Chairwoman Johnson Asks EPA Administrator Regan to Review Toxic Substances Control Act Systematic Review Methodology
(Washington, DC) – Today, House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan regarding concerns that the uncertainty surrounding the Systematic Review framework for risk evaluations conducted under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) could undermine confidence in the chemical risk assessments currently being developed by the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP).
“While I am relieved that EPA has discarded the 2018 Systematic Review methodology, I am concerned about the uncertainty that surrounds the current Systematic Review framework,” said Chairwoman Johnson in the letter. “It is troubling that EPA has failed to clarify whether TSCA evaluations are being performed without any structured Systematic Review protocol in place, or through the use of a different protocol that has not been made available for public comment or peer review. It is not only a requirement of TSCA but a foundational principle of scientific integrity to utilize a consistent, documented process for synthesis and review of relevant research when crafting public policy. Transparency in TSCA’s scientific procedures is critical to ensuring the public’s trust in the Agency’s work products, which have a direct effect upon the health and safety of every American.”
A copy of the full letter can be found here.
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