News Releases from Headquarters

EPA Announces Extended Comment Period on Supplement to Science Transparency Proposed Rule

Contact Information: EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)

WASHINGTON (April 2, 2020) Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced an extension of the comment period on the supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking for the proposed rule, “Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science.”

“EPA is committed to giving the public ample time to participate in the rulemaking process,” said EPA Administrator Andrew 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. When finalized, the science transparency rule will ensure that all important studies underlying significant regulatory actions at the EPA, regardless of their source, are available for a transparent review by qualified scientists.”

On March 18, 2020, EPA issued a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking to the proposed rule with a 30-day comment period that was scheduled to close on April 17. With today’s extension, the comment period will now close on May 18.

EPA is soliciting comments on the clarifications the supplemental notice made to the 2018 proposed rule. The Supplemental:

proposes that the scope of the rulemaking applies to influential scientific information as well as significant regulatory decisions;

defines and clarifies that the proposed rule applies to data and models underlying both pivotal science and pivotal regulatory science;

proposes a modified approach to the availability provisions for data and models that would underly influential scientific information and significant regulatory decisions, as well as an alternate approach; and,

clarifies the ability of the Administrator to grant exemptions.

Additionally, EPA is taking comment on whether to use its housekeeping authority independently or in conjunction with appropriate environmental statutory provisions as authority for taking this action.

Comments should be identified by Docket ID No. is EPA–HQ–OA–2018–0259 and submitted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov