Abstract |
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established in 1970 and charged by Congress to protect the nation's land, air and water resources. The EPA's current organization parallels seven major environmental statutes enacted by Congress since 1970. Eight EPA Program Offices evaluate and/or regulate specific chemicals under the authority of these environmental statutes. An implementing programs have been established within each Office to carry out the requirements of the environmental statutes, most of the Program Offices have developed separate procedures for listing, assessing and developing regulations for controlling toxic and hazardous chemicals. Each Office adds (and occasionally drops) chemicals to its internal programs, and frequently several Program Offices may perform activities on a chemical simultaneously. Therefore, there is a need to present clearly to EPA management the status of EPA activities on toxic and hazardous chemicals. |