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Accession Number 5001777

Title Contaminant-related activities and synoptic reviews in support of client agencies in the

Department of the Interior

Project Description The Interagency Testing Committee (ITC) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) was

enacted in 1976 as an independent advisory group to the Administrator of the U.S. EPA. The ITC

prioritizes and coordinates the testing of TSCA-regulable chemicals, recommends chemicals for

testing to the Administrator in a Priority Testing List (PTL), publishes semi-annual reports in the

Federal Register, reviews toxicological data submissions from chemical manufacturers, and

develops dossiers on chemicals of concern. By law this action requires that all manufacturers and

importers of these chemicals submit production and exposure data, and results of health and

safety testing for our review. Pending review of these data, additional testing of the chemicals may

be designated by the ITC. The objective of our involvement in this activity is to generate

ecotoxicological data that will be of value to management of natural resources under the

stewardship of the Department of the Interior. The Interagency Coordinating Committee on the

Validation of Alternative Methods , as established by Public Law 106-545 is responsible for the

evaluation of toxicological testing methods which reudce dependency on animal subjects for the

protection of human health and the environment. The objective of our involvement is to contribute

an ecological perspective to this statutory committee. The U.S. EPAs Endocrine Disruptor

Screening and Testing Advisory Committee (EDSTAC) was established to advise the Agency on

development of screening and testing programs for estrogenic substances and other endocrine

disruptors. Such screening and testing is required under provisions of the 1996 Food Quality

Protection Act (FQPA) and 1996 amendments to the Safe Water Drinking Act. The committee

meets monthly to address endocrine disrupting principals, priority setting for generating new data,

methods for screening and testing, and communication and public outreach issues. Collaborative

efforts with Dr. Richard Shore of the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Monks Wood, England were

undertaken to coedit a book entitled Ecotoxicology of Wild Mammals. This effort will provide

extremely valuable information and guidance on toxicological thresholds of wild mammals to

natural resource managers and scientists worldwide.

Keywords ecotoxicology, endocrine disruptors, risk assessment, toxic substances control act, wild

mammals,

Principal Barnett A Rattner, USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center: Barnerr_Rattner@usgs.gov;

Investigators

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