GAO Reviewing EPA Changes To Chemical Risk Assessment Process

摘要

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is planning to review EPA's chemical risk assessment process and the host of recent and past changes EPA has made to the program since 2009 when the office listed it as a "high-risk" government program in need of reform because EPA had not been able to quickly complete new assessments. Industry critics, at a House science committee panel hearing July 14, reiterated their calls for rigorous National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and White House reviews of EPA chemical assessments, as well as implementation of NAS' recommended changes. But the GAO audit of the program and additional steps EPA recently announced to strengthen the program could stave off those calls, at least until the GAO effort is completed.