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Witnesses warn EPA research cuts will slow science, delay approvals
Summary
Witnesses at a House Agriculture Committee hearing said administration cuts to EPA scientists and the elimination of the agency's Office of Research and Development threaten regulatory capacity, slow product reviews and undermine public confidence in food-safety decisions.
House Agriculture Committee members heard unified warnings that recent White House changes at the Environmental Protection Agency are eroding the federal science base regulators rely on to assess pesticides and new agricultural technologies.
Panelists emphasized that the Office of Research and Development (ORD) and career scientists provide the technical foundation regulators use to judge risks and set conditions for safe use. "Reducing the number of scientists at the EPA doesn't change the regulatory system. It just leads to worse customer service and longer wait times," Ranking Member Craig said during opening remarks.
Why it matters: ORD conducts long-running environmental and human-health research and provides technical assistance to states, tribes and other agencies. Witnesses said cuts to ORD staff…
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