Critics Charge EPA's TSCA Data Guide Mirrors Controversial Science Rule

摘要

Environmentalists and other Trump administration critics are concerned that EPA's proposed approach for how it will gather and evaluate scientific information about chemicals under the revised Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) mirrors its controversial science transparency plan, which they say seeks to block studies that could drive stricter rules. "The TSCA method's arbitrary, unscientific scoring and exclusion of studies is right in line with other attempts to restrict the science EPA relies on, such as the recent 'censored science' proposal from former Administrator [Scott] Pruitt," write researchers with the University of California San Francisco's Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment (PRHE) in an Aug. 17 blog. Other critics go even further, with Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) warning in Aug. 16 comments that the so-called systematic review framework could be vulnerable to legal challenges, though EPA says the document is not a final action subject to judicial review. Relevant documents are available on InsideEPA.com. (Doc. ID: 214505).