Atrazine Human Health Re-Evaluation

Conference Calls with Stakeholders and USDA and NASDA

October 7, 2009

Call Requested By: EPA Office of Pesticide Programs

Participants:

 

Office of Pesticide Programs, EPA – Robert McNally, Steven Bradbury,
Catherine Eiden, and Carol Stangel

Stakeholders (11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. EST) – 

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

(202) 289-6868 (office main)

Jennifer Sass, Ph.D.,   HYPERLINK "mailto:jsass@nrdc.org" 
jsass@nrdc.org  

Aaron Colangelo,   HYPERLINK "mailto:acolangelo@nrdc.org" 
acolangelo@nrdc.org  

[On the call: Mae Wu and Josh Mogerman, Chicago]

American Water Works Association (AWWA)

J. Alan Roberson, P.E. 

Director of Security and Regulatory Affairs

(202) 326-6127 (direct)

  HYPERLINK "mailto:aroberson@awwa.org"  aroberson@awwa.org  

Triazine Network

Jere White

Kansas Corn Growers Association

785-448-6922

  HYPERLINK "mailto:jwhite@ksgrains.com"  jwhite@ksgrains.com  

American Farm Bureau Federation

Tyler Wegmeyer

202-406-3663

  HYPERLINK "mailto:tylerw@fb.org"  tylerw@fb.org  

USDA and NASDA (11:30 a.m. – Noon EST) – 

Teung Chin, Acting Director, Office of Pest Management Policy

Agricultural Research Service

USDA

(202) 720-5375

  HYPERLINK "mailto:Teung.F.Chin@usda.gov"  Teung.F.Chin@usda.gov  

Nathan Bowen, Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Specialist

National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA)

(202) 296-9680

  HYPERLINK "mailto:Nathan@nasda.org"  Nathan@nasda.org 

Bob Ehart, Public Policy Director

NASDA

(202) 296-9680

  HYPERLINK "mailto:bob@nasda.org"  bob@nasda.org 

Meeting Summary: 

EPA discussed with atrazine stakeholders the Agency’s announcement
today that we are launching a comprehensive new evaluation of atrazine.

EPA’s review will be based on transparency and sound science,
including independent scientific peer review, and will help determine
whether a change in our regulatory position on atrazine is appropriate. 
At the end of this process, the Agency will decide whether to revise its
current atrazine risk assessment and whether new restrictions are
necessary to better protect public health. 

During the reevaluation, EPA will consider the potential for atrazine
cancer and non-cancer effects, including data generated since 2003 from
laboratory animal and human epidemiology studies.  To be certain that
the best science possible is used in its atrazine human health risk
assessment, and to ensure transparency, EPA is seeking advice from the
independent FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP). 

EPA will engage the SAP to reevaluate the human health effects of
atrazine over the coming year:

November 3, 2009 – EPA will present its plan for the new atrazine
evaluation.

February 2010 – EPA will present and seek scientific peer review of
its proposed plan for incorporating epidemiology studies into the
atrazine risk assessment. 

April 2010 – EPA will present and seek peer review of its evaluation
of atrazine non-cancer effects based on animal laboratory toxicology
studies, selection of safety factors in the risk assessment, and the
sampling design currently used to monitor drinking water in community
water systems.

September 2010 – EPA will present and seek peer review of its
evaluation of atrazine cancer and non-cancer effects based on animal
toxicology studies and epidemiology studies.  This review is intended to
include the most recent results from the National Cancer Institute’s
Agricultural Health Study, anticipated for publication in 2010.

At the conclusion of this process, EPA will ask the SAP to review
atrazine’s potential effects on amphibians and aquatic ecosystems.

 

The SAP meetings will be open to the public. 

In addition to conducting this scientific review of atrazine’s human
health and ecological effects, EPA plans to meet with interested groups
to explore better ways to inform the public more quickly about results
of atrazine drinking water monitoring.

Meeting Summary Prepared by:  Robert McNally

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