Opponents balk at new EPA push to limit science studies

WASHINGTON — Democratic lawmakers joined scientists, health providers, environmental officials and activists Tuesday in denouncing an industry-proposal that could limit the scientific studies the Environmental Protection Agency considers in shaping protections for human health.

If adopted by the Trump administration, the rule would allow an EPA administrator to reject study results in making decisions about chemicals, pollutants and other health risks if underlying research data is not made public because of patient privacy concerns or other issues.

Opponents said the move would throw out the kind of health studies that underlie enforcement of the Clean Air Act and other environmental controls, since the studies drew on confidential health data from thousands of individuals.

Rep. Paul Tonkom, DN. said the proposed rule was “a thinly veiled campaign to limit research that supports critical regulatory action.”

The rule was proposed by then-Administrator Scott Pruitt before his resignation earlier this month amid mounting ethics scandals.

At the public hearing Tuesday, opponents outnumbered supporters.

It “enables the public to more meaningfully comment on the science” behind environmental regulation, said Joseph Stanko, a representative of industry trade groups and companies affected by what he said were increasingly stringent air-pollution regulations.

Backers have expressed worries about how the broadly written rule would apply to trade secrets.