December 2015

The ATS joined other public health and medical organizations in a letter to Congress opposing report language that would change the process used to solicit and select members of the EPA Science Advisory Boards. Science advisory boards are panels of experts convened by the EPA to provide the agency with expert advice on scientific issues that impact EPA policy. The recommendations of the advisory boards are not binding, but are often relied upon to inform the EPA regulation process.

Language was inserted in the House Interior and Environment Appropriations bill that would require EPA to reform its recruitment and selection process to include more industry and state regulator perspectives on advisory boards. The report also would require advisory boards to solicit and respond to public comments—effectively adding an additional round of public comments to the EPA rulemaking process. The report language further suspends all current and planned reviews until the EPA has submitted a revised selection process proposal to the National Academy of Sciences, effectively stalling EPA action on several important issues.