Announcement of Public Workshop
and Public Comment Period

Public Workshop Discussion of the Draft Technical Support Document for Proposed Public Health Goal for Arsenic in Drinking Water
[03/07/03]

This document was updated on 11/07/03. Follow this link to see the 2nd Draft.

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The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) of the California Environmental Protection Agency announces the availability of the draft technical support document for a proposed Public Health Goal (PHG) for arsenic. This first publicly-released draft document will be posted on the OEHHA Web site (www.oehha.ca.gov) by March 7, 2003. In addition, a one-day public workshop will be held on May 2, 2003, at the Elihu Harris Building, 1515 Clay Street, First Floor, Oakland, California to discuss the scientific basis and recommendations in the draft technical support documents. The workshop will begin at 10:00 a.m. and will last until all business for the day is concluded or 4:30 p.m. OEHHA follows the requirements set forth in Health and Safety Code, Sections 57003(a) and 116365, for conducting the workshop and obtaining public input.

The workshop is planned to encourage a dialogue between OEHHA scientists and the public, to discuss the PHG recommendations and to receive comments. Following the workshop, OEHHA will revise the document as appropriate, and make it available for a 30-day public review and scientific comment period. This second review and comment period will be announced and published in the California Regulatory Notice Register and posted on the OEHHA Web site. The responses to the major comments from the public at the workshop and during the public review and scientific comment periods will also be available on the OEHHA Web site at final publication.

Oral and written comments received at the workshop will be considered during the revision of the draft technical support documents. Written comments must be received at OEHHA by 5:00 p.m. on May 2, 2003, to be considered during this first revision of the document.

The PHG technical support documents provide information on the health effects of contaminants in drinking water. The PHG is a level of drinking water contaminant 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), amended 1999, requires OEHHA to develop PHGs based exclusively on public health considerations. PHGs published by OEHHA will be considered by the California Department of Health Services in setting drinking water standards (Maximum Contaminant Levels, or MCLs).

Printed copies of the draft technical support documents may be obtained for a fee from:
Instant Copying and Laser Printing
2015 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley, California 94720
Phone: (510) 704-9700
FAX: (510) 704-9970

If you would like to receive further information on this announcement or have questions, please contact our office at (510) 622-3170 or the address below. Written requests should be addressed to:

Dr. Yi Wang
Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology Section
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
California Environmental Protection Agency
1515 Clay Street, 16th Floor
Oakland, California 94612
Attention: PHG Project
FAX: (510) 622-3218

Follow this link to download the document DRAFT Public Health Goal for Arsenic in Drinking Water

Follow this link to download the Second Draft Technical Support Document for a Proposed Public Health Goal for ARSENIC in Drinking Water released on 11/07/03

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