Happenings

at the Science Advisory Board
....insuring a solid technical basis for environmental protection

Vol. E2 No. 11
November, 19 97

This issue consists of six typewritten (Courier) pages.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.	Editorial:

2.	Tentative Calendar for November and December

3.	Pipeline Report on SAB Reports in Progress

4.	Committee Activities in October

5.	Abstract of New Report

a. An SAB Report: Review of the EPA Draft Mercury Study
Report to Congress
EPA-SAB-EC-98-001

6.	Members and Staff News

7.	Bon Mot

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A WORD FROM THE NEW CHAIR OF THE SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD:

DR. JOAN DAISEY

In early October, Dr. Joan Daisey of Lawrence-Berkeley
Laboratory was appointed as the next Chair of the Science Advisory
Board (SAB). In this, one of her first public statements as SAB
Chair, Dr. Daisey shares some thoughts on her new responsibilities.

By way of introduction, Dr. Daisy's career began in physical
chemistry and subsequently evolved into a focus on indoor air
pollution and human exposure analysis within a broader, general
professional interest environmental sciences and decision making.
She brings to her new job prior SAB service as Member and Chair of
the Integrated Human Exposure Committee and as a Member of the
Research Strategies Advisory Committee, as well as four years as a
Member of the Executive Committee. Her SAB service has also been
"enlivened" through leadership positions in some Special Reviews of
particularly controversial issues, such as the Agency's Mercury
Risk Assessment and the Agency's Reassessment of Dioxin.

Donald Barnes, PhD
Staff Director
Science Advisory Board

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EDITORIAL: FIRST THOUGHTS

I am pleased to accept Deputy Administrator Fred Hansen's
invitation to serve as Chair of the Science Advisory Board (SAB)
for the next two years. While the challenges and responsibilities
are great, I am invigorated by the knowledge that I am supported by

a.	an Administration that values the role of science,

independent scientific advice, and openness in
environmental decision making and

b.	one hundred of the strongest minds in environmental

sciences, engineering, and economics in the country,
including the energetic and productive Dr. Genevieve
Matanoski, my immediate predecessor, who will be
serving on the Executive Committee for another year as
Past Chair and as Chair of the Integrated Risk Project.

My background for this new position includes a
scientific career that began in physical chemistry, evolved
into a profession focus on indoor air pollution, and
expanded into a broad professional interest in all aspects
of environmental sciences and decision making. I bring to
this job prior service on and as Chair of two SAB Committees
(the Integrated Human Exposure Committee and the Research
Strategies Advisory Committee), in addition to my four years
as a Member of the Executive Committee. This SAB service
has also been "enlivened" by leadership positions on some
controversial issues, such as review of the Agency's Mercury
Risk Assessment and its Reassessment of Dioxin.

Because of these uniformly positive -- albeit sometimes
bumpy! -- experiences, I am confident that the Board will
continue its proud tradition of providing high quality
scientific advice on technical issues facing the Agency.

At the same time, the SAB needs to respond to the
changing needs of and structures in the Agency, as well as
the rapid evolution of environmental protection that is
going on in the country. The Board needs to consider new
approaches and even roles in a landscape that is changing as
a result of Administration innovations and outside studies
(e.g., NAS reports, the Report of the RA/RM Commission, and
Yale University's just released "The Next Generation of
Environmental Policy").

Therefore, it is fitting that the first meeting of the
Executive Committee over which I preside will be the
Strategic Planning Retreat in mid-November. For the first
time in its history the Executive Committee will pull aside
for a three-day meeting to reflect upon its role and to
chart a course for the next several years. I fully

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anticipate that I -- and the Board -- will be stimulated,
shaped, and sharpened by the experience.

Joan Daisey

2. TENTATIVE CALENDAR FOR NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER

Several of the FACA meetings below have been announced
in the Federal Register (FR), together with additional
background information.

If a series of meetings is anticipated, the number of
the meeting in the series is indicated in parentheses; e.g.,
"(#2) "

If a meeting is to be conducted via publicly accessible
conference call, the data is enclosed in brackets: "[	]"

A glossary of acronyms appears at the end of the list
of March meetings.

NOVEMBER

18-19

20

Environmental Radiation Ambient Monitoring	RAC DC

System (ERAMS)

Disposal of Federal low-activity radioactive
wastes

Chair: Dr. James E. Watson

University of North Carolina
DFO: Dr. Jack Kooyoomjian

(kooyoomj ian.j ack@epamail.epa.gov)

Uncertainty analysis for estimating radiogenic RAC DC
cancer risks

Chair: Dr. F. Owen Hoffman
SENES at Oak Ridge
DFO: Dr. Jack Kooyoomjian

(kooyoomj ian.j ack@epamail.epa.gov)

DECEMBER

4-5

Series of Briefings on Issues Relevant	DWC DC

to Drinking Water Regulations
Chair: Dr. Richard Bull, Battelle Pacific
Northwest Labs
DFO: Tom Miller

(miller.tom@epamail.epa.gov)

ORD Budget Process Briefing	RSAC DC

Chair: Dr. Randall Seeker, Energy & Env
Research Corp.

