Environmental Right to Know | Center for Effective Government

The Toxics Release Inventory is Back

On March 11, President Barack Obama signed into law a restoration of the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), reversing changes made by the Bush administration that had weakened the program. The measure was included deep within the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009 and restored the rules that existed before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) weakened them in December 2006.

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Industry Secrecy Still Hindering Protection from Toxics

The excessive use of confidential business information claims is a major factor preventing the government from safe, effective management of thousands of industrial chemicals, according to several experts who recently presented their views to a congressional panel. The witnesses asserted that when information about potentially dangerous chemicals is labeled as trade secrets, government agencies and the public are denied the opportunity to evaluate the risks of chemicals and take action to protect public health and the environment.

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Hundreds Call on EPA to Restore Public Access to Toxic Pollution Information

WASHINGTON, March 3, 2009—Hundreds of national, state, and local groups and individual signers today called on EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson to reverse a 2006 Environmental Protection Agency rule that limits public access to information about toxic chemical releases. The rule, finalized in December 2006, allows industries to withhold information on the quantities and locations of toxic chemical releases previously reported to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI).

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EPA Inspector General Rips Program on Chemical Risks in Communities

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in need of significant improvements in the implementation of the agency's Risk Management Program, according to a new report from the EPA Office of Inspector General (OIG). The OIG report highlights the need for greater accountability for the Clean Air Act program. However, EPA has refused to provide program data online, reducing the public's ability to ensure the safety of vulnerable communities.

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Nada Known about Nano – Reporting Requirement Inches Forward

As the nanotechnology industry continues to grow, government policies are slowly being developed to gather basic information on potential threats to the environment and public health. For years, the federal government has promoted the nanotech industry, even though little has been known about the environmental and public health impacts of the materials. Recent actions by California, Canada, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will require companies to report data on potential threats from the use of nanotechnology.

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Congress Again Sets Sights on Toxics Right to Know

Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) recently reintroduced the Toxic Right-to-Know Protection Act (H.R. 776), which would restore the thresholds for reporting of toxic pollution under the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program. A 2006 rule from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) raised the thresholds significantly. An identical version of the bill failed to move out of committee in 2008.

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Obama Transparency Rhetoric Trickles Down to EPA

The new administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Lisa Jackson, pledged in a memo to staff to "uphold the values of scientific integrity, rule of law, and transparency every day." In the memo, Jackson also highlighted five priorities for the EPA, including reducing greenhouse gases and strengthening EPA's chemicals management and risk assessment programs.

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Transparency Concerns Raised about EPA Nominee

President-elect Barack Obama's nominee to lead the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Lisa Jackson, has drawn both praise and criticism from environmental advocates. Some have accused Jackson of limiting public participation, denying the release of information to the public, and weakening scientific integrity in her time as a state environmental commissioner in New Jersey. Other environmentalists have hailed the nomination and believe the events should not be attributed to Jackson.

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Gas Drilling Threatens Public with Undisclosed Chemicals

The natural gas drilling industry refuses to disclose what potentially harmful chemicals are used in thousands of hydraulic fracturing gas wells across the country, despite evidence that the chemicals are poisoning drinking water supplies. As concerns mount, several states are considering action to curb use of the process despite the federal government's efforts to encourage it with large subsidies and environmental exemptions.

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Public Wants More Info on Food Labels

A national poll shows strong consumer support for improved food labeling and more frequent inspections of food-processing facilities. According to food safety advocates, Americans want labels that identify use of genetically engineered or cloned ingredients, as well as expanded country-of-origin labeling. Labels are one of the most effective means to inform the public about the health, safety, origins, and environmental impact of a product.

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