New York, NY March 11, 1998.Scientists at the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH) today urged United States Senators to support legislation pending before the Senate (S. 981) that would require cost-benefit and risk-analysis techniques to be applied to major federal regulations.
"To ask the federal government to make use of better, modern decision-making tools such as cost-benefit and risk-analysis safeguards is plain common sense, good public policy, and good science," says Dr. Elizabeth Whelan, President of ACSH.
The legislation now moving forward in the Senate would require federal agencies to use peer-reviewed cost-benefit-analysis and risk-assessment tools when developing regulations with a projected economic impact of at least $100 million. "Why," asks Dr. Whelan, "shouldn't agencies think carefully before issuing these important and expensive regulations?"
Opponents of the bill suggest that this type of legislation would hamper the government's ability to protect against such hazards as tainted meat, toxic wastes, and polluted water. "But these fears represent a basic misunderstanding of cost-benefit-analysis and risk assessment," notes Dr. Whelan, "because such tests would be the strongest evidence that regulation is indeed necessary."
The American Council on Science and Health is a consortium of over 250 leading scientists and physicians. For more about sound science and public health policies, please visit the ACSH website at www.acsh.org.
For additional information, please contact Jeff Stier, ACSH Director of Development and Media, at (212) 362-7044, Ext. 225.