More than 1,000 EPA scientists and experts are waiting to see whether their agency lays them off and shuts down their office, charged with conducting critical scientific research on environmental hazards including toxic chemical exposure. Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are attempting to pass legislation that would hamper EPA’s ability to regulate chemicals that cause birth defects, cancer and other serious health issues.
The Union of Concerned Scientists, Earthjustice, and 121 other organizations sent a letter to Congress urging lawmakers to support the office and to oppose two bills that would prevent EPA from relying on scientific health assessments produced by the office's Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). If you are tracking these issues and would like more context on how closing the EPA’s scientific research arm would harm public health and the environment, please see the letter and a blog post published today by UCS President Gretchen Goldman, who previously served in the White House and as DOT's climate change research and technology director.
If you would like to speak with UCS president and blog writer Gretchen Goldman or issue area expert Darya Minovi, please contact UCS communications officer Lana Cohen via lcohen@ucs.org or (646) 410-1462. To speak with experts at Earthjustice, please contact Alejandro Davila at adavila@earthjustice.org.