[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 120 (Wednesday, June 21, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38559-38560]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-15585]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


The National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) of the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Announces the 
Following Meeting

    Name: Public Meeting to Review and Re-evaluate Safe Airborne 
Exposure Limits (AELs) of Nerve Agents GA, GB and VX.
    Time and Dates: 8 am-5 pm, Wednesday, August 23, 2000.
    8 am-5 pm, Thursday, August 24, 2000.
    Place: J.W. Marriott Hotel, 3300 Lenox Road NE, Atlanta, GA 
30326, telephone 404/262-3344. For overnight accommendations, a 
special room rate is available until Friday, July 21, 2000.
    Status: Open to the public, limited only by space available. The 
meeting room accommodates approximately 100 people.
    Background: Chemical warfare materials agents GA, GB, and VX are 
no longer manufactured in the U.S.; however, they currently are 
stored at 8 locations in the continental U.S. by the Department of 
Defense (DOD). Public Law (Pub. L.)99-145 (50 U.S.C. 1521) mandates 
that these stockpiled lethal chemical agents be destroyed. In 1970, 
Pub. L. 91-121 and Pub. L. 91-441 (50 U.S.C. 1521) mandated that the 
Department of Health and Human Services must review DOD plans for 
disposing of the munitions and make recommendations to protect human 
health. In 1987, CDC requested public comment on recommendations for 
protecting human health and the environment against potential 
adverse effects of long-term exposure to low doses of agents: G, GB, 
VX, Mustard (H, HD, T) and Lewisite (L). CDC incorporated the public 
comments and in 1988 recommended control limits for air exposures to 
agents GA, GB, and VX for protection of workers involved in the 
demilitarization process and for the general public living in areas 
adjacent to demilitarization facilities. The Army adopted these 
control limits into policy in 1990. Now, twelve years later, CDC is 
recommending that these control limits be re-evaluated based on 
newly developed risk

[[Page 38560]]

models and any updated scientific data. Additionally, the U.S. Army 
Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Medicine (USACHPPM) has 
overseen an initiative to re-evaluate existing AELs for chemical 
warfare agents and to develop new levels based on currently accepted 
risk assessment approaches and incorporation of data which has 
recently become available.
    Purpose: The purpose of this meeting is to review the AELs set 
for GA, GB, and VX based on the 1988 recommendations from CDC and 
determine modifications required to update these limits to reflect 
current findings. Based on new risk assessment models and any 
available scientific data, CDC will engage nerve agent experts and 
the public in an evaluation of the current limits and recommend 
updated limits based on the public comments.
    To facilitate the public dialogue, CDC will provide a forum for 
general public interaction and serve as a vehicle for members of the 
public to provide their individual concerns.
    Matters To Be Discussed: Agenda items include (1) presentation 
of newly developed risk assessment models and scientific data, (2) 
panel discussion by nerve agent specialists,(3) recommended 
modifications to existing levels based on panel comments, and (4) 
collect public comments on proposed new AELs.
    There will be time for public input, questions, and comments.
    Agenda items are subject to change as priorities dictate.
    Contact Person for Additional Information: Sascha Beck, Chemical 
Demilitarization Branch, Division of Emergency and Environmental 
Health Services, NCEH, CDC, 4770 Buford Highway NE (F-16), Atlanta, 
Georgia, 30341-3724, telephone 770/488-4078, fax 770/488-4127.
    The Director, Management Analysis and Services office has been 
delegated the authority to sign Federal Register notices pertaining 
to announcements of meetings and other committee management 
activities, for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    Dated: June 15, 2000.
Carolyn J. Russell,
Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 00-15585 Filed 6-20-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P