64890 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 181 / Wednesday, September 20, 2023 / Notices 
action process and further streamline 
the USPTO’s service delivery processes. The USPTO furnishes a courtesy postcard to Patent Center e-Office Action program users as a reminder when there are available USPTO communications that have not been viewed or downloaded after a period of time. With the transition, the USPTO introduced a new option to receive the courtesy postcard by email (e-postcards) rather than by postal mail (postal postcards). In view of the new option to receive e-postcards, the USPTO requested public comments on eliminating the postal postcard for all Patent Center e-Office Action program users. The USPTO is now eliminating the postal postcard as an option for all Patent Center e-Office Action program users. 
DATES : The option to receive a courtesy 
postal postcard under the Patent Center e-Office Action program will no longer be available as of October 20, 2023. Patent Center e-Office Action program users may manually opt in to receiving e-postcards prior to that date. As of October 20, 2023, e-postcards will be the only option for the courtesy 
postcard, and the USPTO will automatically switch over any Patent Center e-Office Action program users who have not already opted in to receiving e-postcards. The USPTO will continue to mail postal postcards for seven days after October 20, 2023 for any unviewed correspondence in the queue as of October 20, 2023 for those program users who were receiving postal postcards prior to that date. 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT : 
Eugenia A. Jones, Senior Legal Advisor, Office of Patent Legal Administration, at 571–272–7727; or Kristie A. Mahone, Senior Legal Advisor, Office of Patent Legal Administration, at 571–272–9016; or patentpractice@uspto.gov. For 
technical questions, please contact the Patent Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 1–866–217–9197 (toll-free), 571–272– 4100 (local), or ebc@uspto.gov. The Patent EBC is open from 6 a.m. to midnight ET, Monday–Friday. 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION : In April 
2023, the USPTO migrated all participants from the Private PAIR e- Office Action program to the Patent Center e-Office Action program. The USPTO informed the public of the migration in advance. See Patent Center 
Electronic Office Action Program, 88 FR 20138 (Apr. 5, 2023) (April 2023 Notice). 
Under the current Patent Center e- 
Office Action program, users have the option to receive either a courtesy postal postcard through the United States Postal Service or a courtesy e-postcard 
by email. Courtesy reminder postcards are sent when none of the Office communications listed in the email notification have been viewed or downloaded in Patent Center within seven calendar days after the date of the notification and at least one of the listed Office communications requires the applicant’s reply. In the April 2023 Notice, the USPTO requested comments on eliminating the courtesy postal postcard as an option. The USPTO received one comment in response to the request for comments. The commenter did not express any views on eliminating the postal postcard and only made a general comment about Patent Center. 
The USPTO has determined that 
maintaining postal postcards is not necessary. Eliminating the postal postcard will reduce paper waste and mitigate the impact of potential postal delays. Furthermore, exclusively using e-postcards will enable the USPTO to continue to furnish courtesy reminders while more effectively streamlining service delivery processes. Therefore, the USPTO is eliminating the postal postcard as an option for all Patent Center e-Office Action program users. Instead, the USPTO will send a courtesy e-postcard notifying Patent Center e- Office Action program users if none of the Office communications listed in the email notification are viewed or downloaded through Patent Center within seven calendar days after the date of the email notification and at least one of the Office communications requires an applicant’s reply. The USPTO will email courtesy e-postcards to the same email addresses assigned to the Customer Number for the correspondence address. 
Participation in the Patent Center e- 
Office Action program will continue to be optional. Additional information on the Patent Center e-Office Action Program is available at www.uspto.gov/ patents/apply/checking-application- status/e-office-action-program. 
Katherine K. Vidal, 
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual 
Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. 
[FR Doc. 2023–20351 Filed 9–19–23; 8:45 am] 
BILLING CODE 3510–16–P CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY 
COMMISSION 
[Docket No. CPSC–2023–0033] 
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Consumer Products 
AGENCY : Consumer Product Safety 
Commission. 
ACTION : Notice of availability and 
request for information. 
