Environmental Risk Reduction Act

Summary

Environmental Risk Reduction Act - Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to use resources under all environmental laws to reduce risks to human health and welfare and ecological resources through the assessment and ranking of relative risks and options for their management. Requires the Administrator to establish within the Science Advisory Board: (1) a Committee on Relative Risks to provide advice on ranking the relative risks of different stressors to human health and welfare and ecological resources; and (2) a Committee on Environmental Benefits to provide advice on estimating quantitative benefits of reducing risks. Directs the Committees to report findings to the Administrator and the Congress. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Administrator to: (1) protect human health and the environment on the basis of assessments of risk and evaluation of options for reducing risks; and (2) develop and revise, as necessary, guidelines to ensure consistency and technical quality in risk assessments by specifying minimum standards for risk assessment approaches. Sets forth minimum requirements for guidelines. Requires the Administrator to conduct a core environmental risk assessment research program to insure that the risk assessment process is based on adequate environmental data and scientific understanding. Directs the Administrator to conduct a research program to: (1) design and evaluate methods and networks to collect monitoring data on the current and changing condition of the environment; (2) implement monitoring programs and manage data from such programs in formats readily accessible to the public; and (3) provide annual statistical reports of the results of such programs to the Congress and the public. Declares that the Administrator will conduct a core program to establish a firm scientific basis for initial and subsequent risk assessment guidelines. Requires at least half of research conducted under this Act to be under agreements with universities or not-for-profit organizations under which full funding will be obligated for at least three years of the contract. Authorizes appropriations. Establishes an Interagency Panel on Risk Assessment and Reduction for purposes of coordinating Federal research, data gathering, and implementation of environmental risk assessment and risk reduction activities. Directs the Administrator to report to the Congress on: (1) a prioritized list of the human health and welfare and ecological resource risks considered by the Committee on Relative Risks; (2) public awareness of the likelihood, seriousness, magnitude, and irreversibility of each risk; (3) alternative options for reducing risks and estimated costs and benefits to society; (4) the time required for reducing risks through each option; (5) evaluation of the uncertainty associated with aspects of the assessment process; and (6) research or data collection that would reduce such uncertainty. Provides for biennial updates of such report.

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Timeline

1. 27 November 1991

   Introduced

   Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 27 November 1991

   Introduced

   Introduced in Senate

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 18 September 1992

   Committee

   Committee on Environment and Public Works. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 102-962.

   Source: Committee

Votes

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Versions

• Introduced in Senate · undated · Official file

Documents

2 official files

• Introduced in Senate (text)

  Introduced in Senate · EN

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 27 November 1991

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• Sen. Moynihan, Daniel Patrick [D-NY] · D · Sponsor
• · ssev00 · Standing

Related records

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