SUMMARY OF THE
ENVIRONMENTAL LABORATORY ADVISORY BOARD MEE TING
Monthly Teleconference Meeting: 202-991-0477/7939251#
February 21, 2018; 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. EST
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Environmental Laboratory Advisory Board
(ELAB or Board) teleconference was held on February 21, 2018. The agenda for this meeting is
provided as Attachment A, a list of the participants is provided as Attachment B. and action
items from the teleconference arc included as Attachment C. The official certification of the
minutes by the Chair or Vice-Chair is included as Attachment D.
ROLL CALL/INTRODUCTION
Dr. 1 ienry Eeibovit/. Chair of El.AB. and Dr. 1 homas OTarrell. Designated federal Officer
(DFO) of ELAB. welcomed participants and guests to the teleconference, Ms. Kristen EeBaron
called the roll of the Board members and guests.
APPROVAL OF PRIOR MINUTES
Dr. Lcibovitz asked for comments on the January face-to-face meeting minutes; there were none.
Dr. Mahesh Pujari moved to accept the January 2018 minutes: Dr. Dallas Wait and Mr. Brad
Meadows simultaneously seconded the motion. The Board members voted unanimously to
approve the minutes with one abstention.
OPENING REMARKS AND UPDATES FROM THE DFO
Dr. OTarrell thanked Ms. Lara Phelps, the transitioning DEO. for her work with EEAB. The
Agency has changed its conference call system, and the new call-in number (pro\ ided above)
will be used for all future Board meetings. The goal is to recruit approximately six new members
for the upcoming ELAB term: if Board members have suggestions for potential members, they
should contact Dr. OTarrell.
Dr. OTarrell formally introduced himself, explaining that he also serves as the DFO for HPA's
Human Subjects Research Board. Me is in the Office of the Science .Advisor, based at
1 leadquarters in Washington. D.C. , and much of his focus is on the Agency's Science and
Technology Policy Council, lie previously worked in HPA's National Center for Environmental
Research, managing the peer-review panels that review HPA's extramural grant applications. His
undergraduate and doctoral degrees are in biochemistry.
Dr. Wait asked about the process for selecting a new Vice-Chair in March, when Dr. Mike
Delaney is scheduled to transition from Vice-Chair to Chair. Ms. Phelps explained the process
that she had used during her tenure as DFO. noting that she always sent an email to the Board
members with a list eligible nominees; nominations and voting also occurred via email.
Dr. Delaney explained that he plans to retire during the summer, and he did not feel comfort able
serving as Chair in retired status. Ms. Phelps explained thai when a similar situation occurred in
the past, the Board had decided that the then-current Chair would serve a second term, and a new
Vice-Chair was selected.
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February 21, 2018
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Dr. I.eibovitz asked about the ability to serve on ELAB as a retiree. Ms, Phelps explained that a
retiree slill possesses expertise valuable to (he Board and may serve on ELAB, but it is necessary
to be cognizant thai the dynamic oHhe Board's representation would change. Dr. Delaney w ill
determine whether he is coin Tollable serving as Chair, and if not, the Board will determine the
next steps.
Dr. I.eibovitz commented that the face-to-face meeting went well other than technical issues with
the audio-visual equipment, and he thanked Ms. LeBaron for her support at the meeting.
TASK <;roup UPDATES ON CURRENT TOPICS
The Task Group leaders or their representatives provided updates about current Board topics.
Dr. Eeiboviiz noted the topics that are currently inactive/awaiting further information: whole
effluent toxicity proficiency study standards. Drinking Water Certification Officer [ raining
Course, in-line and on-line monitoring, and Interagency Data Quality Task Force/data quality
objectives.
Cyanide Methodology
The Board approved a letter in response to EPA's reph to the original IT AB letter on cyanide
methodologies and is awaiting information about Dr. Mike Shapiro's (EPA) replacement so that
the letter can be sent. Ms. Phelps explained that Mr. David Ross (EPA) had been confirmed as
the Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water (OW). Because he w as not in the position
w hen OW received the original letter, she recommended sending the response letter to him and
ensuring that Mr. Dan Hautman (EPA) and the other members of the OW group who worked on
the issue are copied. They will be able to provide him with background about the effort: ELAU's
original letter also can be included as an attachment to pro\ide Mr. Ross with additional
background.
