Budget cuts to the U.S. EPA will reduce government data on pollutants, and increase reliance on industry data

International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health

Volumn 13, Issue 2, 2007, Pages 244-246

  Sass, Jennifer Beth ^a   Wu, Mae ^a  

^a National Resources Defense Council   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ACRYLAMIDE; ETHYLENE OXIDE;

BUDGET; EDITORIAL; ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE; ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION; GOVERNMENT; INCIDENCE; POLICY; POLLUTANT; PRIORITY JOURNAL; RESEARCH; UNITED STATES;

EID: 34250810727     PISSN: 10773525     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1179/oeh.2007.13.2.244     Document Type: Editorial

References (19)

1. Committee on Science and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives. 〈http://science.house.gov/press/PR Article.aspx?NewsID=1723〉.
2. The Bush Administration's fiscal year (FY) 2008 budget proposal calls programs in the Environmental Protection Agency by $400 million from the FY 2007 budget, to $7.2 billion. This FY08 proposed budget represents the lowest funding request in this century in real dollars, FY 2004 being the high at $8.4 billion. It cuts almost $2.5 billion from the agency high when accounting for inflation. The FY08 EPA funding dedicated to research and development would be cut by 3.5% from the FY07 level, to $547 million. EPA FY 2008 Proposed Budget is available at 〈http://www.cpa.gov/ocfo/ budget/20 08/2008cj.htm〉.
3. American Association for the Advancement of Science. AAAS Analysts See Mixed Prospects for Federal R&D Investment in 2007 and 2008. Edward W. Lempinen. February 12, 2007. 〈www.aaas.org/news/releases/2007/ 0212budget.shtml〉.
4. See the ILSI website for a full list of its membership: 〈http://www.ilsi.org/ AboutILSI/〉.
5. The ILSI IRS Form 990 for 2005 lists $2.5 million in government contributions. The EPA Grants Awards Database reports over $2 million in awards to the ILSI Risk Science Institute. In a January, 2007, response to a request from J. Sass under the Freedom of Information Act, the EPA provided a list, of the ILSI projects that EPA participates in. FOIA Request HQ-RIN-0029-07.
6. Examples of chemicals that are peroxisome proliferator agonists include di(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP), perfluororoctanoic acid (PFOA), trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene, 2,4-D, and the phenoxyacetic acid herbicides.
7. Klaunig JE, Babich MA, Baetcke KP, et al. PPARα agonist-induced rodent tumors: modes of action and human relevance. Crit. Rev Toxicol. 2003;33: 655-780.
8. December 9-10, 2003: Proposed OPPTS Science Policy: PPAR-alpha Mediated Hepatocarcinogenesis in Rodents and Relevance to Human Health Risk Assessments (EPA Docket Number OPP-2003-0338). Transmittal of meeting minutes of the FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel. Memorandum, March 5, 2004, from Steven M. Knott.
9. See DuPont fined more than $10M over Teflon, Randall Chase, Associated Press (December 14, 2005); Consent Agreement, December 14, 2005. 〈www. epa.gov/compliance/resources/cases/ civil/tsca/ eabmemodupontpfoasettlement121405.pdf〉.
10. Cancer rates high in C8 areas. Residents in the communities where water is polluted with the toxic chemical C8 have elevated levels of several cancers, according to a previously confidential state government analysis. Charleston Gazette, Charleston, WV. May 14, 2007. 〈http://wvgazette.com/section/News /2007031320〉.
11. Teichman K. Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Science, ORD. Powerpoint presentation to the EPA Science Advisory Board Executive Committee. February 22, 2007. 〈http:// www.epa.gov/sab/pdf/ord_teichman_ sab02222007.pdf〉. Also EPA-SAB-07-004 Comments on EPA's Strategic Research Directions and Research Budget for FY 2008, An Advisory Report of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Science Advisory Board. 〈http://www.epa. gov/sab/pdf/ sab-07-004.pdf〉.
12. Letter to Honorable Thad Cochran, Chairman, and Honorable Robert C. Byrd, Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Appropriations. From E Miller, R Zdenek, D Croser, et al. February 14, 2006.
13. EPA Eyes Expanded Risk Database Used In Toxic Regulation, Cleanups. The managers of an EPA chemical risk database are considering adding short-term and acute exposure categories on several chemicals to gauge the resources needed to add the broader risk data to the system. January 27, 2003. Inside Washington Publishers.
14. OMB Opposes First-Time Child Cancer Factor Use In EPA Risk Assessment. "The White House Office of Management & Budget (OMB) is reportedly objecting to EPA's first-time use of a new children's cancer guideline in a draft risk assessment for ethylene oxide (EO) that seeks to significantly strengthen the safe exposure level, according to EPA sources... The draft risk assessment, released Sept. 22 of last year by the agency's National Center for Environmental Assessment, proposes tightening the agency's 1985 bench point of 3.6 parts per billion to 0.06 parts per trillion - a significant change that could have a host of ramifications for industry. . . . Ethylene oxide is a common chemical that is widely manufactured, and is used as a medical sterilant as well as to make anti-freeze, detergents and polyester." January 26, 2007. Inside Washington Publishers.
15. Congressional Research Service. Restructuring EPA's Libraries: Background and Issues for Congress. RS22533. January 3, 2007.
16. 〈http://www.peer.org/campaigns/publichealth/epa_library/index. php〉.
17. Letter from Dwight A. Welch et al. Presidents of 16 Local Unions to Conrad Burns and Byron Dorgan, United States Senate. June 29, 2006. 〈www. peer.org/docs/epa/06_29_6_union_ library_ltr.pdf〉.
18. Summary Report of the Peer Review Workshop on the Nanotechnology White Paper: External Review Draft. Washington, DC, April 19-20, 2006. Prepared by the U.S. EPA Office of the Science Advisor, by Versar, Inc. 〈www. epa.gov/OSA/pdfs/nanotech/nanotechnology-peer-review-workshop-summary-report- final-070706.pdf〉.
19. U.S. House of Representatives (〈www. house.gov/science〉) Science Committee. Boehlert calls for better coordination and greater funding to understand nanotechnology risks: Administration Releases Report: on "Research Needs." September 21, 2006.