[Federal Register: January 28, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 18)]
[Notices]               
[Page 4252]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28ja98-80]


[[Page 4252]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5955-6]

 
Public Stakeholders Meeting on the Process for Implementing the 
Guidelines for Carcinogen Risk Assessment

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: This document announces a stakeholders meeting sponsored by 
the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Science Policy Council. 
EPA is presenting a process for reassessing cancer assessments as part 
of EPA's initiative for implementing the Guidelines for Carcinogen Risk 
Assessment. The Guidelines were proposed in 1996. EPA also proposed an 
implementation process for reassessing cancer assessments in 1996 and 
is revising the process based on public comments. EPA is now seeking 
additional public comment and input on its current implementation 
process. The implementation process will be finalized at the same time 
as the Guidelines for Carcinogen Risk Assessment. The agenda will 
include opportunities for short stakeholder presentations, as well as 
structured, informal discussion based on the issues.

DATES: The meeting will begin on Tuesday, February 24, 1998, at 8:30 
a.m. and end on Wednesday, February 25, 1998, at approximately 12 noon. 
Members of the public are invited to attend.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Sheraton Crystal City Hotel 
at 18th and Eads Streets in Arlington, VA.
    Resolve, Inc., an EPA contractor, has sub-contracted to The 
Mediation Institute, the logistical support and facilitation for the 
meeting. EPA urges participants to pre-register with Alana Knaster or 
Janet Pittman, The Mediation Institute, 4508 Park Cordero, Calabasas, 
CA 91302, Tel: 818/591-9526, FAX: 818/591-0980 as soon as possible. 
Space is limited. Registrants will receive an information packet 
containing the draft meeting agenda, and a discussion document 
outlining EPA's position on several major issues, along with other 
meeting information.

PRESENTATIONS: Members of the public who are interested in making a 
short presentation on a particular issue at the stakeholder meeting are 
requested to sign up for one of the topic areas at the time of their 
registration. EPA would appreciate receiving a short summary of the 
presentation, which should be no more than one page. Presentations are 
limited to 5 minutes. Because EPA is seeking a variety of opinions, the 
facilitator will ensure that there is a balance of viewpoints.

SUBMITTING COMMENTS: To ensure that stakeholders who are unable to 
attend the meeting may present their views, EPA will also accept short 
written comments on the implementation process until March 27, 1998. 
Comments should be submitted to: Alana Knaster, same address and phone 
numbers as above.
    Please note that all comments responding to this notice will be 
placed in a public administrative record. For that reason, commentors 
should not submit personal information such as medical data or home 
addresses, confidential business information or information protected 
by copyright. Due to limited time and resources, acknowledgments will 
not be sent.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical inquiries, as well as 
questions about the meeting, please contact Alana Knaster, same address 
and phone numbers as above. The main discussion document containing the 
implementation process can be obtained from the EPA World Wide Web site 
at http://www.epa.gov/ncea/riskassf.htm.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA is presenting a process for implementing 
the Guidelines for Carcinogen Risk Assessment for reassessing cancer 
assessments. The Guidelines were developed under the auspices of the 
EPA's Risk Assessment Forum (RAF) and proposed in 1996 (61 FR 17960). 
EPA also proposed an implementation process for reassessing cancer 
assessments in 1996 (61 FR 32799) and is revising the process based on 
public comments. The implementation process will be finalized at the 
same time as the Guidelines for Carcinogen Risk Assessment.
    It is expected that once the Guidelines become final, existing 
cancer assessments will need reassessment based upon the revised 
Guidelines. The implementation process will help the EPA and the public 
select and prioritize the chemicals that would need a reassessment. It 
will also allow a selection of new assessments to be incorporated in 
the schedule for the reassessments.
    The four main issues for which EPA specifically seeks public 
opinion include: (1) The implementation process, including 
opportunities for public input, (2) the criteria for selection of 
chemicals for reassessment, (3) whether small changes can be made in 
toxicity assessments without completely reassessing all toxicity 
information, and (4) the form of external review for identification and 
prioritization of chemicals.
    Following this meeting, EPA will use the comments to finalize the 
implementation process for cancer reassessments once the Guidelines for 
Carcinogen Risk Assessment are final.

    Dated: January 22, 1998.
Dorothy E. Patton,
Director, Office of Science Policy.
[FR Doc. 98-2083 Filed 1-27-98; 8:45 am]
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