Toxics

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt's plan to require EPA regulatory decisions be based on publicly available data targets the agency's long-time use of strict, default linear dose-response models, a criticism of Republicans and industry groups who say the agency's use of such conservative approaches -- such as in its guidelines for assessing cancer risks -- result in stricter rules than are needed.

EPA's looming proposed rule reconsidering an Obama-era policy strengthening the agency's facility accident prevention program -- which cleared White House review April 27 -- is unlikely to grant industry groups' call to scrap the changes entirely and instead moderate some of the January 2017 updates, an industry source says.

A bipartisan group of House lawmakers, whose districts are affected by drinking water contaminants such as perfluorinated chemicals, is urging appropriators to adopt report language that requires EPA to conduct an expedited rulemaking to craft a standard for the substances, pushing back on agency concerns that such an effort could drag on for years.