[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 175 (Thursday, September 10, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48503-48504]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-24336]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6159-3]


Science Advisory Board; Notification of Public Advisory Committee 
Meeting

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-
463, notice is hereby given that the Integrated Human Exposure 
Committee (IHEC) of the Science Advisory Board (SAB) will meet on 
Tuesday, September 29 and Wednesday, September 30, 1998, beginning no 
earlier than 9 am and ending no later than 6 pm on each day. All times 
noted are Eastern Time. All meetings are open to the public, however, 
due to limited space, seating at meetings will be on a first-come 
basis. The meeting will be held at the Hawthorne Suites--Research 
Triangle Park, 300 Meredith Drive, Durham, North Carolina, 27713. For 
directions, please call the hotel at 919-361-1234 (1-800-527-1133). For 
further information concerning the meeting, please contact the 
individuals listed below.

Purpose

    The purpose of the meeting is to conduct an advisory on the 
National Human Exposure Assessment Survey (NHEXAS) and to receive a 
briefing on the National Health and Human Nutrition Examination Survey 
(NHANES). There will be a series of panel discussions and 
presentations.

Charge

    The IHEC has been asked to respond to the following Charge 
questions:
    Charge Question #1: What are the strengths and weaknesses of 
multimedia, multipathway measurements of exposure as represented by the 
NHEXAS program, insofar as it can be defined at this point?
    Charge Question #2: Are the ongoing and planned analyses 
appropriate and likely to further the goals of NHEXAS? At the level of 
each consortia? At the level of NHEXAS?
    Charge Question #3: What actions would be likely to increase the 
utility of the information from NHEXAS? In the near-term? In the longer 
term?
    Charge Question #4: What follow-up studies would be most useful in 
the near term, considering that key NHEXAS analyses will not be 
completed for a year? What is the appropriate balance between large 
population surveys and more targeted follow-up studies?

[[Page 48504]]

    Charge Question #5: What additional IHEC advice is offered for 
strengthening the immediate and long-term utility of NHEXAS and studies 
like it?

Background

    At its November Strategic Planning Retreat, the Executive Committee 
of the Science Advisory Board concluded that new directions taken by 
EPA demand new directions for the SAB if the Board is going to continue 
to make a positive difference in the way that science is developed and 
used in environmental decision-making. In particular, the Executive 
Committee decided that the SAB needs to spend much more of its energy 
providing strategic, forward-looking advice. Consequently, the IHEC 
identified NHEXAS as the topic for its strategic activity for Fiscal 
Year 1998 and 1999. The Committee plans to have a followup meeting on 
NHEXAS within the next 12 months following this advisory meeting.
    Three field studies are being conducted under the National Human 
Exposure Assessment Survey. In these studies, exposures in three study 
regions are being measured using data on pollutant concentrations in 
environmental and biological media and estimates of the frequency and 
durations of exposure-related human activities. In these studies, (1) 
pollutant concentrations in air, water, soil, dust, food, blood, and 
urine as well as on surfaces and human skin are being measured using 
various sampling and analytical techniques; (2) direct exposure is 
being determined using personal exposure monitors; and (3) human 
activity patterns are being estimated using a series of questionnaires 
and diaries. These data are being used to estimate human exposures 
among the sampled populations and to test a series of hypotheses 
related to these exposures. The target chemicals include: volatile 
organic compounds (VOCs), pesticides, metals and polyaromatic 
hydrocarbons (PAHs).
    The EPA Office of Research and Development has entered into three 
Cooperative Agreements with three different Consortia to conduct a 
series of field studies including: (1) A consortium made up of the 
University of Arizona, Battelle Memorial Institute and the Illinois 
Institute of Technology; (2) A consortium from the Research Triangle 
Institute (RTI) and the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences 
Institute (EOHSI); and (3) A consortium of Harvard University, Johns 
Hopkins University , Emory University, and Westat. The Office of 
Research and Development has entered in Inter-agency Agreements with 
(1) the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to analyze blood and urine 
samples; (2) the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to analyze food and 
beverage samples; (3) the National Institute for Standards and 
Technology (NIST) to provide quality assurance support; and (4) the 
General Services Administration (GSA) to provide data management 
support. During the meeting, the IHEC will be briefed by the CDC on the 
National Health and Nutrition Evaluation Survey (NHANES) and its value 
to improving understanding of human exposure.
    For Further Information--Single copies of the relevant background 
documents and the agenda may be obtained from Ms. Wanda Fields by 
telephone (202) 260-5510, by fax (202) 260-7118 or via E-mail at: 
[email protected] Technical questions on these materials should be 
directed to Mr. Dale Pahl by telephone at (919) 541-1851 or via E-mail 
at [email protected]

Public Comments

    Anyone wishing to make an oral presentation at the meeting must 
contact Ms. Roslyn Edson, Designated Federal Officer for the IHEC, in 
writing, no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Time on September 22, by fax 
(202) 260-7118, or via E-mail: [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. Edson no later 
than the time of the presentation for distribution to the Committee and 
the interested public.

Providing Oral or Written Comments at SAB Meetings

    The Science Advisory Board expects that public statements presented 
at its meetings will not repeat 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. This time 
may be reduced at the discretion of the SAB, depending on meeting 
circumstances. 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, which may 
be of any length, may be provided to the relevant committee or 
subcommittee up until the time of the meeting.

The Science Advisory Board

    Information concerning the Science Advisory Board, its structure, 
function, and composition, may be found in The FY1997 Annual Report of 
the Staff Director which is available from the SAB Committee Evaluation 
and Support Staff (CESS) by contacting US EPA, Science Advisory Board 
(1400), Attention: CESS, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460 or via 
fax (202) 260-1889. Additional information concerning the SAB can be 
found on the SAB Home Page at: http://www.epa.gov/sab.
    Copies of SAB prepared final reports mentioned in this Federal 
Register Notice may be obtained immediately from the SAB Home Page or 
by mail/fax from the SAB's Committee Evaluation and Support Staff at 
(202) 260-4126, or via fax at (202) 260-1889. Please provide the SAB 
report number when making a request.

Meeting Access

    Individuals requiring special accommodation at this meeting, 
including wheelchair access, should contact Ms. Roslyn Edson at 202-
260-3823, via fax at 202-260-7118 or via E-mail at [email protected] 
at least five business days prior to the meeting so that appropriate 
arrangements can be made.

    Dated: September 2, 1998.
Donald G. Barnes,
Staff Director, Science Advisory Board.
[FR Doc. 98-24336 Filed 9-9-98; 8:45 am]
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