Document DDeNkxy1edB70Zxk1R97g5MQd

Message From: Sent: To: CC: Subject: Jones, Enesta [/0=EXCHANGELABS/OU=EXCHANGE ADMINISTRATIVE GROUP (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/CN=RECIPIENTS/CN=65B8E6C6E5CA4A7A9AE85D98A4C8EEDB-EJONES02] 4/27/2018 7:54:^1.PM___________________ Ken Otterbourg j Ex. 6 Press [/o=Exchartgeuawo"u-Excn'a'rfge'AamrnTstrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/cn=Recipients/cn=b293283291dc44eOb5dlc36be9281d8a-Press] RE: Media inquiry from Fortune magazine re: GenX Ken, I will get back to you separately on question 5. On background: Q l. Ju st to confirm. Currently, there is no standard for release of GenX chemicals in the air or water? There are no air regulations directly relating to GenX chemicals. There are no drinking water regulations for GenX chemicals. See # A.7 for details for a consent order under the Toxic Substances Control Act. Q2. The below two items in B O LD are mentioned in the EPA Fact sheet: EPA has initiated an investigation into Chemours' compliance with a 2009 order issued under the Toxic Substances Control Act for the production of GenX to determine if the company is in compliance with the order to control releases at the Fayetteville facility. H as this investigation been completed? If not, where is the process at this point? And why is it taking so long? A2. The investigation is ongoing and EPA does not comment on ongoing investigations. Q3. Separately, the fact sheet mentions this: EPA has received the data from Chemours and is using it to update its risk assessment. To that point. Help me understand risk assessm ent in the context of GenX. What do we know and what don't we know. Is this class of chemicals somehow more problematic? How does EPA help cut through the fear and uncertainty in the public's mind? What is the challenge of modeling long-term, low dose exposure to emerging contaminants? Are there ways to speed up that process? A3. ETA is evaluating the toxicity o f two GenX chemicals (Hexafluoropropylene oxide (I IFPO) dimer acid and dimer acid ammonium salt) for a number o f reasons, including its presence in the environment, availability o f data, and requests from state partners. EPA is also working to help provide local communities with the information and tools they need to address these chemicals. Q4. This is mentioned on this page: https: / / www.epa.gov/pfas / epa-actions-address-pfas(also attached) Developing human health toxicity values for GenX and PFBS (July 2018) Is that deadline on track? In laymen's terms, what does it mean to develop human health toxicity values (aka: reference dose). A4. EPA is developing toxicity assessments G enX and PFBS. These PFAS were chosen to be assessed first due to a number o f factors including, the availability o f health studies, occurrence in the environment. Expected release o f these values is July 2018. Toxicity assessments identify and characterize the health hazards o f chemicals. These assessments include gathering information that will help identify a particular hazard and the level o f exposure that could cause health effects (dose response). They also include descriptions o f the health effects associated with each chemical and provide toxicity values; in this case based on available data for GenX and PFBS, a Reference Doses. A Reference Dose, or RfD, is Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA Tier 13 ED 002061 00017085-00001 the amount o f chemical someone can ingest daily for a lifetime and is not anticipated to cause harmful health effects. R FD 's, or toxicity values in general, are non-regulatory and can be used by states and tribes to develop values for concentrations-in water, soil, or air. Q5. How is that different from regulatory standards? Will send response separately. Q6. Related to this, is EPA conducting its own toxicity assessm ents? Or is it relying solely on existing research? A6. EPA is conducting its data analysis using publicly available data to develop a quantitative dose response analysis and derive an oral toxicity value (or Reference Dose). These toxicity assessments will undergo an independent, contractor-led peer review. Q7. Do these chemicals need to be regulated? Does EPA consider them unregulated at the present? Why or why not? A7. EPA takes the PEAS issue seriously and is working to conduct the scientific data collection and analysis called for under the Safe Drinking Water Act to evaluate PEAS. EPA is also taking a wide range o f actions to address PFAS to assist states and local entities with the tools they need to address PFAS in their communities: https:/ Awvw.epa.gov/pfas/epa-actions-address-pfas GenX is regulated under TSC A. PIPA received the chemical substance referred to as G enX as a new chemical notice under the Toxic Substances Control Act from DuPont (which is now Chemours) in 2008. PIPA and the company signed a Consent Order for the substance which required health and environmental testing, and also specific regulatory controls to mitigate worker exposures, environmental releases and the amount o f impurities permissible in the final polymers. Under the terms o f the Consent Order, for operations in the United States, DuPont is required to recover and capture (destroy) or recycle the chemical from all the process wastewater effluent streams and air emissions (point source and fugitive) at an overall efficiency o f 99% and distribute only to those customers that achieve this percentage o f efficiency or destruction. E PA is reassessing the terms o f the Consent Order given the information about the presence o f G enX in surface and drinking water. Q8. The Lautenberg amendments to TSCA were passed in a rare bipartisan moment. Is that spirit of cooperation/consensus still present as stakeholders work through the rulemaking/implementation process? A8. EPA is committed to implementing and is moving swiftly to implement the requirements o f the Lautenberg Act in cooperation with stakeholders. Q9. Is there anything else I need to know? A9. Highlighting the importance o f this issue, FIPA is hosting a national leadership summit next month to bring together stakeholders from across the country to build on the steps the agency has already taken and address PFAS-- including PFO A and PFOS. Through this event, EPA is providing critical national leadership, while ensuring that states, tribes, and local governments have the opportunity to help shape the path forward. More information. From: Ken Otterbourgi Ex. 6 Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2018" 12:20 PM Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA Tier 13 ED 002061 00017085-00002 To: Jones, Enesta <Jones.Enesta@epa.gov> Subject: Re: Media inquiry from Fortune magazine re: GenX Thanks very much. I appreciate it. On Thu, Apr 26, 2018 at 12:18 PM, Jones, Enesta < Tones.Enesta@,epa.gov > wrote: Hi Ken, I'll be in touch tomorrow, COB, with responses to your other questions. Ken Otterbourgj Ex. 6 b/ kenotterbourg.com / @otterbourg Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA Tier 13 ED 002061 00017085-00003