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chemicals. This is just one example of how EPA has not collected adequate data in 

 the risk assessment area. The Bureau we create in our legislation would certainly 

 aid this situation. What is EPA currently doing to improve its databases? And do 

 you support our Bureau of Environmental statistics provision? 



A. 19: There are three aspects to the question. The first relates to the adequacy of 

 EPA's efforts to date to acquire the data needed to do meaningful risk assessments 

 of chemicals or other contaminants that may pose hazards to human health or the 

 environment (hereafter referred to as potentially toxic substances). The Bureau, by 

 providing guidelines for the collection of information by the Department, should im- 

 prove data collection at all levels of the Agency. However, specific determinations as 

 to the adequacy of the data available for making risk assessments for individual po- 

 tentially toxic substances must remain in the offices of the Department of the Envi- 

 ronment vdth regulatory responsibilities. Similarly, specific actions to require addi- 

 tional testing of potentially toxic substances will continue to be made by these same 

 regulatory offices. 



The second questions relates to the adequacy of EPA's efforts to keep track of 

 these potentially toxic substances and of the information available about the risks 

 posed by each of these substances or class of substances. EPA has already made 

 progress in assembling and disseminating information on potentially toxic sub- 

 stances and risks posed by each of these substances or classes of substances. Follow- 

 ing are some specific examples. 



The Office of Regulatory Management and Evaluation (with significant support 

 from the Environmental Statistics and Information Division) has led an Agency- 

 wdde effort to design and implement the Register of Lists, a new EPA-wide electron- 

 ic data base that is intended to serve as a central repository of information about 

 the various chemical lists established by EPA for regulatory purposes. The Register 

 of Lists provides information about the purpose of the list, identifies the substances 

 contained on each list, and identifies the EPA regulatory office responsible for each 

 list. The Register of Lists currently contains over 3,437 chemicals and chemical cate- 

 gories contained on 31 major EPA lists. 



The Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), maintained by the Office of 

 Health and Environmental Assessment within EPA, contains a comprehensive sum- 

 mary of available risk information for a smaller number of substances. IRIS cur- 

 rently contains information on 509 chemicals, and OHEA continues to increase the 

 number of chemicals included in it. 



A third major data base is the Inventory of Chemicals in Commerce, discussed 

 above, which is maintained by the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxic Sub- 

 stances in its role as the EPA office vnth principal responsibility for carr3dng out 

 the requirements of TSCA. 



In answer to the question about what EPA is doing to strengthen its database, 

 EPA is working to strengthen its information resources management (IRM) pro- 

 gram. The strategic IRM planning process is being revamped to provide a consist- 

 ent, integrated planning process, linked to the budget, for the direction, control, and 

 coordination of IRM resources across the Agency. EPA's Information Management/ 

 Data Administration Program is applying a structured approach to implement 

 Agency-wide improvements in data administration. At the same time, EPA is 

 strengthening its central management of IRM policies, standards, and procedures, 

 as well as its IRM oversight program to ensure the quality of its information pro- 

 grams and systems. EPA is also implementing technical solutions to facilitate data 

 integration, such as development of a common software interface (Gateway), appli- 

 cation of Greographic Information Systems (GIS) to various analyses, and implemen- 

 tation of a locational data policy to facilitate the link between geographic and pro- 

 grammatic data. These activities, combined with the IRM elements of the Cabinet 

 legislation, will have a beneficial impact on EPA's management and use of informa- 

 tion. 



The Chief Information Management Officer and the proposed Bureau of Environ- 

 mental Statistics will clearly be major participants in building on these ongoing ef- 

 forts to improve the Department's ability to identify, retrieve and disseminate infor- 

 mation it possesses about potentially toxic substances. The improved accessibility of 

 this information will in turn allow the Department to make better determinations 

 regarding the existence of major information gaps and to take the necessary meas- 

 ures to fill these gaps. 



Yes, EPA and the Administration support the creation of a Bureau of Environ- 

 mental Statistics as called for by S.171. 



Q. 20: Should EPA, itself, have better data collection capabilities? 



A. 20: Existing statutes for the various EPA programs have extensive authorities 

 for the collection of data; nevertheless, the coverage is a "crazy quilt" pattern with 



