[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 210 (Tuesday, October 31, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55376-55377]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-26958]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPPTS-00179; FRL-4987-3]

Establishment of a National Advisory Committee for Acute Exposure 
Guideline Levels (AEGLs) for Hazardous Substances

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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[[Page 55377]]


SUMMARY: EPA's Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances 
(OPPTS) is giving notice of the establishment of the National Advisory 
Committee for Hazardous Substances for Acute Exposure Guideline Levels 
(AEGLs) that can serve as biological reference values for extremely 
hazardous substances. The objective of this committee is the efficient 
and effective development of AEGLs and the preparation of supplementary 
qualitative information on the hazardous substances for federal, state, 
and local agencies and organizations in the private sector concerned 
with emergency planning, prevention, and response. The quantitative 
exposure levels will represent biological reference values for the 
general population. The Agency has determined that the Committee is 
necessary and in the public interest.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Tobin, Office of Prevention, 
Pesticides and Toxic Substances (7406), 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 
20460, (202) 260-1736, e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As required by section 9(a)(2) of the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463), EPA's Office of 
Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substance (OPPTS) is giving notice of 
the establishment of the National Advisory Committee for Acute Exposure 
Guideline Levels (AEGLs) for Hazardous Substances (NAC/AEGL Committee). 
Copies of NAC/AEGL Committee's Charter will be filed with the 
appropriate committees of Congress and the Library of Congress.
    The NAC/AEGL Committee will be composed of scientist-
representatives from federal, state, and local agencies and 
organizations from the private sector with an interest in emergency 
planning, prevention, and response programs for acutely toxic 
chemicals. Organizations with scientist-representatives from the 
private sector include medical associations, labor unions, 
environmental groups, academia, private corporations, and the American 
Industrial Hygiene Association. The Committee will employ consistent 
methodology and utilize comprehensive data gathering, data evaluation 
AEGL development, and peer review process on a chemical-by-chemical 
basis. EPA anticipates the outcome of this committee's efforts to be 
the development of technical support documents and the development and 
publication of AEGL values that will serve as threshold levels for 
certain health effect endpoints or biological reference values for use 
on a national basis. In addition, it is intended to have the AEGLs 
reviewed by a National Academy of Sciences (NAS) subcommittee prior to 
publication under the auspices of NAS. The NAS subcommittee will serve 
as a peer review of the AEGLs and as the final arbitor in the 
resolution of issues regarding the basic methodology used for setting 
AEGLs. In 1992, the NAS published Guidelines for Developing Community 
Emergency Exposure Levels for Hazardous Substances which will serve as 
the methodology guidance for the development of the AEGLs. The 
collaborative efforts of government agencies and private organizations 
through the work of the AEGL committee is seen as a good example of 
``reinventing government'' and represents a new, cost effective 
approach to avoiding duplication of efforts, establishing uniform 
values, and employing the most scientifically sound methods available 
for the development of short-term exposure levels for extremely 
hazardous substances.

    Dated: October 25, 1995.

Susan H. Wayland,
Assistant Administrator for Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic 
Substances.

[FR Doc. 95-26958 Filed 10-30-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F