May 20, 1997

EPA-SAB-EPEC-CON-97-001

Honorable Carol M. Browner
Administrator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
401M Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20460

             Subject:      Notification of a Consultation on the Development of a Sediment
                          Quality Criterion for PAH Mixtures

Dear Ms. Browner:

       The Ecological Processes and Effects Committee (EPEC) of the Science Advisory Board
(SAB) met on May 13, 1997, in part to conduct a consultation with staff from the Office of Water
on the Agency's proposed approach to the development of a Sediment Quality Criterion for
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) mixtures in sediments. The SAB has developed the
consultation as a mechanism to advise the Agency on technical issues that should be considered in
the development of regulations, guidelines, or technical guidance before the Agency has taken a
position.  A consultation is conducted under the normal requirements of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act,  which include advance notice of the public  meeting in the Federal Register.

       As is our customary practice, there will be no formal report from the SAB as a result of
this consultation, nor do we expect any formal response from the Agency.  However, the
Committee looks forward to conducting a formal review of the draft methodology for deriving a
PAH mixtures criterion in the future.

                                        Sincerely,
                                              /signed/
                                        Dr. Genevieve M. Matanoski, Chair
                                        Executive Committee
     /signed/                                          /signed/
Dr. Mark A. Harwell, Chair                      Dr. William J. Adams, Chair
Ecological Processes and                        Sediment Quality Subcommittee
 Effects Committee

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