United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2000-10-16 monographic deposited born digital 46 p. GA 1.13:GAO-01-55 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-55 P0b002ee18038ad6f f:d0155 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-23 GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-55 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-55 GAO-01-55 Safety standards Environmental policies Pollution control Environmental law Cost effectiveness analysis Health hazards Letter Report Some of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) regulations set standards that limit environmental contaminants to levels that are determined, in large part, on the basis of the health risks they pose. However, when EPA assesses the health risks of contaminants, the agency is faced with uncertainties and gaps in scientific knowledge and data. This report summarizes GAO's findings on whether EPA's benefits estimates for major environmental regulations that establish health-based standards reflect precautionary assumptions about health risks. Three key factors influence EPA's use of precautionary assumptions in assessing health risks. First, EPA is influenced by its mission to protect human health and safeguard the natural environment. Second, EPA is influenced by the nature and extent of relevant data. Finally, EPA is influenced by the nature of the health risk being evaluated. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-55/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-55.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-55/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-55.pdf GAO-01-55 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-55 Letter Report GAO-01-55; Environmental Protection Agency: Use of Precautionary; Safety standards Environmental policies Pollution control Environmental law Cost effectiveness analysis Health hazards Volume 110 Page 1613 110 Stat. 1613 Public Law 104-182