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SCIENCE, RISK, AND RISK ASSESSMENT AND THEIR ROLE(S) SUPPORTING ENVIRONMENTAL RISK MANAGEMENT
Citation:
HETES, R. G. SCIENCE, RISK, AND RISK ASSESSMENT AND THEIR ROLE(S) SUPPORTING ENVIRONMENTAL RISK MANAGEMENT. Presented at Law, Science and the Environment Forum: A Meeting of Minds, Lewis and Clark Law School, Portland, OR, April 19 - 20, 2007.
Description:
Abstract: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fulfills its mission of protecting public health and the environment by, among other things, developing and enforcing regulations that implement environmental laws enacted by Congress. Ensuring that its regulations have a sound analytical foundation reduces both controversy and, to some extent, court challenges and increases the likelihood of compliance by the regulated community, which is key to achieving real environmental improvement. The environment, risk and environmental risk are case-specific and too complex to capture fully. EPA uses risk assessment as a key source of scientific information along with other relevant information (e.g., costs) for making good, sound decisions about managing risks to human health and the environment. Risk assessment is a necessary tool used to inform decisions where direct measurements are not possible. While risk assessment involves science and is a scientific activity, it is best described as ¿trans-scientific¿, and normative aspects and judgment are inherent. EPA has instituted numerous processes and systems to make risk assessments tractable and feasible, while insuring their overall quality. This emphasis on science and policy influences on procedures for conducting such assessments making such decisions, and vice versa.
This is an abstract of proposed presentation and does not necessarily reflect EPA policy or the views of the Agency.