Comment Period Extended for Draft Public Health Goal for Hexavalent Chromium in Drinking Water

Sep 25, 2009

The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) within the California Environmental Protection Agency is hereby announcing a two-week extension of the public comment period on the draft technical support document for the proposed Public Health Goal (PHG) for hexavalent chromium in drinking water. Written comments must now be received at the OEHHA address below by 5:00 p.m. on November 2, 2009 to be considered during this document revision period.

The draft PHG document is currently posted on the OEHHA Web site and OEHHA is soliciting comments on it from all interested parties. The Office has previously announced a public workshop to be held at 10 a.m. on October 19, 2009 in Room 1 of the Elihu Harris Building, 1515 Clay Street, Oakland. This workshop will be held as scheduled. OEHHA follows the requirements set forth in Health and Safety Code Sections 57003(a) and 116365 for conducting the workshop and receiving public input.

The workshop is provided to encourage a dialogue between OEHHA scientists and the public, to discuss the scientific basis of the proposed PHG, and to receive comments. Following the workshop, OEHHA will evaluate all the comments received, revise the document as appropriate, and make it available for another 30-day comment period. After any subsequent revisions, the final document will be posted on our Web site along with responses to the major comments from the public at the workshop and during the public review and scientific comment periods.

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 1996¹ requires OEHHA to develop PHGs based exclusively on public health considerations.² PHGs published by OEHHA are considered by the California Department of Public Health in setting drinking water standards (Maximum Contaminant Levels, or MCLs).³

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.

Michael Baes (Hermelinda.Jimenez@oehha.ca.gov)
Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology Branch
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
California Environmental Protection Agency
1515 Clay St., 16th floor
Oakland, California 94612
Attn: PHG project.
¹Codified at Health and Safety Code, section 116270 et seq.
²Health and Safety Code section 116365(c)
³Health and Safety Code section 116365(a) and (b)

[Update] Public comments on draft PHG for hexavalent chromium 11/25/09

[Update] Peer-reviewed comments on draft PHG for hexavalent chromium 09/20/10

[Update] Second public comment period 12/31/10