1.

Notifying Member: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):

2.

Agency responsible: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) [1296]

Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:

Please submit comments to: USA WTO TBT Enquiry Point

Email: usatbtep@nist.gov

3.

Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ ], 2.10.1 [ ], 5.6.2 [ ], 5.7.1 [ ], other: [X]

4.

Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Chemical substances. Environmental protection (ICS: 13.020), Products of the chemical industry (ICS: 71.100)

5.

Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Procedures for Prioritization of Chemicals for Risk Evaluation Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (13 pages, in English)

6.

Description of content: As required under section 6(b)(1) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), EPA is proposing to establish a risk-based screening process and criteria that EPA will use to identify chemical substances as either High-Priority Substances for risk evaluation, or Low-Priority Substances for which risk evaluations are not warranted at the time. The proposed rule describes the processes for identifying potential candidates for prioritization, selecting a candidate, screening that candidate against certain criteria, formally initiating the prioritization process, providing opportunities for public comment, and proposing and finalizing designations of priority. Prioritization is the initial step in a new process of existing chemical substance review and risk management activity established under recent amendments to TSCA.

7.

Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: Protection of the environment

8.

Relevant documents: 82 Federal Register (FR) 4825, 17 January 2017; Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 702. Will appear in the Federal Register when adopted.

9.

Proposed date of adoption: To be determined

Proposed date of entry into force: To be determined

10.

Final date for comments: 20 March 2017

11.

Texts available from: National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:

http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2017/TBT/USA/17_1102_00_e.pdf