Statement from E.P.A. Administrator Jackson regarding her meeting with ten U.S. senators on Chromium-6

WASHINGTON - Yesterday, E.P.A. Administrator Lisa P. Jackson met with Senators Richard Durbin (IL), Mark Kirk (IL), Debbie Stabenow (MI), Bob Casey (PA), Ben Nelson (NE), Bill Nelson (FL), Daniel Akaka (HI), Dianne Feinstein (CA), Jeff Bingaman (NM), and Jeff Merkley (OR) to brief them on the issue of chromium-6 in drinking water as it relates to this week's Environmental Working Group (EWG) report.

The following is a statement from Administrator Lisa P. Jackson regarding that meeting:

"Yesterday, I briefed members of the Senate on chromium-6 in drinking water supplies as it relates to the recent Environmental Working Group report. E.P.A. has already been working to review and incorporate the ground-breaking science referenced in this report. However, as a mother and the head of EPA, I am still concerned about the prevalence of chromium-6 in our drinking water.

Today, I am announcing a series of actions that the E.P.A. will take over the coming days to address chromium-6 in our drinking water. It is clear that the 1st step is to understand the prevalence of this problem. While the EWG study was informative, it only provided a snapshot in time. E.P.A. will work with local and state officials to get a better picture of exactly how widespread this problem is. In the meantime, E.P.A. will issue guidance to all water systems in the country to help them develop monitoring and sampling programs specifically for chromium-6. We will also offer significant technical assistance to the communities cited in the EWG report with the highest levels of chromium-6 to help ensure they quickly develop an effective chromium-6 specific monitoring program.

The science behind chromium-6 is evolving. E.P.A. is already on a path toward identifying and addressing any potential health threats from excessive, long-term exposure with its new outline assessment released this past fall. This assessment still needs to be reviewed by independent scientists as an essential step toward tightening drinking water requirements for chromium-6. Strong science and the law will continue to be the backbone of our decision-making at EPA. E.P.A. takes this matter seriously and we will continue to do all that we can, using good science and the law, to protect people's health and our environment."


Meeting Readout:

In yesterday's meeting with the ten U.S. senators, Administrator Jackson described EPA's current chromium-6 risk assessment, which is a review E.P.A. immediately started in response to new science in 2008 showing a link between chromium-6 ingestion and cancer. This risk assessment - which would be the 1st step to updating the drinking water regulations - will be finalized after an independent scientific peer review in 2011. Administrator Jackson told the senators that based on the outline risk assessment, E.P.A. will likely revise drinking water regulations to account for this new science. These revisions would only take place after an independent science panel has verified the underlying science.

Administrator Jackson told the senators that E.P.A. currently requires testing for total chromium which includes chromium-6. She noted that the testing does not distinguish what percentage of the total chromium is chromium-6 versus chromium-3, so EPA's regulation assumes that the sample is 100% chromium-6. This means the current chromium-6 standard has been as protective and precautionary as the science of that time allowed.

Administrator Jackson told the senators that according to the most recent data, all public water facilities are in compliance with the existing total chromium standards, but she agrees that chromium-6 is a contaminant of concern. She also told the senators that people can have their water tested and install home treatment devices certified to remove chromium-6 if they are concerned about the levels of chromium-6 in their drinking water.

The administrator concluded the briefing by making the following points and commitments:

1) While provocative, the EWG report is a self-described "snapshot" in time and does not provide a full, long-term picture of the prevalence of chromium-6 in our drinking water. E.P.A. will work with state and local officials to better determine how wide-spread and prevalent this contaminant is.

2) Meanwhile, E.P.A. will issue guidance to all water systems on how to test for and sample drinking water specifically for chromium-6. This guidance will provide EPA-approved methods and other technical information.

3) E.P.A. will also offer technical expertise and assistance to the communities cited in the EWG study with the highest levels of chromium. This assistance will include providing technical experts to work with water system operators and engineers to ensure the latest testing and monitoring is being utilized.

4) Once EPA's chromium-6 risk assessment is finalized, E.P.A. will work quickly to determine if new requirements need to be set. Based on the current outline assessment, which has yet to undergo scientific peer review, it is likely that E.P.A. will tighten drinking water requirements to address the health risks posed by chromium-6.


More information on chromium:
http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/basicinformation/chromium.cfm

To track the status of the ongoing risk assessment:
http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iristrac/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewChemical.showChemical&sw_id=1107

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