[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 43 (Friday, March 5, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10662-10663]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-5234]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6306-4]


Workshop for Peter Review of the Draft EPA Risk Characterization 
Handbook and Case Studies

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
meeting for peer review of a draft Risk Characterization Handbook and 
associated case studies. The peer review panel will discuss the 
Handbook and case studies, and comment on their usefulness as guidance 
for describing the scientific conclusions reached

[[Page 10663]]

during the risk assessment process. EPA will use the peer review 
comments to revise and complete the Handbook and case studies.

DATES: The peer review meeting will begin on Wednesday, March 24, 1999 
at 9:00 a.m. and end on Thursday, March 25, 1999 at approximately 5:00 
p.m. The public is invited to attend the peer review meeting as 
observers. Seating is limited so advance registration is suggested.

ADDRESSES: The peer review meeting will be held at the Ramada Plaza 
Hotel, Old Town, 901 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-1501, 
phone 703-683-6000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The EPA has contracted with Eastern 
Research Group, Inc. (ERG, Inc., 110 Hartwell Avenue, Lexington, 
Massachusetts 02173) to manage and conduct the peer review. To attend 
the meeting as an observer, please preregister by calling ERG at 781-
674-7374 or fax a registration request to 781-674-2906. Upon 
registration you will be sent an agenda and a logistical fact sheet. A 
limited amount of time is set aside on the second day of the meeting 
for observers to present brief oral comments on a first-come, first-
serve basis and is limited to the time available; therefore, please 
notify ERG's registration line if you wish to present oral comments.
    Interested parties can obtain a single copy of the draft materials 
by calling EPA's National Service Center for Environmental Publications 
(NSCEP) at 1-800-490-9198. When contacting NSCEP, please provide your 
name and mailing address, and request publication number EPA/600/R-99/
025 dated March 1999.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In March 1995, responding to recommendations 
in a National Research Council report, EPA's Administrator issued the 
Policy for Risk Characterization for Agency-wide use. A subcommittee of 
the EPA's Science Policy Council has been working with risk assessors 
and risk managers to test and develop principles for implementing the 
Policy. Unlike EPA's risk assessment guidelines, which provide specific 
guidance for targeted parts of the risk assessment process (e.g., 
Guidelines for Carcinogen Risk Assessment, Guidelines for Developmental 
Toxicity Risk Assessment), the draft Handbook proposes general guidance 
that focuses on presenting the results of the risk assessment so that 
these results are clear and reasonable for risk accessors and risk 
managers alike. The overall objective is to enable risk assessors to 
more effectively prepare and present their results for risk managers to 
use in environmental decision-making. The accompanying case studies 
offer examples of several different kinds or risk characterizations. 
EPA is inviting the peer reviewers to provide comments and offer 
recommendations for enhancing the discussion of principles and 
processes in the draft Handbook and case studies. EPA will use the peer 
review comments to revise and complete the Handbook and case studies 
for Agency assessors and managers to use as one of their tools for 
implementing the Policy for Risk Characterization.

    Dated: February 24, 1999.
Dorothy E. Patton,
Director, Office of Science Policy.
[FR Doc. 99-5234 Filed 3-4-99; 8:45 am]
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