A Message from the IRIS Program IRIS Program Outlook June 2023 The IRIS Program is committed to producing assessments in a timely and transparent manner. Table 1 describes assessments that are currently in development and their projected public release dates. The IRIS Program is providing this information so that stakeholders are aware of upcoming assessment products and to allow the public and research community an opportunity to communicate relevant research to EPA. When made public, the documents listed in Table 1 can be found at Regulations.gov in the IRIS public comment dockets. Docket numbers are listed on the IRIS website here: https://iris.epa.gov/Dockets/. While IRIS assessments are not proposed rulemakings, Regulations.gov serves as both an internal portal to facilitate public comment and as a document repository for Federal government agencies. Projected dates are based on factors such as the scope of the assessment (e.g., size and complexity of a chemical's evidence base)1 and resource availability. Nearer-term activities are estimated using current Fiscal Year (FY) and Quarter. Long-term milestones are projected only for the FY due to the increased uncertainty of projecting timelines at the Quarter level. While projected dates reflect the IRIS Program's best estimate at this time based on available information, they are subject to change. Changes to estimated dates typically result from additional time needed to address the scientific challenges unique to each chemical assessment, new data, or to respond to internal, public, and/or peer review comments, in addition to current EPA priorities and the availability of staff with the appropriate expertise to address those challenges. The IRIS Program Outlook is updated at least three times each calendar year (February, June, October). Table 1 includes the addition of nitrate/nitrites, which was added to address an Agency priority. Additional information regarding other pertinent products relating to IRIS assessments and IRIS Program activities is included in Table 2. For questions regarding the IRIS Program activities, visit the Contact Us page on the EPA Website. For press inquiries, visit EPA's Office of Public Affairs website. 1 The scope of IRIS assessments is generally presented in the IRIS Assessment Plan (IAP). Information regarding size of the evidence base and expected key areas of scientific complexity is available in these documents. For information on how lAPs are developed, please see the IRIS Handbook: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris drafts/recordisplav.cfm?deid=356370. 1 ------- Table 1. IRIS Assessment Products/Activities - June 2023 Assessment Public Product(s)/Activity Projected Date Arsenic, Inorganic Systematic Review Protocol Released on Mav 28, 2019 for a 30-dav public comment period until June 27, 2019. NAS review meeting Julv 16, 2019. Public Comment Draft FY23 Q4 External Peer Review FY24 Q1 Chloroform (Inhalation) IRIS Assessment Plan Released on September 18, 2017 for a 30-dav public comment period until October 18, 2017. Public Science Meeting on September 27, 2017. Systematic Review Protocol Released on January 31, 2018 for a 30-dav public comment period until March 2, 2018. Public Comment Draft FY24 Q1 External Peer Review FY24 Q2 Chromium VI Systematic Review Protocol Released on March 15, 2019 for a 45-dav public comment period until April 29, 2019. Public Science Meeting on April 24, 2019. Public Comment Draft Released on October 20, 2022 for a 60-dav public comment period until December 19, 2022. External Peer Review Public External Peer Review Meetings held February 15 (pre-meeting) and March 29-31, 2023. See the SAB website for meeting materials. Final TBD, pending delivery of peer review report Cobalt and Cobalt Compounds (Inhalation, Cancer) IRIS Assessment Plan and Protocol Released on November 14, 2022 for a 30-dav public comment period. Public Science Meeting on Januarv 11, 2023. Public Comment Draft FY24 External Peer Review FY24 2 ------- Assessment Public Product(s)/Activity Projected Date Ethvlbenzene IRIS Assessment Plan Released on September 18, 2017 for a 30-dav public comment period until October 18, 2017. Public Science Meeting on September 27, 2017. Systematic Review Protocol Released on February 17, 2023 for a 30-dav public comment period until March 20, 2023. Public Comment Draft FY26 External Peer Review FY26 Formaldehyde (inhalation) Public Comment Draft Released April 14, 2022 for a 60-dav public comment period until