Report on the Implementation of Governor Wilson’s Executive Order W-137-96 to Improve the Science and Consistency of Risk Assessment in California

Mar 1, 1998

Report Citation:
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (1997) Report on the Implementation of Governor Wilson’s Executive Order W-137-96 to Improve the Science and Consistency of Risk Assessment in California. California Environmental Protection Agency.

Table of Contents

Preface

In October 1996, the Risk Assessment Advisory Committee (RAAC) issued its final report of findings and recommendations to the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) on ways to improve the scientific basis and consistency of its risk assessment practices. The RAAC, a group of 34 distinguished scientists drawn from academia, industry, local government, and national research institutions, conducted an intensive, year-long review of the methods, policies, and practices used by Cal/EPA to identify and assess the human health risks posed by chemicals in the environment. The RAAC report was widely acclaimed by many professionals both within California and across the nation for its comprehensiveness and technical merit.

In December 1996, California Governor Pete Wilson endorsed the quality and content of the RAAC report and in response issued Executive Order W-137-96. This directive required that Cal/EPA and all other state agencies which "assess the toxicity of, exposure to, or risk of chemicals in the environment to human health" evaluate the RAAC report and develop plans to implement the recommendations contained therein. The Executive Order designates the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) to serve as the lead agency for facilitating the implementation of the Order.

This report contains the plans, prepared by the California state agencies encompassed by the Executive Order, to implement the RAAC recommendations. This document also describes the history of the RAAC review and the processes used to develop the implementation plans. I would like to stress that all phases of this project, from the review of the RAAC to the development of the implementation plans, have been a joint effort involving numerous staff from throughout Cal/EPA and other agencies, the RAAC members, and the public.

I would also like to stress that the release of this report does not mean that the project is finished, but merely represents a milestone in a process that will continue as Cal/EPA and other state agencies carry out the activities described in their respective implementation plans. The actions and ideas described in this report, set in motion by Governor Wilson’s Executive Order, will help Cal/EPA and other state agencies stay at the forefront of risk assessment science and environmental protection.

I also wish to thank Drs. Thomas McDonald and David Ting, of OEHHA, who worked closely with the state agencies in facilitating the development of the implementation plans contained within this report. Special appreciation is also extended to the representatives of state departments and agencies, as listed in Appendix D, who worked within their own individual organizations to develop these plans. Finally, I want to thank the RAAC core members who have generously accepted our invitation to continue to provide their advice and expertise as we move forward with implementation.

Joan E. Denton, Ph.D.
Director, OEHHA

background
2.1 The SB 1082 Mandate and RAAC Review
2.2 Executive Order W-137-96
2.3 The Implementation Process and the Development of Implementation Plans

Implementation Plans
3.1 Implementation Plans of the Boards, Departments and Offices of Cal/EPA
3.1.1 The Office of the Secretary (Agency Headquarters)
3.1.2 The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
3.1.2 The California Air Resources Board
3.1.3 The California Integrated Waste Management Board
3.1.4 The Department of Pesticide Regulation
3.1.5 The Department of Toxic Substances Control
3.1.6 The State Water Resources Control Board/Regional Water Quality Control Boards

3.2 Implementation Plans of Additional State Agencies
3.2.1 The California Department of Health Services
3.2.2 The California Energy Commission
3.2.3 The Governors Office of Emergency Services
3.2.4 The Department of Transportation
3.2.5 Other State Agencies Who Evaluated the Report and Concluded That They are not Subject to the Executive Order
Appendix A. Executive Order W-137-96
Appendix B. Executive Summary, Risk Assessment Advisory Committee (1996) A Review of the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Risk Assessment Practices, Policies and Guidelines.
Appendix C. Contacts for obtaining the strategic plans of Cal/EPA Boards and Departments.
Appendix D. Participants from Cal/EPA Boards and Departments and Other Additional State Agencies