SUMMARY : The Consumer Product Safety 
Commission (Commission or CPSC) is publishing this notice to request information on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) used in commerce or potentially used in consumer products, potential exposures associated with the use of PFAS in consumer products, and potential human health effects associated with exposures to PFAS from their use in consumer products. This notice also includes the availability information of a related contractor report. 
DATES : Written comments must be 
submitted by November 20, 2023. 
ADDRESSES : You can submit comments, 
identified by Docket No. CPSC–2023– 0033, by any of the following methods: 
Electronic Submissions: Submit 
electronic comments to www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments. Do not submit through this website: confidential business information, trade secret information, or other sensitive or protected information that you do not want to be available to the public. CPSC typically does not accept comments submitted by email, except as described below. 
Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier/ 
Confidential Written Submissions: CPSC encourages you to submit electronic comments by using www.regulations.gov. You may, 
however, submit comments by mail, hand delivery, or courier to: Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone: (301) 504–7479. 
Instructions: All submissions must 
include the agency name and docket number. CPSC may post all comments without change, including any personal identifiers, contact information, or other personal information provided to www.regulations.gov. If you wish to 
submit confidential business information, trade secret information, or other sensitive or protected information that you do not want to be available to the public, you may submit such comments by mail, hand delivery, or 
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1PFAS are persistent in the environment and can 
bioaccumulate in organisms. There is variability in 
the persistence of different PFAS in various environmental media and biological matrices. 
2The report (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances 
(PFAS) Report | A Report by the Joint Subcommittee 
on Environment, Innovation, and Public Health) is available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp- content/uploads/2023/03/OSTP-March-2023-PFAS- Report.pdf. 3The report (Characterizing PFAS Chemistries, 
Sources, Uses, and Regulatory Trends in U.S. and International Markets) is available in the docket and at https://www.cpsc.gov/content/CPSC-PFAS- 
WhitePaper. 
4The statement (CPSC Staff Statement on: 
Characterizing PFAS Chemistries, Sources, Uses, and Regulatory Trends in the U.S. and International Markets) is available in the docket and at https:// 
www.cpsc.gov/content/PFAS-Market-Use-Cover- 
Memo. 
5The file names and descriptions of appendices 
and databases contained in supporting files are described in CPSC Staff’s Statement. Appendices and supporting files are available in the docket and at https://www.cpsc.gov/Research--Statistics/ 
Chemicals. courier, or you may email them to: cpsc- 
os@cpsc.gov. 
Docket: For access to the docket to 
read background documents or comments received, go to www.regulations.gov, and insert the 
docket number, CPSC–2023–0033, into the ‘‘Search’’ box, and follow the prompts. The report (Characterizing PFAS Chemistries, Sources, Uses, and Regulatory Trends in U.S. and International Markets) is available in the docket, under ‘‘Supporting and Related Material’’ on the Commission’s website at https://www.cpsc.gov/content/CPSC- 
PFAS-WhitePaper, and from the CPSC’s 
Office of the Secretary. 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT : 
Charles Bevington, Directorate for Health Sciences, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 5 Research Place, Rockville, MD 20850; telephone: (301) 987–2009; email: cbevington@cpsc.gov. 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION : 
I. Background 
PFAS are manufactured chemicals 
that contain multiple fluorine atoms attached to carbon chains. There is no single, universally accepted definition of PFAS or authoritative list of substances, although some researchers and organizations have published preferred definitions or have generated such lists. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other data sources indicate that there are thousands of different PFAS that could be registered on U.S. or global chemical inventories and are potentially in commerce, hundreds of PFAS with reported use information from the U.S. or international sources, and several dozen PFAS that are more commonly measured in consumer products, the environment, or in people. PFAS have a variety of applications, including in non-stick cookware; water-repellent and stain resistant clothing, carpets and other fabrics; some cosmetics; some firefighting foams; and common home products such as cleaning supplies, waxes, coatings, adhesives, paints, and sealants. This Request for Information concerns ‘‘consumer products’’ which includes products used in or around the home or school that are subject to CPSC jurisdiction under the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA), 15 U.S.C. 2051 et seq., Federal Hazardous 
Substances Act, 15 U.S.C. 1261 et seq., and other statutes administered by CPSC. Cosmetics, drugs, and pesticides generally are not within CPSC’s jurisdiction under the CPSA. 