DFO: A. Robert Flaak

(flaak.robert@epamail.epa.gov)

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Glossary of acronyms for the uninitiated
CASAC = Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee
COUNCIL = Council on Clean Air Compliance Analysis
DC	= Washington, DC

DFO	= Designated Federal Official (SAB Staff lead)

DWC	= Drinking Water Committee

EC	= Executive Committee

EEAC = Environmental Economics Advisory Committee

EEC	= Environmental Engineering Committee

EHC	= Environmental Health Committee

EPEC = Ecological Processes and Effects Committee

IHEC = Integrated Human Exposure Committee (formerly, Indoor Air

Quality/Total Human Exposure Committee: IAQC)
IRP	= Integrated Risk Project

EAS = Economics Analysis Subcommittee
ERS = Ecological Risk Subcommittee
HEHS = Human Exposure and Health Subcommittee
RROS = Risk Reduction Options Subcommittee
SC = Steering Committee
VS = Valuation Subcommittee
RAC	= Radiation Advisory Committee

RSAC = Research Strategies Advisory Committee
RTP	= Research Triangle Park, NC

SAP	= Scientific Advisory Panel (FIFRA)

TBA	= To Be Announced

[Tele] = Publicly accessible telephone conference call

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3.	PIPELINE REPORT OF SAB REPORTS IN PROGRESS
a. TRANSMITTED TO THE ADMINISTRATOR IN OCTOBER

Review of the EPA Draft Mercury Study	EC

Report to Congress
EPA-SAB-EC-98-001

b. APPROVED BY EC & AWAITING FINAL EDITS AND APPROVAL BY VETTORS

1) Marsh Management	EPEC

C. SAB REPORT THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE EC APPROVAL, THAT IS UNDER
DEVELOPMENT

1) CAA Section 812 Prospective Emissions	COUNCIL

Estimates

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4.	COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES IN OCTOBER

There were no meetings held.

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5. ABSTRACT OF NEW REPORT

a. An SAB Report: Review of the EPA Draft Mercury Study
Report to Congress
EPA-SAB-EC-98-001

ABSTRACT

In response to the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendment's
directive, the EPA developed a seven volume draft report on
mercury, and asked the Science Advisory Board to review it.
The Mercury Review Subcommittee convened on February 13/14,
1997 in Washington, DC..

The Subcommittee believes that the major findings of the
draft report are well supported by the scientific evidence.
There are areas where improvement in the use of available
scientific information is possible. Detailed suggestions for
such improvements are noted below:

a)	The majority of the human population is not
experiencing methylmercury exposures that are of
concern from the standpoint of human health. The
current Reference Dose (RfD), based on the Iraqi and
New Zealand data, should be retained at least until
the on-going Faeroe and Seychelles Islands studies
have progressed much further and been subjected to
the same scrutiny as has the Iraqi data.

b)	The Subcommittee identified some problems vis-a-vis
human health issues - a lack of recognition and
emphasis on consistency of the animal data across
multiple studies.

c)	It is plausible that current anthropogenic emissions
are contributing to human exposures, and that fish
are the major source of methylmercury exposures for
the human population.

d)	The Subcommittee recommends that the cost analysis
also give consideration to other approaches for
controlling mercury emissions that might prove to be
more flexible and more cost-effective.

e)	The mercury wildlife criterion is overly
conservative and is lower than appears necessary to
protect wildlife species. However, piscivorous
wildlife are at risk from elevated mercury
exposures.

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f)

Volume V, in total, is not based on the best
available and sound science.

g)	The final document should emphasize the fact that
there are significant information gaps in the
understanding of the biogeochemistry of mercury
species.

h)	The modeling of atmospheric mercury transport and
deposition is largely sound, but the modeling of the
post-deposition fate of mercury in ecosystems does
not reflect recent advances in the science.

6 . MEMBER AND STAFF NEWS

1. In October Dr. Ray Loehr. former SAB Chair, received the
Water Environment Federation's Thomas R. Camp Medal for
his work on waste management strategies involving soils.
In a related matter, Ray has graciously consented to our
relentless requests over the years for a photograph of
himself by sending us a copy of the picture taken to mark
this notable WEF event. The picture will hang in the SAB
Conference Room along with the photographs of other SAB
Chairs.

STAFF

1.	On Nov. 11 Don Barnes will be making a presentation at the
American College of Toxicology meeting on the EHC's review
of the Agency's Cancer Risk Assessment Guidelines.

2.	On November 3, Jack Fowle will be making a giving a
presentation at the Ohio State University on the roles of
policy and science in risk management decisions

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7. BON MOT

Here are some reports from the wonderful world of chemistry:
The chemist found that once he picked up the new book
about helium, he just couldn't put it down.

"Remember, if you're not part of the solution, you're
part of the precipitate!"

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