DEQ-CFW_00053422

I would advocate having language about the importance of clean air and water to all North Carolinians, relevance
of clean air and water to overall public health, etc. How critical they are to vibrant economy...
Preamble
Whereas, effective control of the exposure to contaminants in soil, groundwater, surface water,
sediment and air is essential to ensure adequate protection of human health and the environment; and
Whereas, numerous chemicals deemed to be toxic are released into the environment; and
Whereas, ongoing and future toxicological studies might demonstrate the need for a change in the
necessary level of control for some contaminants; and
Whereas, additional toxic contaminants may be introduced or discovered to be released,
It is therefore necessary to create a standing science advisory board to study the toxicological effects
of pollutants and to advise the Environmental Management Commission as to the necessary level of control
of those contaminants for protection of human health and the environment.
Section 1. Establishment
We hereby establish the Secretaries' Science Advisory Board (herein referred to as the "Board")
within the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Health and Human Services.
The Board shall be composed of nine voting members appointed by the Secretaries to serve, at the
pleasure of the Secretaries, a term of four years. Members may be re -appointed by the Secretaries. The
Secretaries shall designate one member as Chair. The members appointed by the Secretaries will
represent of academic institutions, the public and private sectors, and independent research facilities. The
nine members of the Board shall include at minimum 2 doctoral level toxicologists, I doctoral level
epidemiologist, I board -certified physician, with the Board meeting the following additional
specifications:
(1) A minimum of one Doctoral level epidemiologist, preferably a DVN"hD, or public
health scientist with strong background in biostatistics.
(2) A minimum of one Doctoral level toxicologist or public health scientist in the private sector
who has at least five years of experience in risk assessment.
(3) A minimum of one Doctoral level toxicologist or epidemiologist employed by either State or
Federal Government, who has at least five years of experience in risk assessment.
(4) A minimum of one Doctoral level scientist having a minimum of five years of experience in
exposure assessment to air pollutants.
(5) A minimum of one Doctoral level scientist having a minimum of five years of experience in
exposure assessment to water pollutants.
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DEQ-CFW-00053422

(6) A minimum of one licensed Medical Doctor whose current practice is in the field of
occupational or environmental health or pediatric medicine.
Section 11. Functions
(1) The Board shall meet at least six times per year and as called by the Secretaries, or by the Directors
of the Division of Air Quality, Water Resources, or Waste Management, or by the State Health
Director (others from DHHS?), or by the Science Advisory Board Chair.
(2) The Board shall have the following duties related to the Department of Environmental Quality
and the Department of Health and Human Services:
(a)To perform or recommend reviews and/or evaluations of matters concerning the release of
contaminants to the environment that are p I a c e d on their agenda by the Department of
Environmental Quality or the Department of Health and Human Services.
(b)To advise the Environmental Management Commission on information concerning the
regulation and evaluation of releases of contaminants that come to the attention of the Board.
(c)To review the effects of chemicals that are proposed to be regulated by the Department of
Environmental Quality as pollutants and to recommend the necessity and/or urgency for
controlling the releases of such chemicals that are found to cause deleterious health effects to
humans with priority given to the study of contaminants for which control has been deferred
pending further study.
(d)To act as consultants for the Department of Environmental Quality regarding determinations
to regulate releases of contaminants and in determining factors for establishing acceptable
levels for pollutants and for remediation levels for contaminants in other media.
(e)To recommend concentrations of contaminants in a "range of risks" to the Department of
Environmental Quality and to the Environmental Management Commission for regulation that
will minimize adverse health responses in the exposed citizenry and to advise the EMC of the
scientific basis for these recommendations:
(1) Whether factors have been appropriately applied in a media specific concentration
recommendation for a specific chemical.
(2) Whether chemical agents that have adverse reproductive and/or developmental
effects should be treated with risk assessment values.
(3) Whether synergistic health effects of mixtures of contaminants should be considered.
(4) Whether and how concentrations of contaminants should be adjusted when there are
multiple sources of the same contaminant in a localized area.
(5) How uncertainties in the risk assessment process can beincorporated into
DEQ-CFW-00053423

development and/or revision of concentrations of pollutants.
(f) To assist the Secretaries in providing expertise to evaluate the impact of exposure to hazardous
contaminants as a part of a task force that may be formed to investigate the multimedia (air,
water, and soil) impacts of those pollutants.
(g) To consider the establishment of concentrations for contaminants to be recommended for the
establishment of standards in cases where well- designed human studies and/or data regarding
mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics or species differences a p p e a r
not to have been taken into account.
(h) To review health goals for chemicals established by the Department of Health and Human
Services.
Section 111. Administration
(1) In support of the Science Advisory Board, the Department of Environmental Quality's Assistant
Secretary for Environment and the Department of Health and Human Services' Deputy Secretary
for Health Services Mark Benton will jointly provide oversight and direction to the Board and will
serve as the Liaisons of the Board. Technical support will be provided by members of the Division
of Air Quality, Division of Water Resources and Division of Waste Management within the
Department of Environmental Quality and by members of the staff of Public Health within the
Department of Health and Human Services. Communication with the Science Advisory Board
shall be through the Liaisons.
(2) Members of the Board will be reimbursed by the Department of Environmental Quality or the
Department of Health and Human Set -vices for necessary travel and subsistence expenses as
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authorized by North Carolina General Statute Section 1-)8-5, equitably divided by the
Divisions' use of the Board,
Section IV. ItIlDlementation and Duration
(1) The Science Advisory Board shall be effective immediately.
(2) This Board shall continue for an indefinite period at the pleasure of the Secretary.
Mandy K. Cohen, MD, NIPH Date
Secretary
Department of Health and Human Services
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Michael S. Regan Date
Secretary
Department of Environmental Quality
DEQ-CFW-00053424