PFAS can move through the 
environment, and they break down very slowly. They are commonly referred to as ‘‘forever chemicals.’’
1Consumer 
products containing PFAS contribute to aggregate exposures through mediated (e.g., ingestion of indoor dust and 
inhalation of indoor air) and contact (e.g., mouthing of products and direct 
dermal transfer) exposure pathways. Consumer products containing PFAS also contribute to aggregate exposures through releases to the environment from manufacturing and processing of PFAS and formulation and disposal of consumer products containing PFAS (e.g., ingestion of drinking water). 
Currently in the United States, local 
jurisdictions, states, and other federal agencies, including the EPA, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and U.S. Department of Agriculture are studying PFAS occurrences, human exposures, and health effects that are largely associated with environmental exposures (e.g., contaminated drinking 
water, food chain). In March 2023, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released a PFAS Report informed by a Request for Information and developed in collaboration with many federal agencies.
2That report provides a 
comprehensive and recent summary of known data and research gaps in four areas: removal, destruction, or degradation of PFAS, safer alternatives, source and pathways of exposure, and toxicity. This request for information by CPSC is solely focused on potential use or presence of PFAS in consumer products, potential human exposures associated with consumer product use, and potential adverse human health effects associated with consumer product use. 
CPSC contracted with RTI 
International (Contract No. GS–00F– 354CA, Order No. 61320622F0078) to complete an overview of PFAS with a focus on PFAS that are potentially used or present in consumer products. The main objectives of the contract were to (1) broadly characterize PFAS and identify the uses and applications of PFAS in consumer products, identify significant individual PFAS with known or potential consumer product applications, and identify trends associated with production and use of PFAS in consumer products; (2) identify international, federal, state, and local regulations or restrictions for individual 
or grouped PFAS; and (3) summarize recent hazard (toxicity), exposure, or risk assessments that have been completed by authoritative bodies. 
The completed RTI report,
3CPSC 
staff’s statement on the report,4and the 
accompanying appendices and database files
5provide this information, describe 
some data gaps, limitations, and uncertainties, and identify possible next steps. 
The completed contractor report and 
associated materials are available at: https://www.regulations.gov under 
docket number CPSC–2023–0033, on the Commission’s website at https:// www.cpsc.gov/Research--Statistics/ Chemicals under the heading ‘‘Per- and 
Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS’’), and from the CPSC’s Office of the Secretary at the location listed in the 
ADDRESSES section of this notice. 
This request for information (RFI) 
seeks input from the public on PFAS and potential uses or presence of PFAS in consumer products, potential human 
exposures associated with consumer product use, and potential adverse human health effects associated with consumer product use. This RFI does not constitute or propose regulatory action, but rather is intended to inform the Commission and the public. 
II. Information Requested 
CPSC is requesting information from 
all stakeholders such as consumers, 
manufacturers and importers, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and researchers. Please provide information focused on consumer products and with consideration for the information already available to CPSC in the contract report and associated supporting files. The contractor report is not a risk assessment and did not identify all potential data sources that could be used for risk assessment. 
CPSC is particularly requesting 
information on PFAS and potential use or presence of PFAS in consumer products, potential human exposures to 
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PFAS associated with consumer product 
use including information about potentially highly exposed population groups, and potential adverse human health effects informed by toxicological data sources. The Commission seeks comment on all significant aspects of this issue, including but not limited to the following questions. 
Use or Potential Use of PFAS in 
Consumer Products 
1. Please provide information about 
the definition of PFAS, including which chemical substances should be considered a perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance, which chemical substances should be excluded from consideration as a PFAS, and which PFAS are considered in commerce. 
2. Please identify specific PFAS 
potentially used or present in consumer 
products that are not already included in the contract report and related supporting files. For each PFAS chemical identified, specify relevant consumer product(s) and/or use categories. 
3. Please provide information about 
which specific PFAS the CPSC should 
prioritize in assessments of potential uses or presence of PFAS in consumer products. 
4. Please provide information about 
which specific consumer products CPSC should prioritize in assessments of potential uses or presence of PFAS. 