June 13, 2022 External Peer Review See the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) website Final TBD, pending delivery of peer review report Inorganic Mercury salts IRIS Assessment Plan Released on October 8, 2019 for a 30-dav public comment period until November 7, 2019. Public science meeting on December 5, 2019 Systematic Review Protocol Released on March 11, 2021 for a 30-dav public comment period until April 12, 2021. Public Comment Draft FY24 External Peer Review FY24 Methylmercury IRIS Assessment Plan Released on April 4, 2019 for a 30-dav public comment period until Mav 6, 2019. Public Science Meeting on Mav 15, 2019 Systematic Review Protocol Released on Mav 28, 2020 for a 45-dav public comment period until Julv 13, 2020. Public Comment Draft FY25 External Peer Review FY25 3 ------- Assessment Public Product(s)/Activity Projected Date Naphthalene IRIS Assessment Plan Released on July 5, 2018 for a 30-dav public comment period until August 6, 2018: extended until September 5, 2018. Public Science meeting originally scheduled for August 23, 2018 held November 9, 2021. Systematic Review Protocol Released on March 17, 2023 for a 30-dav public comment period until April 17, 2023. Public Comment Draft FY25 External Peer Review FY25 Nitrates/nitrites2 IRIS Assessment Plan Released on September 18, 2017 for a 30-dav public comment period until October 18, 2017. Public Science Meeting on September 27, 2017. Protocol FY24 Q1 Public Comment Draft TBD External Peer Review TBD Perfluorodecanoic Acid (PFDA) Systematic Review Protocol Released on November 8, 2019 for a 45-day public comment period until December 23, 2019. Public Comment Draft Released on April 10, 2023 for a 60-dav public comment period until June 9, 2023. External Peer Review Public External Peer Review Meeting: July 10-11, and July 13, 2023. See the ERG website and Zoom Registration page. Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) Systematic Review Protocol Released on November 8, 2019 for a 45-day public comment period until December 23, 2019. Public Comment Draft Released on February 2, 2022 for a 60-dav public comment period until April 4, 2022. External Peer Review Public External Peer Review Meeting: May 16- 17,2022 Peer Review Report: August 2022 Final Posted April 2023 Perfluorohexanesulfonic Acid (PFHxS) Systematic Review Protocol Released on November 8, 2019 for a 45-dav public comment period until December 23, 2019. 2 The nitrates/nitrites IRIS assessment was suspended in December 2018 due to realignment of Agency priorities, see December 2018 IRIS Program Outlook here: https://www.epa.eov/sites/default/files/2018-12/documents/iris program outlook december 2018.pdf. 4 ------- Assessment Public Product(s)/Activity Projected Date Public Comment Draft FY23 Q3 External Peer Review FY23 Q4 Perfluorononanoic Acid (PFNA) Systematic Review Protocol Released on November 8, 2019 for a 45-dav public comment period until December 23, 2019. Public Comment Draft FY24 Q1 External Peer Review FY24 Q1 Polvchlorinated Biphenvls (PCBs; Oral, Noncancer) Systematic Review Protocol Released on December 19, 2019 for a 30-dav public comment period until January 21, 2020. Public Comment Draft FY24 External Peer Review FY25 Uranium IRIS Assessment Plan Released on January 31, 2018 for a 30-dav public comment period until March 2, 2018. Public Science Meeting on March 22, 2018 Systematic Review Protocol FY24 Q2 Public Comment Draft TBD External Peer Review TBD Vanadium and Compounds (Oral) IRIS Assessment Plan Released on Julv 24, 2020 for a 30-dav comment period until August 24, 2020. Extended until September 23, 2020. Public Science Meeting on August 19, 2020 Systematic Review Protocol Released on April 26, 2021 for a 30-dav public comment period until Mav 26, 2021. Public Comment Draft FY24 External Peer Review FY24 Vanadium and Compounds IRIS Assessment Plan Released on Mav 28, 2021 for a 30-dav public (Inhalation) comment period until June 28, 2021. Public Science Meeting on Julv 14, 2021. 5 ------- Assessment Public Product(s)/Activity Projected Date Systematic Review Protocol FY23 Q.4 Public Comment Draft TBD External Peer Review TBD 6 ------- Table 2. Select Publications Related to IRIS Assessment Activities Related Assessment Citation Publication Date PCB's U.S. EPA. A Systematic Evidence Map of Noncancer Health Endpoints and March 2023 Exposures to Polvchlorinated Biphenvl (PCB) Mixtures. U.S. Environmental Protection Aeencv. Washington. DC. EPA/600/R-22/201. 2023. 7 ------- |