History

The Federal-State Toxicology and Risk Analysis Committee (FSTRAC) is made up of representatives from State/Tribe health and environmental agencies and EPA Headquarters and Regional personnel. FSTRAC is an integral part of EPA’s communication strategy with States for human health risks associated with water contamination. The focus of FSTRAC is to share information and to develop well-rounded, integrated approaches to risk assessment, risk management, and standard setting issues for drinking water and surface water contaminants.

In 1985, Drs. Joseph Cotruvo, Edward Ohanian, and Penny Fenner-Crisp of EPA’s Office of Science and Technology, Health and Ecological Criteria Division, agreed that they wanted to build a better relationship with States to exchange research priorities and results, policy concerns regarding water-related human health risk assessment, and technical information (i.e., toxicity/exposure data and analysis, and methodologies and assumptions used for assessing risks). Dr. Cotruvo suggested that they form a group called “FSTRAC.” The first meeting took place in the lobby of the Society of Toxicology (SOT) convention in February 1985. The meeting attendees decided to start an organization, and within a year, about 22 states had also joined.

The scope of the FSTRAC meetings is to share information through presentations and discussions regarding human health risk analysis and the water medium of exposure. One meeting, usually two-and-one-half days in duration, is held annually. The meeting is usually held once every two years in the Washington, DC area. In alternating years, the meeting is held outside of Washington, DC at a host EPA Region or member State. In addition to the meeting, teleconferences are held to discuss ongoing FSTRAC projects. The result of this national communication network helps develop consistent risk analyses across the country and provides states, regions, and federal government access to information that can improve regulatory action and prevent duplication of effort.