5. Please provide information about 
consumer products or materials used in consumer products that may be sources of PFAS. 
5a. For intentional uses of PFAS, 
please provide information on: Chemical identity and physical form (solid, liquid, gas, semi-solid); Functional purpose of the PFAS; and measurements or estimates of levels/ concentration of PFAS used in consumer products. 
5b. Where PFAS may be present in 
consumer products other than for intentional, functional uses (such as manufacturing or environmental contaminants), please provide information on sources of contaminants; chemical identity and physical form; degradation of substances or materials in consumer products to PFAS; and measurements or estimates of levels/ concentration of PFAS in consumer products other than from intentional uses. Potential Human Exposures to PFAS 
Associated With Consumer Products Use, Including Information About Potentially Highly Exposed Population Groups 
6. Please provide information related 
to the emission of PFAS from consumer products into the indoor environment. For example, studies or data that estimate emission rates or mass transfer parameters of PFAS chemicals from consumer products or materials. 
7. Please provide information related 
to the migration of PFAS from consumer products into saliva, gastrointestinal fluid, or skin. For example, studies or data that estimate migration rates into biological fluids or surfaces based on sustained contact time. 
8. Please provide information about 
the potential for exposure and risk from presence of PFAS in consumer products (including contact exposures from direct use of consumer products and mediated exposures such as through emission of PFAS from products to surfaces, indoor dust, or indoor air). Please provide: 
8a. Data related to specific exposure 
pathways from consumer product sources and associated data or estimates of occurrence of PFAS in environmental media; 
8b. Data on measurements or 
estimates of PFAS intake, uptake, clearance, half-life, or occurrence in people (biomonitoring); and 
8c. Data on the relative source 
contribution of consumer product(s) or ingestion of indoor dust, or inhalation of indoor air compared with other relevant sources such as ingestion of drinking water or ingestion of food associated with estimates of aggregate exposures. 
9. Please provide information about 
population groups that may use certain 
consumer products for a greater than average magnitude, frequency, or duration based on habits, practices, and characteristics specific to that population group. 
Potential Adverse Human Health Effects 
Informed by Toxicological Data 
10. Please provide reports and 
underlying data for data sources that could inform whether individual PFAS or subclasses or categories of PFAS have potential for adverse human health effects. This includes human or animal studies that report the relationship between known exposures and observed effects. This also includes new approach methodology studies such as in-vitro assays or in-silico predictions that report the relationship between known exposures and observed biological activities related to health effects. 
11. Please provide information on 
additional sources of data and other information that CPSC should consider that are not already included or mentioned in the contract report and associated data files. 
If you wish to submit confidential 
information in response to this RFI, please follow the instructions in the 
ADDRESSES section above. 
Alberta E. Mills, 
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety 
Commission. 
[FR Doc. 2023–20332 Filed 9–19–23; 8:45 am] 
BILLING CODE 6355–01–P 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
Department of the Army, U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers 
Notice of Funding Availability for 
Applications for Credit Assistance Under the Corps Water Infrastructure Financing Program 
AGENCY : U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 
Department of Defense (DoD). 
ACTION : Notice of funding availability. 
SUMMARY : The Corps Water 
Infrastructure Financing Program (CWIFP) is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (Corps) new credit assistance program for non-federal dam safety projects. Through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022, CWIFP has been provided $81 million in budget authority. The purpose of this Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) is to solicit preliminary applications from prospective borrowers seeking credit assistance from the Corps under CWIFP. The Corps will evaluate and select projects using selection criteria as further described in this NOFA. 
DATES : The preliminary application 
submittal period begins today and ends at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on December 19, 2023. 
ADDRESSES : Prospective borrowers 
should submit all preliminary applications (OMB Control Number 0710–0026) electronically via the Corps online application portal, located at: https://CWIFPapp.usace.army.mil. After 
registering within the application portal, prospective borrowers will be able to securely provide all required information for the preliminary application. If a prospective borrower has any questions or needs assistance, they should contact CWIFP@usace.army.mil. 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT : 
Nathan Campbell at 651–219–2963 or by 
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