^®: CRE Regulatory Action of the Week

EPA Proposes Dioxin TEFs for Comment
On September 2, 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed for public comment EPA's external peer review draft of ``Recommended Toxicity Equivalency Factors (TEFs) for Human Health Risk Assessments of Dioxin and Dioxin-Like Compounds.'' EPA states that this is a draft guidance document. EPA intends to have a panel of non-Agency experts peer review the draft document. This external expert peer review will be conducted by letter and open teleconference in the fall of 2009.

All public comments received by October 2, 2009 will be given to the external peer review panel for their consideration. Comments received after this date may be considered by EPA when it finalizes the document.

EPA's Federal Register notice of this comment period cautions that "This draft guidance document does not represent and should not be construed to represent any EPA policy, viewpoint, or determination." EPA further cautions that

"EPA is releasing this draft document solely for the purpose of pre- dissemination peer review under applicable information quality guidelines. This document has not been formally disseminated by the EPA. It does not represent and should not be construed to represent any Agency policy or determination."