Compliance Date Extension; Formaldehyde Emission Standards for Composite Wood Products

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Proposed rule.

SUMMARY:

EPA is proposing to amend a final rule that published in the Federal Register on December 12, 2016, concerning formaldehyde emission standards for composite wood products. EPA is publishing this proposed amendment to extend the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Title VI final rule compliance dates including: extending the December 12, 2017 date for emission standards, recordkeeping, and labeling provisions until March 22, 2018; extending the December 12, 2018 date for import certification provisions until March 22, 2019; and extending the December 12, 2023 date for provisions applicable to producers of laminated products until March 22, 2024. Additionally, this proposed amendment would extend the transitional period during which the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Third Party Certifiers (TPC) may certify composite wood products under TSCA Title VI without an accreditation issued by an EPA TSCA Title VI Accreditation Body so long as the TPC remains approved by CARB, is recognized by EPA, and complies with all aspects of the December 12, 2016 final rule. Extension of these compliance dates and the transitional period for CARB TPCs adds regulatory flexibility for regulated entities, reduces compliance burdens, and helps to prevent disruptions to supply chains. EPA believes that the proposed amendment is non-controversial and does not expect to receive any adverse comments. Therefore, in addition to this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, EPA is promulgating the amendment as a direct final rule.

DATES:

Written comments must be received on or before June 8, 2017. Comments postmarked after the close of the comment period will be stamped “late” and may or may not be considered by the Agency.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, identified by docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2017-0244, by one of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov . Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Do not submit electronically any information you consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
• Mail: Document Control Office (7407M), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001.
• Hand Delivery: To make special arrangements for hand delivery or delivery of boxed information, please follow the instructions at http://www.epa.gov/dockets/contacts.html .

Additional instructions on commenting or visiting the docket, along with more information about dockets generally, is available at http://www.epa.gov/dockets .

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For technical information contact: Erik Winchester, National Program Chemicals Division, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 564-6450; email address: winchester.erik@epa.gov.

For general information contact: The TSCA-Hotline, ABVI-Goodwill, 422 South Clinton Ave., Rochester, NY 14620; telephone number: (202) 554-1404; email address: TSCA-Hotline@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

For further information about the proposed changes to the compliance dates, please see the information provided in the direct final action, with the same title, that is located in the “Rules and Regulations” section of this issue of the Federal Register.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 770

• Environmental protection
• Formaldehyde
• Incorporation by reference
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements
• Third-party certification
• Toxic substances
• Wood