Public Workshop, Solicitation of Input on the First Set of Proposed Clarifying Regulations

The California Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) is the lead agency for the implementation of the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Proposition 65 or the Act). As the lead agency, OEHHA is authorized to adopt and modify regulations as necessary to conform with and implement the provisions of the Act (Health and Safety Code Section 25249.12.) It has been some time since OEHHA has put forth a major rulemaking package proposing the adoption or amendment of regulations.

Earlier this year, the Director of OEHHA met with various representatives of the regulated community, environmental groups, and the Attorney General's Office to gather input as to which areas of the Proposition 65 regulations might benefit from regulatory clarification. OEHHA received input suggesting both major and minor regulatory changes. Instead of proceeding with a single voluminous regulatory package, OEHHA intends to propose a series of regulatory amendments during the next several years and will begin with minor changes of a less complex nature and progress to more significant regulatory amendments. This will help ensure an orderly process that will allow for complete public review and discussion of each specific regulatory proposal.

This notice announces the availability of the first in the series of planned draft regulatory amendment packages OEHHA proposes to put forward in advance of the formal rulemaking process specified in the Administrative Procedure Act. The draft regulatory package is available from the Proposition 65 Implementation Office at the address and telephone number indicated below or from the Internet from the following address: http://www.oehha.ca.gov.

OEHHA welcomes public input in its implementation of Proposition 65; and therefore will conduct a public workshop on Friday, November 2, 2001 at the California Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters Building, 1001 I Street, Coastal Hearing Room, Sacramento, California. The workshop will begin at 10:00 a.m. and will last until all business is conducted or until 5:00 p.m. Anyone wishing to comment on the draft regulatory amendments may do so orally at the public workshop or in writing by submitting written comments in triplicate by mail, fax, or hand-delivery to:

Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
Street address: 1001 I Street
Sacramento, California 95814
Mailing address: P.O. Box 4010
Sacramento, California 95812-4010
Fax No.: (916) 323-8803
Telephone: (916) 445-6900

In order to be considered, written submissions must be postmarked (if sent by mail) or received at OEHHA (if hand-delivered or sent by fax) by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 2, 2001.