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Pesticide Worker Protection; Notice of Public Meeting
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: September 21, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 183)]
[Notices]
[Page 54038-54039]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21se07-90]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OPP-2007-0960; FRL-8150-5]
Pesticide Worker Protection; Notice of Public Meeting
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs will host two public
meetings regarding pesticide worker protection issues in October. A
Pesticide Worker Safety and Health Conference will be held on October
2-4, 2007, in Arlington, VA, at the Hilton Hotel in Crystal City. The
conference will provide an informational forum for federal and state
agencies and private sector organizations involved in pesticide worker
safety and health programs, policies and research initiatives. The
conference will also highlight the accomplishments of the Agency's
worker protection initiatives in partnership with our grantees. On the
afternoon of October 4, 2007, the Office of Pesticide Programs will
host a Diagnostic Tools Workshop in Arlington, VA, at the Hilton Hotel
in Crystal City. Because health care providers lack tests to identify
specific chemicals and/or levels of exposure that may be linked to the
reported illnesses, the goal of this Workshop is to gather
[[Page 54039]]
information on critical diagnostic needs, the current state of the
science, and research needs for and feasibility of developing
diagnostic tools to identify exposure to a specific chemical/level.
DATES: The Pesticide Worker Safety and Health Conference will be held
on October 2, 3, and 4, 2007, as follows: on October 2 from 1 p.m. to 6
p.m.; on October 3 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; and on October 4 from
8:30 a.m. to noon. The Diagnostic Tools Workshop will be held on
October 4, 2007, from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
To request accommodation of a disability, please contact the
persons listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATON CONTACT, preferably at
least 10 days prior to the meeting, to give EPA as much time as
possible to process your request.
ADDRESSES: The conference and workshop will be held at the Hilton
Crystal City, 2399 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22202.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the Pesticide
Worker Safety and Health Conference should be referred to: Elizabeth
Evans, Field and External Affairs Division (7506P), Office of Pesticide
Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 305-7891; fax
number: (703) 308-2962; e-mail
address:worker_safety_health_conference@epa.gov.
Questions regarding the Diagnostic Tools Workshop should be
referred to: Elizabeth Mendez, Health Effects Division (7509P), Office
of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number
(703) 305-5453; fax number (703) 305-5147; e-mail
address:Mendez.elizabeth@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Does this Action Apply to Me?
You may be potentially affected by this action if you represent
federal or state agencies or organizations which are involved or
interested in pesticide worker safety and health programs, policies and
research initiatives. Potentially affected entities may include, but
are not limited to:
Federal and state agencies, organizations and other stakeholders
interested in pesticide worker safety and health programs, policies and
research initiatives, including, but not limited to: Environmental
occupational health and safety specialists, health care providers,
epidemiologists, state departments of health, poison control centers,
migrant clinicians, federal agencies, state lead agencies, grower
organizations, and farmworker organizations.
B. How Can I Get Copies of this Document and Other Related Information?
1. Docket. EPA has established a docket for this action under
docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPP-2007-0960. Publicly available docket
materials are available either in the electronic docket athttp://www.regulations.gov
, or, if only available in hard copy, at the Office
of Pesticide Programs (OPP) Regulatory Public Docket in Rm. S-4400, One
Potomac Yard (South Bldg.), 2777 S. Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA. The
hours of operation of the Docket Facility are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The Docket Facility
telephone number is (703) 305-5805.
2. Electronic access. You may access this Federal Register document
electronically through the EPA Internet under the ``Federal Register''
listings athttp://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr.
II. Background & Agendas
A. Pesticide Worker Safety and Health Conference
This Conference will focus on measuring the impact of current
worker protection initiatives and developing effective interventions
where protective gaps exist. The conference will also highlight the
accomplishments of the Agency's worker protection initiatives in
partnership with our grantees. Breakout sessions are planned for
Wednesday, October 3 with expert presentations and panel discussions
on: Take-home pesticide exposure and families of farmworkers; advances
in engineering controls; education and training of farmworkers and
pesticide applicators; administrative and policy solutions to better
protect the pesticide workforce; risk communication strategies and
lessons learned; the role of surveillance of occupational pesticide-
related illnesses and injuries; worker exposure assessment, strengths
and weaknesses in data collection.
B. Diagnostic Tools Workshop
One of the major challenges faced by health care professionals in
the diagnosis and treatment of ailments associated with pesticide
exposure is the lack of tests to identify specific chemicals and/or
levels of exposure that may be linked to the reported illnesses. As a
result, there is increasing interest in the development of more
sophisticated diagnostic tools to help clinicians diagnose and
prescribe effective courses of treatment. The goal of the Diagnostic
Tools Workshop is to gather information on critical diagnostic needs,
the current state of the science, and the research needs for and
feasibility of developing diagnostic tools to identify exposure to a
specific chemical/level.
Planned agendas for both the Pesticide Worker Safety and Health
Conference and the Diagnostic Tools Workshop are posted on the website
at: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides.
III. How Can I Request to Participate in these Meetings?
Both of these meetings are open to the public. Persons interested
in attending the Pesticide Worker Safety and Health Conference should
go to EPA's website to register (at no cost) at: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides.
The Diagnostic Tools Workshop is open to the public and
seating is available on a first-come basis.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Pesticide worker safety, Farmworker.
Dated: September 17, 2007.
William R. Diamond,
Director, Field and External Affairs Division, Office of Pesticide
Programs.
[FR Doc. E7-18706 Filed 9-20-07 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S