[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 123 (Tuesday, June 25, 1996)] [Notices] [Pages 32796-32798] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 96-16127] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-5526-5] Science Advisory Board; Notification of Public Advisory Committee Meeting; Open Meeting Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, notice is hereby given that several committees of the Science Advisory Board (SAB) will meet on the dates and times described below. All times noted are Eastern Daylight Time. All meetings are open to the public. Due to limited space, seating at meetings will be on a first-come basis. For further information concerning specific meetings, please contact the individuals listed below. Documents that are the subject of SAB reviews are normally available from the originating EPA office and are not available from the SAB Office. 1. Integrated Risk Project Steering Committee The Integrated Risk Project (IRP) Steering Committee, an ad hoc committee established by the Executive Committee of the Science Advisory Board, will meet on July 16-17, 1996, at the Morrison House, 116 South Alfred Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, telephone (703) 838- 8000. The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. on July 16, and at 8:00 a.m. on July 17, and end no later than 5:30 p.m. on both days. Seating will be limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. The purpose of the meeting is to receive reports from the Subcommittees of the IRP and to begin discussion of an integrated model for decision- making that incorporates information on risks to ecosystems and humans, risk reduction options, and their economic implications. Background on the Integrated Risk Project In a letter dated October 25, 1995, to Dr. Matanoski, Chair of the SAB Executive Committee, Deputy Administrator Fred Hansen charged the SAB to: (a) develop an updated ranking of the relative risk of different environmental problems based upon explicit scientific criteria; (b) provide an assessment of techniques and criteria that could be used to discriminate among emerging environmental risks and identify those that merit serious, near-term Agency attention; (c) assess the potential for risk reduction and propose alternative technical risk reduction strategies for the environmental problems identified; and (d) identify the uncertainties and data quality issues associated with the relative rankings. The project will be conducted by several SAB panels, working at the direction of an ad hoc Steering Committee established by the Executive Committee. Single copies of Reducing Risk, the report of the previous relative risk ranking effort of the SAB, can be obtained by contacting the SAB's Committee Evaluation and Support Staff (1400), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460, telephone (202) 260-8414, or fax (202) 260-1889. Members of the public desiring additional information about the meeting, including an agenda, should contact Ms. Constance Valentine, Staff Secretary, Committee Operations Staff, Science Advisory Board (1400), US EPA, 401 M Street, SW, Washington DC 20460, by telephone at (202) 260-6552, fax at (202) 260-7118, or via the Internet at: Valentine.C[email protected]. Anyone wishing to make a brief oral presentation at the IRP meeting must contact Ms. Stephanie Sanzone, Designated Federal Official for the IRP, in writing no later than 4:00 pm, July 8, 1996, at the above address, via fax (202) 260-7118 or via the Internet at Sanzone.S[email protected]. The request should identify the name of the individual who will make the presentation and an outline of the issues to be addressed. At least 35 copies of any written comments to the Committee are to be given to Ms. Sanzone no later than the time of the presentation for distribution to the Committee and the interested public. Ms. Sanzone may be contacted by phone at (202) 260-6557. See below for additional information on providing comments to the SAB. 2. Ecological Processes and Effects Committee The Ecological Processes and Effects Committee (EPEC) of the Science Advisory Board (SAB) will meet on July 18-19, 1996, at the Environmental Protection Agency's Washington Information Center (WIC), Conference Room 17, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460. The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. on July 18 and at 8:00 a.m. on July 19, and end no later than 5:00 p.m. on each day. The main purpose of the meeting is to: a) review the planning and problem formulation for several watershed-level ecological risk assessment case studies; b) discuss a process for identifying and ranking ecological risks as part of the SAB's Integrated Risk Project; and c) discuss EPEC Subcommittee reports, possibly including reports from the Marsh