Dr. Delaney reported that an article entitled "is There Cyanide in My Drinking Water?" will be
published in an upcoming issue of the Association of Public Health Laboratory's Lab Sinners
newsletter. An article about avoiding false positives during wastewater cyanide testing will be
published this spring in The NELAC Institute's quarterly newsletter. The hisliHile Review. 1 le
noted that the cyanide question-and-answer page in the Methods Update Rule {MUR) section of
EPA's website has not been updated since 2003, and not all of the information on this page is
current. Ms. Phelps said that it would be appropriate for the Task Group to communicate with
Mr. I iautman directly about the website issue.
Selected Jon Monitoring (SIM)
Because he was not able to attend the Januarx face-to-face meeting. Dr. Delaney asked for
clarification about the comments on the topic of SIM that the Board had received at that meeting,
as some comments varied about how comprehensive ELAB's response should be. Dr. Leibovitz
thought that the Task Group should meet to discuss EPA's response and determine how
comprehensive the Board's response to EPA will be. Dr. Define} asked Board members with
SIM expertise to join the Task Group, which previous!} included external experts from contract
laboratories and the stale of New York. Dr. Buckley volunteered to serve on the Task Group.
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February 21. 2018
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Dr. Leibovitz will re-forward EPA's response to the Board members, and Dr. Delaney will
schedule a teleconference with those ELAB members who wish to participate.
User-Generated Library Acceptance Criteria
Dr. Buckley explained that he would like input on how to ask EPA about its willingness to
suspend the tuning criteria. IT the Agencv is unw illing to suspend these criteria, tins effort cannot
move forward. Dr. Leibovitz suggested that Dr. Buckley and the Task Group draft a letter
explaining the science and reasoning behind the request. Once the letter has been sent, the Task
Group can engage in a dialogue with the Agencv to discuss the issue further. Mr. OTarrell will
research the appropriate recipient for the letter.
Addressing Emerging Contaminants
In the absence of Ms. Sharon. Mertens, no update was provided.
Acrolein andAcrylonitrile Preservation andpH
Dr. Pujari explained that the Board had previously advised LPA regarding the analysis
requirements and pi 1 preservation for acrolein and aervlonitrile and provided supporting data and
strong justification, but EPA had not incorporated the recommended changes into the revised
MUR. Me asked w hether the Board supported contacting the Agency about this issue again.
Ms. Deb Waller explained that this will require a change in the Federal Register, and the next
update for wastewater probably will not occur within the next 4 vears. She thought that LPA had
indicated that insufficient data were available to make the changes. Dr. Leibovitz thought that
EPA should review the data and commission a study to make a decision on this issue.
Dr. Richard Burrows ('f est America. Inc.) explained that OW had explained to him and Mr. Scott
Siders (Illinois LPA) that the Agency needed more data, including data on acrolein spikes in a
variety of different wastewater matrices. It may be appropriate for EPA regional laboratories to
participate in the data collection effort: such an effort must be organized for the Agency to make
the recommended changes. Dr. Leibovitz commented that LLAB could provide EPA with
information about avenues for additional data, lie knows of commercial laboratories that have
volunteered to participate in such an effort, but he did not know if it is within the Board's
purview to provide the names of commercial laboratories to LPA. Mr. O'farrcll will research
this. Dr. Burrows commented that the American Council of Independent Laboratories (ACiL)
could identify commercial laboratories willing to participate in data collection. BLAB also
should recommend that LPA's regional laboratories be involved in data collection.
Improving Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCS) Congener Method Option
Dr. Pujari explained that EPA had funded a project and selected a contract laboratory to evaluate
50 to 60 PCB congeners. After receiv ing the data from the laboratory, the Agency decided to
expand the project to include an additional live or six contract laboratories to evaluate
interkiboratorv variation, and this study is ongoing. LPA is unable to release the data at this time.
For the newer ELAB members. Dr. Pujari summarized the background of this topic. ELAB had
prev iously focused on streamlining Method 1668. which is a complex and expensive method for
El A B Meeting
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February 21, 2018
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laboratories to follow. After the Board approached the Agency regarding this issue. Mr, Adrian
Hanley (EPA) established an effort to develop a simplified PCB congener method using gas
chromatography-ntass spectrometry.
