The California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) is the lead agency for the implementation of the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Proposition 65).

The Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee (Committee) of OEHHA’s Science Advisory Board advises and assists OEHHA in compiling the list of chemicals known to the State to cause reproductive toxicity which is mandated by Health and Safety Code Section 25249.8. The Committee serves as the State’s qualified experts for rendering an opinion as to whether a chemical has been clearly shown, through scientifically valid testing according to generally accepted principles, to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm.

A public meeting of this committee will be held in the Auditorium at 744 P Street, Sacramento, California from 10:00 a.m. until all business has been conducted, or until 5:00 p.m. on December 9, 1997.

The tentative agenda for this meeting is as follows:

I. INTRODUCTION
(William A. Vance, Ph.D., Deputy Director for Scientific Affairs, OEHHA)

II. OPENING REMARKS
(Richard A. Becker, Ph.D., Acting Chief Deputy Director, OEHHA)

III. BENZENE

A. Staff overview of draft hazard identification document
(Mari S. Golub, Ph.D., OEHHA)

B. Committee discussion of possible finding that benzene has been clearly shown to cause reproductive toxicity (i.e., developmental toxicity , male reproductive toxicity, female reproductive toxicity, or some combination thereof)

C. Public comments

D. Committee discussion and decision

IV. LEGAL OPINION

A. Dueling authoritative bodies
(William F. Soo Hoo, Chief Counsel, OEHHA)

V. STAFF REPORTS

A. Update on OEHHA’s Strategic Plan and implementation of RAAC recommendations
(Richard A. Becker, Ph.D., Acting Chief Deputy Director, OEHHA)

B. Update on administrative listings
(Cynthia Oshita, Proposition 65 Implementation)

C. Update on the petition to remove Mercury and Mercury Compounds from the list of chemicals known to cause reproductive toxicity
(William F. Soo Hoo, Chief Counsel, OEHHA)

D. Update on the Workshop on Essential Trace Elements
(Mari S. Golub, Ph.D., OEHHA)

E. Update on Prioritization of potential DART candidates
(James M. Donald, Ph.D., OEHHA)

F. Committee discussion and public comments

VI. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTIONS
(William A. Vance, Ph.D., Deputy Director for Scientific Affairs, OEHHA)

OEHHA is committed to public participation and external scientific peer review in its efforts to implement Proposition 65. OEHHA welcomes public input on any of the agenda items identified above. Comments sent by mail, fax, or delivered in person or courier should be directed to:

Cynthia Oshita
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
Post Office Box 4010
Sacramento, CA 95812-4010
Fax (916) 327-1097

A public notice announcing the availability of the draft hazard identification document on benzene which will be discussed at the December 9, 1997 meeting was published in the California Regulatory Notice Register on September 5, 1997. The documents were also made available on September 5, 1997 on the OEHHA web site at http://www.oehha.org. By publishing these notices well in advance of the Committee meeting, OEHHA hopes to encourage scientific dialogue prior to consideration of topics by the Committee. It is OEHHA’s intent that relevant scientific studies, and relevant interpretations and analyses of such studies, be made available early in the process of Proposition 65 consideration so that OEHHA staff can prepare materials for timely consideration by the Committee that accurately reflect the available data. The Committee prefers that information for its consideration be presented in writing prior to its meetings so that it can give due consideration to the material and so that it can devote time at the meetings to discussions and clarifications, rather than to extensive oral testimony. To allow adequate time for the Committee to review comments, OEHHA requests that all submittals be received at its office on or before November 17, 1997.

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For questions regarding Proposition 65, please contact the Cynthia Oshita in the Proposition 65 Implementation Program

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