Management Subcommittee and the Lakes Biocriteria Subcommittee. Background on the Watershed-Level Ecological Risk Assessment Case Studies The Office of Water and the Office of Research and Development have asked the Committee to conduct a two-stage review of the five case studies being prepared to illustrate ecological risk assessment for watersheds experiencing multiple stressors. In 1993, watershed teams began the development of risk assessments for five watersheds: Big Darby Creek, OH; Clinch River, VA; Middle Platt River Wetlands, NE; Snake River, ID; and Waquoit Bay Estuary, MA. The initial review (termed an SAB Advisory) will focus on the approach to planning and problem formulation, illustrated primarily by the draft case study for Waquoit Bay, with additional examples being drawn from the other case studies where appropriate. The Charge to the Committee is to evaluate the process for: framing the risk assessment to respond to management goals; selecting relevant assessment endpoints and measures; developing conceptual models that represent the interactions among multiple stressors, exposure pathways, ecological effects, and ecosystem processes; and developing an analysis plan. Single copies of the materials supplied to the Committee, including the draft case studies, can be obtained by contacting Ms. Crystal Robinson, EPA Risk Assessment Forum (W635), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460, telephone (202) 260-6743. [[Page 32797]] Background on the Integrated Risk Project For background on this project, please see information listed above in the meeting announcement for the IRP. Anyone wishing to make a brief oral presentation at the EPEC meeting must contact Ms. Stephanie Sanzone, Designated Federal Official for the EPEC, in writing no later than 4:00 pm, July 8, 1996, at the above address, via fax (202) 260-7118 or via the Internet at Sanzone.S[email protected]. The request should identify the name of the individual who will make the presentation and an outline of the issues to be addressed. At least 35 copies of any written comments to the Committee are to be given to Ms. Sanzone no later than the time of the presentation for distribution to the Committee and the interested public. Ms. Sanzone may be contacted by phone at (202) 260-6557. See below for additional information on providing comments to the SAB. 3. Environmental Health Committee The Environmental Health Committee (EHC) of the Science Advisory Board (SAB) will meet on July 18-19, 1996 at the Holiday Inn Georgetown, 2101 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington D.C. 20007, telephone (202) 338-4600. The meeting will start at 9:00 a.m. and end no later that 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) each day. Due to limited space, seating at the meeting will be on a first-come basis. The main purpose of the meeting is to discuss and review two documents: the EPA's Proposed Guidelines for Neurotoxicity Risk Assessment and the revised Thyroid Cancer Risk Assessment Policy Document. Background on the Reviews The Committee's review of the Neurotoxicity Risk Assessment Guidelines will include the following issues: (a) combining hazard identification and dose-response evaluation to reflect more accurately the process used for noncancer health; (b) compensation and recovery of function in neurotoxicological studies and how to account for compensation in neurotoxicology risk assessment; (c) the use of blood and/or brain acetylcholinesterase activity as an indication of neurotoxicity for risk assessment; (d) endpoints indicative of neurotoxicity that may not be covered by these proposed Guidelines, e.g., endocrine disruption or neuroendocrine-mediated neurotoxicity; (e) the completeness of the description of the endpoints used in human and animal neurotoxicological assessments; (f). the possibility of no threshold for some neurotoxic agents; (g) the treatment of susceptible populations and individuals by the proposed Guidelines; and (h) the use of the Benchmark Dose in Neurotoxicity Risk Assessment. The review of the Thyroid Cancer Risk Assessment Policy Document will include the following issues: (a) the relevant science and its support of the proposed science policy position; (b) the summary of the state of knowledge regarding potential susceptibility for thyroid cancer development and the proposed science policy position; (c) the reasonableness of the science policy position that disruption in thyroid-pituitary status may be associated with increases in thyroid cancer risk; (d) the seven factors for assessing whether or not a chemical has antithyroid activity and the minimal criteria for making such a determination; (e) the proposed default assumption that the significance of human exposure to antithyroid carcinogens should be evaluated by margin-of-exposure considerations unless biologically based models and data are available; and (f) the nature, adequacy and completeness of the provided case studies and of the guidance for using the information. For Further Information--Single copies of the review materials for the Proposed Guidelines for Neurotoxicity Risk Assessment (which was published in full in the Federal Register, Vol 60, No. 192, pages 52032-52056, October 4, 1995) can be obtained from Dr. William Wood (8103), US EPA, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460, telephone (202) 260-1095, fax (202) 260-3955, or by sending a request via Internet to [email protected]. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS DOCUMENTATION IS NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE SAB. Members of the public desiring additional technical information about the Guidelines should contact Dr. Hugh Tilson, Neurotoxicology Division (MD-74B), National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, telephone (919) 541-2671 or fax (919) 541-4849, or by sending a request via Internet to [email protected]. Single copies of the review materials for the Thyroid Cancer Risk Assessment Policy Document, as well as additional technical information, can be obtained from Dr. Richard Hill, Office of Prevention (7101), US EPA, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460, telephone (202) 260-2894, fax (202) 260-1847, or by sending a request via Internet to [email protected]. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS DOCUMENTATION IS NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE SAB. Members of the public desiring additional information about the meeting, including a draft agenda, should contact Ms. Mary Winston, Staff Secretary, Committee Operations Staff, Science Advisory Board (1400), US EPA, 401 M Street, SW, Washington DC 20460, telephone (202) 260-6552, fax (202) 260-7118, or Internet at: [email protected]. Anyone wishing to make an oral presentation at the EHC meeting must contact Mr. Samuel Rondberg, Designated Federal Official for the EHC, in writing at the above address no later than 4:00 p.m., July 11, 1996 via fax (202) 260-7118 or via Internet at: [email protected]. The request should identify the name of the individual who will make the presentation and an outline of the issues to be addressed. At least 35 copies of any written comments to the Committee are to be given to Mr. Rondberg no later than the time of the presentation for distribution to the Committee and the interested public. Mr. Rondberg may be contacted by telephone at (202) 260-2559. 4. Drinking Water Committee The Drinking Water Committee (DWC) will meet on July 16-18, 1996, at the Holiday Inn Georgetown, 2101 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20007, telephone (202) 338-4600. The meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. on July 16 and at 8:30 a.m. on July 17 and 18, and end no later than 5:00 p.m. each day. The main purpose of the meeting is to: (a) evaluate the statistical approach to enumerate pathogens in drinking water supplies; (b) discuss the proposals submitted for DWC review in Fiscal Year 1997; (c) identify testing procedures, and advice needed from the DWC regarding endocrine disruptors; (d) consider the impacts revisions to the Cancer Guidelines may have on the assessment of waterborne cancer hazards; and, e) finish drafting the DWC's report on the Agency's Five Year Research Plan for Microbes and Disinfectant By-Products. Background on the Statistical Evaluation of Pathogenic Parasites The Agency has conducted an Information Collection Rule (ICR) which among other things provided data about the occurrence of the pathogenic parasites Cryptosporidium and Giardia in several hundred water supplies. Information about pathogen occurrence and the treatment options is needed for a Regulatory Impact Analysis of the [[Page 32798]] Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (ESWTR). While the Office of Water (OW) does not believe that current statistical methods are appropriate for evaluating occurrence and treatment efficacy at individual sites, it does think it has developed an appropriate approach for conducting a National Impact Analysis. The charge to the Committee is to evaluate: (a) the factual and conceptual soundness of the approach and methods used, and the soundness of the results and conclusions of the report; (b) the suitability of the assumptions and conditions tested in the report; (c) the suitability of the report as a basis for making a decision on the use of protozoan monitoring data for a national impact assessment; and, (d) whether the degree of accuracy and precision of the protozoan method is acceptable for an impact analysis. For Further Information--Single copies of the Statistical Methods can be obtained by contacting Mr. John Fox, Office