RALEIGH -- The heads of the state environmental and public health agencies announced the new members of the newly expanded Secretaries’ Science Advisory Board, which will examine new and emerging chemicals and their potential impacts to human health and the environment.

The board of 16 experts in toxicology, public health, ecology, engineering and related fields will study ways to better protect North Carolina’s people and environment from new and emerging chemicals of concern, including GenX and hexavalent chromium.

“We selected top talent from a robust pool of more than 50 candidates from across North Carolina,” said Michael Regan, secretary of the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality. “The panel we’ve assembled will provide vital long-term scientific guidance on how to best protect public health and the environment from emerging chemical compounds.”

Members of the Science Advisory Board will use their expertise to assist DEQ and DHHS by recommending reviews and evaluations of contaminants released to the environment; acting as consultants on DEQ’s determinations to regulate releases of contaminants; and assisting the agencies in identifying contaminants of emerging concern and helping determine whether the contaminants should be studied further. Experts on the panel will also help evaluate the human health impacts of exposure to hazardous contaminants, and give input to DHHS as the agency establishes health goals for emerging contaminants.

“We share a goal to protect the safety and health of all North Carolinians,” said Mandy Cohen, secretary of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. “We look forward to working closely with the panel and our partners at the Department of Environmental Quality.”

The full board’s first meeting will be from 3-5 p.m. Oct. 23 in the Ground Floor Hearing Room of the Archdale Building, 512 North Salisbury St., Raleigh. The board is scheduled to introduce the new membership, discuss its priorities and hear from Regan and Cohen. A web page has been developed for the newly expanded science board.

Under the board’s new charter, the scope of its work has expanded from toxic air pollutants to a broader focus on the impact of new and emerging chemicals. Membership also increased from eight to 16 voting members, and includes four members of the former board. All members are appointed by the DEQ and DHHS secretaries. Members come from academic institutions, the public and private sectors, and independent research facilities.  The board will meet at least six times each year.