Public Comment Period on a Draft Technical Support Document on the Proposed Public Health Goal for Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) in Drinking Water

The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) of the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) is soliciting external scientific peer review and public comments on a draft technical support document on the proposed Public Health Goal (PHG) for methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) in drinking water. This draft document has been revised in response to the comments received during the first comment period and at a public workshop held on May 15, 1998. The revised draft document is available for a 30-day comment period that begins June 12, 1998, when the announcement is published in the California Regulatory Notice Register, and will end on July 13, 1998, at 5:00 p.m.

The PHG technical support document provides information on the health effects of MTBE in drinking water. PHGs are levels of drinking water contaminants at which adverse health effects are not expected to occur from a lifetime of exposure. The California Safe Drinking Water Act of 1996 (Health and Safety Code Section 116365) requires OEHHA to adopt PHGs based exclusively on public health considerations. PHGs adopted by OEHHA will be considered by the California Department of Health Services in establishing drinking water standards (State Maximum Contaminant Levels, or MCLs).

Copies of the document are available at the OEHHA Internet Web Site. The OEHHA Internet Web Site address is http://www.oehha.org. Printed copies may be obtained for a fee from Copy World, Inc., 2154 University Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94704, (510) 849-9701, FAX (510) 849-9704.

Written comments received during this second public comment period will be considered during our second revision of the document. In addition, written comments must be postmarked (if sent by mail) or received by OEHHA by 5:00 p.m. July 13, 1998, to be considered during the second revision of the document. If you would like to receive further information on this document, or have questions, please contact Dr. Yi Wang at (510) 540-3063. Written comments should be addressed to:

Juliet Rafol
CAL/EPA-OEHHA-PETS
PHG Project
2151 Berkeley Way, Annex 11
Berkeley, CA 94704
FAX: (510) 540-3674

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