Georgetown Public Policy Review

By Kate Rosenberg

This summer featured the latest installment of the ongoing EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) reform saga. EPA’s IRIS program produces chemical assessments that evaluate the health effects of chemicals in the environment and commerce, specifically determining the level at which a given chemical presents a potential public health risk. These assessments serve as the underpinnings of EPA’s regulations, so it should come as no surprise that the release of an assessment (or draft assessment) is often accompanied by a tide of opposition from interested parties who stand to be impacted by potential regulation.