Dr. Leihovitz noted that this topic will return to the inactive topics list until EPA is able to
release the data or provide more information on the revised method.
Drinking Water Program Adoption of Recent Approved Methods
Ms. Waller explained I hat she had not received any comments on llie draft letter that she had
submitted lo the Board, which outlined a request that El'A to use the most recently approved
methods. This will help laboratories that work on both drinking water and wastewater because
they will not need to maintain two different standard operating procedures as a result of editorial
changes to methods. Dr. Eeibovit/ said that it would be helpful for EPA to not approve
(i.e.. remove) the older methods, Ms, Waller agreed and will revise the letter lo include this point
and send it to the Board members for their review.
NEW TOPICS/ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION
Dr. Eeibovitz noted that Dr, Burrows, during the January face-to-face meeting, had requested
that the Board consider establishing a Task Group to develop a proposal that EPA further revise
and improve Methods 60S.3. 624.1 and 625.1 during the next MUR cycle. As Dr. Burrows had lo
leave the teleconference and was not present to provide additional details about his request.
Dr. Leibovitz will contact him to obtain these additional details,
Dr. Dclaney thought that part of Dr. Burrow s" concern w as in regard to an OW paper about how
the new method detection limit (MDE) procedure applied to drinking water. Ms. Waller
explained that various regions arc providing instructions about this; Region 2 has given her
laboratory instructions on how to handle the MDE procedure. She wondered whether she could
share this information with ELAB. as it is public information. Dr. O'Parrel I did not see a
problem with the information being shared. Dr. Eeibovitz commented that the main question is
whether the OW paper was intentionally written to be open for interpretation; every state will
have a different interpretation. The Board should ask EPA about its intent because this w ill help
commercial laboratories moving forward. After gathering more information, ELAB can discuss
this issue farther during the March meeting.
Mr. Plournoy wanted to make sure that ELAB was focusing on topics and issues that are
important to the laboratory community.. This was brought up during the Board's face-to-face
meeting, as well as at a recent ACME subcommittee meeting. .As the DEO. Vis. Phelps forwarded
all inquiries lo ELAB that were received from the Board's website, and the Board has dealt with
all of them. All issues brought forward from the community during face-to-face meetings and
teleconference also have been considered by ELAB. Dr. OM-'arrell will continue to forward to the
Board any comments received through ELAB's website.
Dr. I .cibovitz and the Board members thanked Vis. 1 elkiron for her service to ELAB, as this is
her final Board meeting serving as support contractor.
ELAB Met tm
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February 21, 2018
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WRAP-UP/SUMMARY OF ACTION ITEMS
Ms. LeBaron reviewed the action items identified during the meeting, which are included as
Attachment C.
CLOSING REMARKS/ADJOi:RNMENT
Dr. Buckie) moved to adjourn the meeting: Ms. Waller seconded the motion. The Board
unanimously voted to adjourn the meeting at 2:1 7 p.m.
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February 21, 2018
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Attachment A
AGENDA
ENVIRONMENTAL LABORATORY' ADVISORY BOARD
Monthly Teleconference Meeting 202-991-0477/7939251#
February 21, 2018; 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. EST
Call to Order/Roll Call/Introduction of Guests Leibovitz/LeBaron
Approval of Prior Minutes Leibovitz
Opening Remarks and Updates From the DFO O'Farreil
Updates on Current Topics
Cyanide Methodology: Delaney
Selected ion Monitoring: Delaney
User-Generated Library Acceptance Criteria: Buckley
Addressing Emerging Contaminants: Mertens
Acrolein and Acrylonitrile Presenation and pi I: Pujari
Improving PCB Congener Method Option: Pujari
Drinking Water Program Adoption of Recent Approved Methods: Waller
lnacti\ e Topics
Whole Effluent Toxicity Proficiency Study Standards: Leibovitz
Drinking Water Certification Officer Training Course: Mertens
In-Line and Oil-Line Monitoring: Flourno\
Interagency Data Quality Task force/Data Quality Objectives: Leibovitz
New Topics/Issues for Consideration
Wrap-Up/Summary of Action Items
Closing Remarks,/Adjournment
Leibovitz
Leibovitz/LeBaron
Leibovitz/O' F arrell
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Attachment B
PARTICIPAN TS LIST
Board Members
Attendance
(Y/N)
Name
Affiliation
Rhode Island State Health Laboratories
Y
Dr. Henry Leibovitz (Chair)
Representing: Association of Public Health
Lohorntorio.
