Lydia Wegman/RTP/USEPA/US 

03/21/2008 01:29 PM

	

To

hking@omb.eop.gov

cc

martin.karen@epa.gov, murphy.deirdre@epa.gov, Zachary
Pekar/RTP/USEPA/US@EPA, Tricia Crabtree/RTP/USEPA/US@EPA

Subject

Lead meetings









Hi Heidi,

I want to express a growing concern that I have about interagency
discussions on lead.   As you well know, we have already spent many
hours discussing the risk assessment and science underlying it with you
and Nancy.   At this point, it is critical that Deirdre and Zach have
time to write the proposal notice.  With literally only two weeks left
to write it and get into EPA review, and thence to you in slightly over
three weeks, I need to allow them time to think and write.  I understand
your desire to educate the interagency folks and answer in advance as
many questions as possible, since that should, in theory, speed your and
others review of the package during your review period.   My request is
that if we are to have more meetings to answer questions that 1) we
receive the questions, specific questions, not general areas of
discussion, in advance so that we can prepare to answer them and do so
efficiently, 2) that people read in advance materials that we direct
them to in response to a question received in advance (note that many of
the issues raised are addressed in the Risk Assessment report itself) 
and 3) that all parties who have any interest in these questions attend
the meeting.   We simply cannot be in a position of repeating to new
participants information we've already provided. 

Please let me know if you think this would work.  I cannot emphasize
enough the enormity of the task facing Deirdre and Zach and the need to
let them move forward with drafting the notice.  Thanks very much. 

I hope you have a great trip to San Diego. 

Lydia

