned gas stations, old textile mills, closed smelters, and other abandoned industrial and commercial properties. These investments target under-served and economically disadvantaged neighborhoods.

On April 7, 2010, EPA issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) on the Agency's potential reassessment of its current authorizations for PCB use and distribution in commerce. Comments are due on this ANPR on or before July 6, 2010. To discuss this issue, EPA will hold a series of public meetings around the country. At these meetings, stakeholders will have the opportunity to provide comments, data, and information on certain areas of the PCB regulations under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The meetings will be held:

• New York, NY, on May 4, 2010, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at the EPA Region 2 offices, 290 Broadway, 27th Floor, Room2735 (Conference Room A).
• Chicago, IL, on May 18, 2010, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at the EPA Region 5 offices, 77 West Jackson Blvd., Lake Michigan Room (12th Floor).
• Atlanta, GA, on May 25, 2010, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at the EPA Region 4 offices, Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center, 61 Forsyth Street, SW, Rooms 9D and 9E.
• Washington, DC, on May 27, 2010, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at EPA Headquarters, EPA East, 1201 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room 1153.

To review the Federal Register notice on the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, please visit: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-7751.htm. For more information on these public meetings, contact Christine Zachek (Email address: zachek.christine@epa.gov; telephone: 202-566-2219) of the National Program Chemicals Division in the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics. Persons interested in presenting comments at any of the above scheduled meetings are encouraged to contact Ms. Zachek at least 10 days prior to the meeting.

On April 6, 2010, EPA took another important step toward providing communities with additional information about toxic chemicals being released to the environment.  EPA announced that it is proposing to add 16 chemicals to the TRI list of reportable chemicals, including furan, glycidol, isoprene, and vinyl fluoride.  EPA believes these 16 chemicals are reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens, as informed by the National Toxicology Program’s Report on Carcinogens.  This proposal is the first TRI program chemical expansion in over a decade.  EPA estimates that 175 facilities will be affected by this proposed rule.

EPA has published a notice of the proposal in the Federal Register, and is accepting comments on this expansion for the next 60 days.  For more information on this proposed rule, see: http://www.epa.gov/tri/lawsandregs/ntp_chemicals/index.html.

EPA has announced that it will conduct a comprehensive research study to investigate the potential adverse impact that hydraulic fracturing may have on water quality and public health in gas-drilling areas. Hydraulic fracturing is one way of accessing natural gas, and there are concerns that this process may impact ground water and surface water quality in ways that threaten human health and the environment. To address these concerns, EPA is allocating $1.9 million for a comprehensive, peer-reviewed study for FY2010. EPA is also requesting funding for FY2011 for the study.

EPA is in the very early stages of designing a hydraulic fracturing research program. The agency is proposing the process begin with (1) defining research questions and identifying data gaps; (2) conducting a robust process for stakeholder input and research prioritization; (3) with this input, developing a detailed study design that will undergo external peer-review, leading to (4) implementing the planned research studies.

To support this initial planning phase and guide the development of the study plan, the agency is seeking suggestions and comments from the EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB)—an independent, external federal advisory committee. The agency has requested that the Environmental Engineering Committee (EEC) of the SAB evaluate and provide advice on EPA’s proposed approach. The agency will use this advice and extensive stakeholder input to guide the design of the study.

A federal register notice was issued March 18, announcing a SAB meeting April 7-8.

For more information on hydraulic fracturing, visit: http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw000/uic/wells_hydrofrac.html