Y
Dr. Michael (Mike) Delaney
(Vice-Chair)
Massachusetts Water Resources Authority
(MWRA)
R ep re sen t i n «: M W R A
Y
Dr. Thomas O'Farrell (DFO)
U.S. Ln\ ironinentai Protection Agency
Representing: LP A
Oregon Slate Universiu
Y
Dr. Kim Anderson
Representing: Academia—Oregon State
I miversitv
Rutgers 1.n\ ironnienla! ami Occupational ilealth
Y
Dr. Brian Buckley
Sciences Institute
Representing: Academia and Laboratory Rut tiers
Y
Ms. Patricia (Patty) Carwijal
San Antonio Ri\ er Authority
Representing: Watershed'Restoration
Lurollns Environment Testing USA
Y
Mr. Michael l-'lournoy
Representing: American Council of Independent
Laboratories
N
Dr. Deyuan (kith ) Kong
Chevron Energy Technology Company
Representing: Chevron
N
Mr, JefFLoewe
Ni Sou rcc. Inc.
Representing: lndustr\—NiSource, Inc.
Babeoek Laboratories. Inc.
Y
Mr. Brad Meadows
Representing: Commercial Laboratory—Babcock
Laboratories, Inc.
N
Ms. Sharon Mertens
Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District
Representing: 1 he NELAC Institute
Cit\ of Los Armeies
Y
Dr. Mahesh Pujari
Representing: National Association of Clean
Water Agencies
Y
Mr. Elan Rieser
Con Ldison
Representing: Utility Water Act Group
Y
Dr. A, Dallas Wait
Gradient
Representing: Consumer Products lndustr\
New Jersey Department of I an ironmentol
Y
Ms. Debra (Deb) Waller
Protection (N.IDEP)
Representing: State Government—NJDEP
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February 21, 20 M'
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PARTICIPANTS LIST (CONT.)
Contractors and Guests
Attendance
(Y/N)
Name Affiliation
DFoV™ Phe'PS
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Vtt aliment C
ACTION ITEMS
1. Ms. LeBaron will Jinalize the January meeting minutes and send them via email to
Dr. O'Farrell.
2. Board members \\ ho have suggestions for potential ELAB members for the upcoming term
will contact Dr. O'l arrell.
3. Dr. Delaney will determine whether he is comfortable serving as Chair, and if not. the Board
will determine ihe next steps.
4. Dr. O'Farrell will email the Board members with a list of eligible Vice-Chair nominees.
5. Dr. Leibovitz will forward LPA's response regarding SIVI to the Board members, and
Dr. Delaney will sehedule a teleconference with those LLAB members who wish to
participate in this effort.
6. Dr. Leibovitz will address and send the approved cyanide response letter to Mr. Ross,
copying Mr. llautman and the other members of the 0\V group who worked on the issue.
7. Dr. Buckley will draft, a letter regarding EPA suspension of tuning criteria; Mr. O'Farrell will
research the appropriate recipient.
8. Mr. O'Farrell will research whether it is appropriate for the Board to provide EPA with the
names of commercial laboratories willing to participate in a data collection effort regarding
acrolein and acrylonitrile preservation and pi I.
9. Ms, Waller will revise the letter regarding drinking water program adoption of recent
approved methods and send it In the Board for review.
10. Dr. Leibovitz will contact Dr. Burrows to obtain additional information about his request
about improving Methods 608.3. 624.1 and 625.1 during the next MUR cycle.
ELAB Meeting
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February 21, 2l)IX
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Attachment D
S hereby certify that this is the final version of the minutes for the Environmental Laboratory
Advisory Board Me eting held on February 21, 2018.
. (j J aApJJk )1M
P e U frt«ki f= € je r# I
J3r, TU^i
h- h/** e > D.F.0.
Signature, Chair
Dr. Henry Leibovitz
Print Name, Chair
ELAB Meeting
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Fehruaty 21, 2018
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