Federal Register: January 27, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 16)
DOCID: fr27ja09-32 FR Doc E9-1597
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
ATS ID: [ATSDR-251]
NOTICE: NOTICES
DOCID: fr27ja09-32
DOCUMENT ACTION: Notification of publication.
SUBJECT CATEGORY:
Availability of the Report ``ATSDR Studies on Chemical Releases in the Great Lakes Region''
DOCUMENT SUMMARY:
This report responds to a request from the International Joint Commission (IJC), the binational organization that works to implement the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) between the U.S. and Canada. The GLWQA calls for the two nations to define ``the threat to human health from critical pollutants'' found in the Great Lakes basin.
This notice announces the availability of the report entitled ``ATSDR Studies on Chemical Releases in the Great Lakes Region''. This report summarizes previouslypublished public health assessment products and chemical release information for the 26 U.S. AOCs and 54 counties that are in close geographic proximity to those AOCs. This is a descriptive report that does not make associations between health outcomes and chemical exposures. The compilation of environmental data, gathered by ATSDR and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is intended to help decisionmakers set future priorities.
SUMMARY:
Availability of the Report ′ATSDR Studies on Chemical Releases in the Great Lakes Region′
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
The geographic focus of this report is a set of 26 ``Areas of Concern'' (AOCs) along Great Lakes streams, rivers, and lakes. These AOCs are defined under the Agreement as ecologically degraded geographic areas requiring remediation. Much of the available data pertain to counties, and not to AOCs. Some AOCs occupy small parts of a single county, while others may reach across more than one county. The data come from publicly available data sets provided by ATSDR and the U.S. EPA.
The GLWQA defines ``critical pollutants'' as substances that persist in the environment, bioaccumulate in fish and wildlife, and are toxic to humans and animals. There are 12 categories of critical pollutants. This report emphasizes the critical pollutants (within the constraints imposed by using existing data) but also presents information on other pollutants, when such information is available and relevant.
This report compiles and presents previously collected environmental data from four sources:
These data are presented in three ways: In text, in tables, and in Geographic Information Systembased (GIS) maps created by ATSDR for each of the 26 U.S. AOCs.
This is a descriptive report that does not make associations
between health outcomes and chemical exposures. The compilation of
environmental data, gathered by ATSDR and EPA, is intended to help decisionmakers set future priorities.
Dated: January 20, 2009.
Ken Rose,
Director, Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation National Center
for Environmental Health/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
[FR Doc. E91597 Filed 12609; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 416370P
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
Bruce Fowler, PhD, Division of Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Mailstop F32, 1600 Clifton Road, NE., Atlanta, Georgia 30333, telephone (770) 4887250. Electronic access to these documents is also available at the ATSDR Web site: http:// www.atsdr.cdc.gov/.