[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 18 (Thursday, January 27, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4895-4896]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1773]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9258-9]


Workshop To Discuss Issues Related to the Potential Development 
of Multipollutant Science and Risk Assessments for the Criteria Air 
Pollutants

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of workshop.

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SUMMARY: EPA is convening a public workshop to discuss issues related 
to the evaluation of health risks associated with exposures to air 
pollutant mixtures, focusing on the criteria air pollutants. This 
workshop is being jointly sponsored and organized by EPA's National 
Center for Environmental Assessment, Office of Air Quality Planning and 
Standards, Office of Research and Development, and the Health Effects 
Institute. The workshop will be held February 22-24, 2011, at the 
Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Although the workshop is 
open to the public, space is somewhat limited and registration is on 
first come-first served basis.

DATES: The workshop will be held on February 22, 23, and 24, 2011, 
beginning each day at 8 a.m. and ending at 5 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The workshop will take place at the Carolina Inn, 211 
Pittsboro Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27516. The EPA contractor, ICF 
International, Inc., is providing logistical support for the workshop.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding information, 
registration, and logistics for the workshop should be directed to 
Courtney Skuce at ICF International, Inc., telephone: 919-293-1660; e-
mail: [email protected]. Questions regarding the scientific 
and technical aspects of the workshop should be directed to Dr. Douglas 
Johns, telephone: 919-541-5596; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Summary of Information About the Workshop

    Sections 108 and 109 of the Clean Air Act require periodic review 
and, if appropriate, revisions of the various national ambient air 
quality standards (NAAQS) and the air quality criteria on which they 
are based. In most cases, evaluating the health impacts of exposure to 
a given air pollutant involves disentangling similar effects of 
exposure to other co-occurring air pollutants. While an understanding 
of the independent effects of exposure to individual pollutants is 
essential, it is important to recognize that under normal ambient 
conditions, individuals are not exposed to separate pollutants in 
isolation, but rather to a complex mixture of air pollutants. EPA is 
currently in the process of developing plans to conduct a 
multipollutant science assessment whereby the health effects of 
exposures to mixtures of air pollutants, particularly the criteria air 
pollutants, may be systematically evaluated. Further, EPA is interested 
in developing methods through which information from multipollutant 
epidemiologic and exposure studies may be applied to risk and exposure 
assessments conducted as part of the NAAQS reviews. In the context of 
implementation of the NAAQS, such methods may be applied to analyses of 
the health benefits of implementation policies resulting in reductions 
in the concentrations of multiple air pollutants. In addition, EPA is 
interested in identifying research needs and approaches that may best 
inform and characterize the health effects of exposure to mixtures of 
air pollutants.
    EPA is holding this workshop with invited expert panelists to 
provide input related to reviewing the various NAAQS within a 
multipollutant context, as well as guidance on ways in which EPA 
research may assist in this effort. The workshop will be organized with 
three, one-day technical sessions to facilitate focused panel 
discussions around various issues associated with: (1) The use of 
scientific information and statistical approaches in conducting air 
pollution risk analyses in multipollutant exposure environments, (2) 
interpretation and integration of information across scientific 
disciplines in developing a multipollutant science assessment to 
support the reviews of the NAAQS and the air quality criteria on which 
they are based, and (3) novel research and analytical approaches to 
better characterize the health effects of multipollutant exposures. The 
organization of the workshop is intended to encourage workshop 
participants to think broadly about the available and emerging 
scientific evidence and to facilitate an open dialogue among 
participants across disciplines regarding how this science may help to 
inform key policy-relevant issues. The input provided by participants 
during the workshop discussions will be taken into account as EPA 
develops future plans, approaches, and processes for moving toward 
multipollutant approaches to

[[Page 4896]]

evaluating the health effects of air pollution. Ideally, attendees will 
be able to participate in all three phases of the meeting to provide 
coherence and maximally integrated discussions.

    Dated: January 21, 2011.
Darrell A. Winner,
Acting Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. 2011-1773 Filed 1-26-11; 8:45 am]
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