Amidst concerns over public health and environmental safeguarding, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell has joined a league of attorneys general to challenge certain Congressional bills that aim to limit scientific influence in regulatory decision making. According to a recent statement, these bills would block the use of scientific assessments conducted by the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). IRIS's evaluations, pivotal in determining hazardous levels of chemicals, are feared to be sidelined, which could potentially obscure the clarity of environmental risks to public health.
The coalition’s efforts emphasize their stance, seeking to prevent Congress from not just undermining these assessments but also dissuading any moves to dismantle the EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD). The ORD serves as a foundation, supporting the EPA with essential research aiding in everything from disaster prep to studies on emerging contaminants. According to the coalition’s letter, "Without knowing the level at which these chemicals can cause a risk to human health, such as cancer and birth defects, it would be difficult for EPA to adequately protect the public from exposure, which will jeopardize the health and safety of the entire county."
It is also reported that the loss of the ORD would lead to over a thousand scientists being terminated from their roles, which may not only compromise the agency's immediate functions but directly affect its ability to comply with statutory requirements. By leveraging the best available science, the ORD contributes to, among other things, the analysis and improvement of water quality—a collaboration crucial in places like Massachusetts’ Cape Cod.
Further underscoring the magnitude of the potential impact, the letter specifies that IRIS assessments are not only critical for gauging chemical exposure risks but also for recognizing communities disproportionately impacted by these hazards. Echoing sentiments of public health concern, AG Campbell and her counterparts from states including California, New York, and Colorado are actively advocating for the continuation of these life-preserving research mechanisms.
The joint action by AG Campbell and the cohort of 14 attorneys general, as described in the coalition's letter, underscores the systemic influence such scientific analyses have. IRIS and ORD’s work reaches far, even assessing risks like ethylene oxide, a chemical with known toxic exposures. The group of legal scholars clearly aim to maintain the integrity and application of science in environmental policy, made evident by the diversity of states uniting in this urgent plea to Congress.
