PROTECTING ACCESS TO ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION

RTKnet: Science

Protection of the environment and public health depends on scientific information that is reliable and impartial. Citizens and policy makers rely on the most current scientific knowledge and technologies to make wise decisions.

EPA Improves Access to Information on Hundreds of Chemicals (EPA)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making it easier to find data about chemicals. EPA is releasing two databases — the Toxicity Forecaster database (ToxCastDB) and a database of chemical exposure studies (ExpoCastDB) — that scientists and the public can use to access chemical toxicity and exposure data.

(16 Jun 2011)

EPA's Right-to-Know Effort Discloses Chemicals in 42 Health and Safety Studies (Environmental Defense Fund)

EDF reports: "EPA has just released today the full versions — showing the identities of the chemicals in question — of 41 'substantial risk' notices of health and safety studies it had previously received from companies that had denied the public's right to know those identities by claiming them to be confidential business information (CBI)."

(25 Mar 2011)

EPA Seeks to Enhance Public Access to Chemical Data (OMB Watch)

The EPA has proposed several changes to its regulation of chemicals that should improve the public's access to crucial information. The improved data collected under the proposed rule will help the agency and the public identify potential chemical risks and take action to manage those risks.

(20 Aug 2010)

Scientists Allege Federal Govt Tried to Muffle Plume Findings (ProPublica)

Behind-the-scenes reports from government scientists point to supression of scientific analyses of plumes of oil in the Gulf of Mexico.

(13 Aug 2010)

Obama Administration's Scientists Admit Alarm Over Chemicals (The Guardian (UK))

The Obama administration is facing concern from government scientists about the use of dispersants in the Gulf of Mexico. Leading scientists recently wrote a letter to BP and the Obama administration asking them to release all of the scientific data related to the spill. The National Wildlife Federation explained, "Just as the unprecedented use of dispersants has served to sweep millions of gallons of oil under the rug, we're concerned the public may not get to see critical scientific data."

(05 Aug 2010)

Oil Spill Calculations Stir Debate on Damage (The New York Times)

The Obama Administration's latest report on the Deepwater Horizon cleanup efforts, which was based on modeling, was not well received by scientists or Gulf Coast residents. In reference to the report's "very generous assumptions," one University of Georgia marine scientist asserted “If an academic scientist put something like this out there, it would get torpedoed into a billion pieces." The report concluded that 26 percent of the oil, or 53 million gallons, had come ashore or has not yet degraded in the water.

(05 Aug 2010)

TAKE ACTION - Tell Congress to Support Research on Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals (The Endocrine Disruption Exchange)

A growing pandemic of endocrine-related disorders, such as ADHD, Parkinsons, Alzheimers, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, early puberty, infertility and other reproductive disorders, and childhood and adult cancers, is seriously undermining the health and wealth of our nation. TAKE ACTION and demand greater research to identify endocrine disrupting chemicals and determine their safety.

(03 Aug 2010)

EPA Releases Second Phase of Toxicity Testing Data for Oil Dispersants (EPA)

The EPA released peer-reviewed results from the second phase of its independent toxicity testing on the mixture of eight oil dispersants with Louisiana Sweet Crude Oil. EPA has concluded that the eight dispersants have similar toxicities to one another and to Corexit 9500 based on the mixtures' impacts on juvenile shrimp and small fish. Administrator Lisa P. Jackson asserted, "EPA has committed to following the science at every stage of this response."

(02 Aug 2010)

Acidification Threatens Sea Life (The Seattle Times)

Scientists suspect that increasing acidity of the nation's waterways, which is associated with fossil fuel emissions, is helping kill Pacific oysters. Researchers are now working to predict the reactions of Northwestern marine life to reduced pH levels. A Marine biogeographer stated in reference to the high acidity, "What I'm most concerned about is the bottom of the food chain...we don't have any idea what the biological impacts are."

(02 Aug 2010)

CDC Releases National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals (CDC)

The CDC released the Fourth National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals, a comprehensive assessment of the exposure of the U.S. population to 212 chemicals, 75 of which have never been measured previously in the blood and urine of the U.S. population. The blood and urine samples were collected from participants in the CDC's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which samples the U.S. population every two years.

(02 Aug 2010)