of Water (4304), US EPA, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460, telephone (202) 260-9889 or fax (202) 260-7185, or by sending a request via Internet to Fox.J[email protected]. Members of the public desiring additional information about the meeting, including a draft agenda, should contact Ms. Mary Winston, Staff Secretary, Committee Operations Staff, Science Advisory Board (1400), U.S. EPA, 401 M Street SW., Washington DC 20460, telephone (202) 260-6552, fax (202) 260-7118, or by Internet at: [email protected]. Anyone wishing to make an oral presentation at the meeting must contact Dr. Jack Kooyoomjian, Designated Federal Official for the Drinking Water Committee, in writing no later than 4:00 p.m., July 9, 1996 (at the above address), via fax (202) 260-7118 or by Internet at: [email protected]. The request should identify the name of the individual who will make the presentation and an outline of the issues to be addressed. At least 35 copies of any written comments to the Committee are to be given to Dr. Kooyoomjian no later than the time of the presentation for distribution to the Committee and the interested public. To discuss technical aspects of the meeting, please contact Dr. Kooyoomjian on telephone (202) 260-2560. 5. Radiation Advisory Committee (RAC) The Radiation Advisory Committee (RAC) of the Science Advisory Board (SAB) , will meet on Wednesday, July 31 and Thursday, August 1, 1996 at the Environmental Protection Agency, Washington Information Center, Room 17, 401 M Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20460. On July 31, the meeting will begin at 9:00 am and adjourn no later than 5:30 pm. On August 1, the meeting will begin at 8:30 am and will adjourn no later than 4:00 pm. At this meeting, the RAC will conduct planning for Fiscal Year 1997, planning for an upcoming review on the Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual (MARSSIM), and receive briefings from the staff of the Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (ORIA) on the following topics: uncertainty in radiation risk estimates, models, and environmental goals for ORIA, and a consultation on environmental indicators. Background The draft documents that are the subject of this review are available from the originating EPA office and are not available from the SAB Office. At the present time, no draft documents have been provided to the RAC, but it is anticipated that draft chapters one and two of the MARSSIM will be available for informational reading. These draft documents will be available from the ORIA staff. To obtain copies, please contact the Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (ORIA/ RPD/MARSSIM) (6603J), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20460, fax (202) 233-9650. Anyone wishing to make a brief oral presentation at the RAC meeting must contact Dr. Kooyoomjian in writing no later than 4:00 pm, July 24, 1996 at the address below, via fax (202) 260-7118, or via the Internet at Koojoomjian.J[email protected]. The request should identify the name of the individual who will make the presentation and an outline of the issues to be addressed. At least 35 copies of any written comments to the Committee are to be given to Dr. Kooyoomjian no later than the time of the presentation for distribution to the Committee and the interested public. Dr. Kooyoomjian may be contacted by phone at (202) 260-2560. In order to obtain a copy of the draft agenda, please contact Ms. Diana L. Pozun, Staff Secretary, Committee Operations Staff, Science Advisory Board (1400), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460, tel. (202) 260-6552, fax (202) 260-7118, or via the INTERNET at: Pozun.D[email protected]. See below for additional information on providing comments to the SAB. Providing Oral or Written Comments at SAB Meetings The Science Advisory Board expects that public statements presented at its meetings will not be repetitive of previously submitted oral or written statements. In general, each individual or group making an oral presentation will be limited to a total time of ten minutes. For conference call meetings, opportunities for oral comment will be limited to no more than five minutes per speaker and no more than fifteen minutes total. Written comments (at least 35 copies) received in the SAB Staff Office sufficiently prior to a meeting date, may be mailed to the relevant SAB committee or subcommittee prior to its meeting; comments received too close to the meeting date will normally be provided to the committee at its meeting. Written comments may be provided to the relevant committee or subcommittee up until the time of the meeting. Dated: June 19, 1996. John R. Fowle, III, Acting Staff Director, Science Advisory Board. [FR Doc. 96-16127 Filed 6-24-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P