Title 40

SECTION 710.55

710.55 Claim review, duration of protection, TSCA Inventory maintenance, posting results, and extension.

§ 710.55 Claim review, duration of protection, TSCA Inventory maintenance, posting results, and extension.

(a) Review criteria and procedures. Except as set forth in this subpart, confidentiality claims for specific chemical identities asserted in Notices of Activity Form A will be reviewed and approved or denied in accordance with the criteria and procedures in TSCA section 14 and 40 CFR part 2, subpart B.

(b) Duration of protection from disclosure. Except as provided in 40 CFR part 2, subpart B, and section 14 of TSCA, a specific chemical identity that is the subject of an approved confidentiality claim under this subpart will be protected from disclosure for a period of 10 years from the date on which the confidentiality claim was first asserted by any submitter after June 22, 2016, unless, prior to the expiration of the period, the claimant notifies EPA that the person is withdrawing the confidentiality claim, in which case EPA will not protect the information from disclosure; or EPA otherwise becomes aware that the information does not qualify for protection from disclosure, in which case EPA will take the actions described in TSCA section 14(g)(2) to notify the claimant of EPA's intent to disclose the information.

(c) Updating the TSCA Inventory. EPA will periodically update the TSCA Inventory based on the results of the reviews of the confidentiality claims asserted in Notices of Activity Form A.

(d) Posting of annual goals and numbers of reviews completed. At the beginning of each calendar year until all reviews are completed, EPA will publish an annual goal for reviews and the number of reviews completed in the prior year on the Agency website. Determination of annual review goals will take into consideration the number of claims needing review, available resources, and a target completion date for all reviews under this subpart not later than February 19, 2024.

(e) Extension. If EPA determines that the target completion date in paragraph (d) of this section cannot be met based on the number of claims needing review and the available resources, then EPA will publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the extension of the deadline to complete its review of all confidentiality claims under this subpart for not more than two additional years, together with an explanation of the reasons for the extension.