[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 230 (Wednesday, November 27, 1996)] [Notices] [Pages 60280-60281] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 96-30309] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [OPPTS-42189; FRL-5575-7] Endocrine Disruptors; Notice of Public Meeting AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of public meeting. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: EPA is announcing the first meeting of the Endocrine Disruptors Screening and Testing Advisory Committee (EDSTAC), a committee established under the provisions of the Federal Committee Advisory Act (FACA) to advise EPA on a strategy for screening and testing chemicals and pesticides for their potential to disrupt endocrine functions in humans and wildlife. DATES: The meeting will be held on December 12-13, 1996. It will begin at 8 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. on December 12th. There will be an opportunity for public comment from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. on the evening of December 12th. The Committee will reconvene at 8 a.m. and adjourn at 12:30 p.m. on December 13th. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Embassy Suites Hotel, 250 Gateway Blvd., South San Francisco, CA 94080. A block of rooms has been reserved at a rate of $109/night. When contacting the hotel please refer to the ``Endocrine Disrupter Screening and Testing Advisory Committee'' meeting to obtain this rate. The telephone number at the hotel is 425-589-3400, fax: 415-876-0305. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To obtain additional information please contact the contractor assisting EPA with meeting facilitation and logistics: Ms. Tutti Otteson, The Keystone Center, P.O. Box 8606, Keystone, CO 80435, telephone: 970-468-5822, fax: 970-262-0152, email: [email protected]. For technical information, contact Tony Maciorowski (telephone: 202-260-3048; e-mail: [email protected]) or Gary Timm (telephone: 202-260- 1859; e-mail: [email protected]) at EPA. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA's Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances is taking the lead for the Agency on endocrine disruption screening and testing issues. EPA began its efforts to develop a screening and testing strategy by obtaining the views of key stakeholders at a meeting on May 15-16, 1996 (61 FR 20814, May 8, 1996) (FRL-5369-8). At the May stakeholder's meeting participants generally agreed that government, industry, academia and public interest groups should work [[Page 60281]] collaboratively to develop a screening and testing strategy. Recent legislation (i.e., reauthorization of the Safe Drinking Water Act and passage of the Food Quality Protection Act) has mandated that such a screening and testing program be developed by EPA. Further, underlying authority for EPA to consider implementation of such a program is found in the existing Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). EPA has concluded that a FACA chartered committee would be the best means of providing advice and consultation to the Agency regarding the development of an endocrine disruptor screening and testing program and proposes to form the Endocrine Disrupter Screening and Testing Advisory Committee (EDSTAC). An organizational meeting of EDSTAC nominees and other interested stakeholders was held in Washington, DC on October 31 and November 1, 1996 (61 FR 54195, October 17, 1996) (FRL-5571-2). EDSTAC Purpose and Goals The purpose of EDSTAC is to provide advice and counsel to the Agency on a strategy to screen and test endocrine disrupting chemicals and pesticides in humans, fish, and wildlife. This strategy will be aimed at reducing or mitigating risk to human health and the environment. The broad goals and objectives of EDSTAC are set forth in its charter and include the following: (a) A strategy for identifying and selecting from among existing and new initial screening mechanisms, as well as the methods to ensure their validation. (b) The selection of validated initial screens EPA should use to initiate the endocrine disrupter screening and testing program. (c) A strategy and criteria for deciding when more thorough endocrine disrupter testing, beyond the initial screening, is needed, what existing and new tests may be appropriate, as well as the methods to ensure their validation. (d) The selection of validated tests EPA should use subsequent to, or in lieu of, the initial screens. (e) A flexible process to select and prioritize the chemicals and pesticides that will be subjected to the initial screening and, where appropriate, subsequent testing. The Committee may pursue these goals sequentially or in parallel tracks. In either case, the Committee may recommend that EPA take action to implement agreements that are reached on one or more of these goals before agreements are reached on all of the goals. EPA expects the EDSTAC to take a consensus approach to reaching their findings and recommendations. These goals will also be pursued in a manner that recognizes the data made available as a result of the endocrine disrupter screening and testing program will be used to reduce or mitigate risk to human health and the environment. It is anticipated that this overarching risk management goal will eventually require the development of approaches to: Synthesize exposure and hazard information; and incorporate synthesized exposure and hazard information into risk reduction and risk management decisions. EDSTAC Communication Objectives In developing its recommendations on an endocrine disrupter screening and testing program, the Committee may also need to address issues associated with how to publicly communicate the true intent of their substantive agreements and recommendations they submit to EPA. The Committee may also need to develop recommendations for how EPA should communicate screening and testing information to the public if the Agency follows the Committee's recommended approaches to screening and testing. Proposed Agenda for December 12-13 Meeting The following is the proposed agenda for this first meeting. 1. Discuss and further refine the goals and objectives of EDSTAC. 2. Discuss and agree on the scope of EDSTAC's activities. The scope of EDSTAC's activities may encompass: a. Only estrogen effects stipulated as the minimum requirement by legislation or other endocrine disrupter effects. If broader than estrogen, which additional hormonal effects should be included (e.g., androgens, anti-androgens, anti-estrogens, thyroids)? b. Single compounds or mixtures of compounds as well. If mixtures are included, are there specific commonly found mixtures or classes of chemicals that can be included rather than all possible mixtures? c. Only human health effects or ecological effects as well. 3. Review and approve the Committee's operating ground rules. 4. Discuss the structure and utilization of work groups to address the issues encompassed by the scope of the Committee's activities. 5. Initiate discussion of the principles that should guide the Agency's endocrine disrupter screening and testing program. These principles will be applicable to the development of the EDSTAC's screening and testing recommendations, as well as future EPA endocrine disrupter screening and testing policy decisions. These principles would address: a. The purpose of screening and testing. b. Selecting from among alternative screens and tests. c. Establishing the order or logical relationships for using different screens and tests. d. Validating screens and tests. e. Interpreting the results of screens and tests, including the utility of the information to be gained from screens and tests in deciding what happens both within the screening and testing arena itself as well as in the broader risk management/ decision making arena. f. How to expand screening and testing beyond whatever hormonal effects the Committee recommends to be the initial focus of EPA's endocrine disrupter screening and testing program. Dated: November 21, 1996. Lynn R. Goldman, Assistant Administrator for Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances. [FR Doc. 96-30309 Filed 11-26-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-F