

[Federal Register: September 5, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 171)]
[Notices]               
[Page 50954]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05se07-41]                         


[[Page 50954]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-8463-7; Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2006-0812]

 
Child-Specific Exposure Factors Handbook

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of peer-review panel workshop.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing that 
Eastern Research Group, Inc. (ERG), an EPA contractor for external 
scientific review, will convene an independent panel of experts and 
organize and conduct a peer-review workshop, to review the external 
review draft document titled, ``Child-Specific Exposure Factors 
Handbook'' (EPA/600/R-06/096A). EPA provided an opportunity for public 
comment on the draft document from October 2006 to January 2007. The 
draft document was prepared by the National Center for Environmental 
Assessment (NCEA) within EPA's Office of Research and Development. The 
``Child-Specific Exposure Factors Handbook'' provides a summary of 
statistical data on various exposure factors used in assessing 
children's exposures, including: Drinking water consumption; soil 
ingestion and mouthing behavior; inhalation rates; dermal factors 
including skin surface area and soil adherence factors; consumption of 
retail and home-grown foods; breast milk intake; and human activity 
pattern data. Once completed, this report will serve as a resource for 
exposure assessors for estimating children's exposures. An interim 
final version of this handbook was published in 2002. This updated 
version provides analysis of exposure factors data using the age groups 
for children recommended in the EPA document entitled, ``Guidance on 
Selecting Age Groups for Monitoring and Assessing Childhood Exposures 
to Environmental Contaminants'' (EPA/630/P-03/003F) (Available on line 
at http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/cfm/recordisplay.cfm?deid=146583).

    EPA released this draft document in October 2006, solely for the 
purpose of pre-dissemination peer review under applicable information 
quality guidelines. This document has not been formally disseminated by 
EPA. It does not represent and should not be construed to represent any 
Agency policy or determination.
    In preparing a final report, EPA will consider the public comments 
submitted to EPA's docket during the public comment period, and the 
contractor's report of the external peer-review workshop, including any 
oral public comments received at the workshop.

DATES: The peer-review panel workshop will begin on September 19, 2007, 
at approximately 8 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. on September 20, 2007. 
Members of the public may attend the peer-review panel workshop. Time 
will be set aside on the morning of September 19, 2007, for registered 
attendees who wish to make brief oral comments (for more information 
refer to the instructions for registration below).

ADDRESSES: Eastern Research Group, Inc. (ERG), an EPA contractor for 
external scientific review, will convene an independent panel of 
experts and organize and conduct a peer-review panel workshop to review 
this draft document. The peer-review panel workshop will be held at The 
Navy League Building, located at 2300 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA. 
Observers may attend the peer-review panel workshop through a 
registration process by calling ERG's conference line between the hours 
of 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.EDT at (781) 674-7374 or toll free at (800) 803-
2833, or by faxing a registration request to (781) 674-2906 (please 
reference the CSEFH Peer-Review Panel Workshop and include full address 
and contact information) , or by sending an e-mail to meetings@erg.com 
(subject line: CSEFH Peer-Review Panel Workshop; body: Include full 
address and contact information). Pre-registration is strongly 
recommended as space is limited, and registrations will be accepted on 
a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline for pre-registration is 
September 12, 2007. If space allows, registrations will continue to be 
accepted after this date, including on-site registration. Time will be 
set aside during the morning of the first day of the meeting to hear 
comments from observers, and individuals will be limited to a maximum 
of five minutes. Please inform ERG when registering if you wish to make 
a comment at the workshop.
    The draft document, ``Child-Specific Exposure Factors Handbook,'' 
is available primarily via the Internet on the National Center for 
Environmental Assessment's home page under the Recent Additions and the 
Data and Publications menus at http://www.epa.gov/ncea. A limited 

number of paper copies are available from the Technical Information 
Staff, NCEA-W; telephone: (202) 564-3261; facsimile: (202) 565-0050. If 
you are requesting a paper copy, please provide your name, mailing 
address, and the document title, ``Child-Specific Exposure Factors 
Handbook''. Copies are not available from ERG and copies will not be 
available onsite.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding registration and 
logistics for the external peer-review panel workshop should be 
directed to ERG, 110 Hartwell Avenue, Lexington, MA 02421-3136; 
telephone: (781) 674-7374 or toll free at (800) 803-2833; facsimile: 
(781) 674-2906; e-mail: meetings@erg.com.
    If you need technical information about the draft document, please 
contact Jacqueline Moya, National Center for Environmental Assessment 
(NCEA); telephone: (202) 564-3245; facsimile: (202) 565-0079; e-mail 
moya.jacqueline@epa.gov.


    Dated: August 29, 2007.
Rebecca Clark,
Acting Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. E7-17540 Filed 9-4-07; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
