EPA Extends Comment Period for Supplemental to " Secret Science " Proposed Rule

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler has announced that the agency would extend by a month the public comment period for a supplemental addition to its proposed rule, Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science, that would bar the use of scientific studies in crafting regulations unless the underlying data “are publicly available in a manner sufficient for independent validation.” On March 3, 2020, EPA released a supplemental addition to its “secret science” proposal that would broaden restrictions on the type of scientific studies EPA can use when crafting regulations. The agency provided 30 days to submit feedback on the supplemental. The deadline to submit comments has been extended from April 17 to May 18, 2020. More information is available at https://www.epa.gov/osa/strengthening-transparency-regulatory-science. “EPA is committed to giving the public ample time to participate in the rulemaking process,” said Wheeler. “By extending the comment period, we are listening to stakeholders and giving them more time to provide valuable input on how EPA can improve the science underlying its rules.” This follows an April 1, 2020 letter from the chairs of fourteen House committees to the White House calling for the extension of public comment periods for proposed rulemakings during the novel coronavirus pandemic. “In light of the evolving situation concerning the coronavirus (‘...
Source: Public Policy Reports - Category: Biology Authors: Source Type: news