14 



eminent today is something I mentioned earlier, which is a lack of 

 resources. 



How are you going to be able to do these things that you need 

 to do with all the cutbacks we have in government including the 

 Environmental Protection Agency? 



Dr. Goldman. I think there are a couple of things we need to 

 think about here. I think one thing we have to think about is 

 streamlining, and, in the spirit of the National Performance Re- 

 view, look at the activities that we do that are not contributing to 

 reducing risk, that are not moving forward the toxic chemicals 

 agenda. And in that light, I think we need to look at the places 

 where our legislation has created transaction costs that are signifi- 

 cant and that really ought to be cut out of the process so that the 

 time that the staff at the EPA spend on this program is time spent 

 reducing risk. 



The third thing is we have to empower the public, we have to 

 empower the industry to take actions. Grovemment is not going to 

 do all of this itself. 



Senator Reid. What about user fees? 



Dr. Goldman. User fees I think should definitely be considered 

 especially where we can make an argument that the activities that 

 we're carrying out will save money. We do have a fee for PMNs 

 that is paid in by the industry, but the EPA does not receive those 

 fees. 



Senator Reid. We have a number of other questions that we'll 

 submit to you in writing and would ask that you get them back as 

 soon as you can. 



One of the areas we would like some input is, what are some of 

 the possibilities of user fees — without deciding whether or not 

 they're good or bad — ^but just give us a list of the potential user 

 fees. 



Thank you very much for your testimony today. You've been 

 most helpful. 



Dr. Goldman. Thank you very much, and I also just want to ac- 

 knowledge your request to have the EPA staff work with your office 

 on these TSCA reauthorization issues and let you know that we 

 are, of course, glad to do so. 



Thank you. 



Senator Reid. The next panel will consist of Mr. Peter Guerrero, 

 Director, Environmental Protection Issues at the United States 

 General Accounting Office; Dr. Ellen Silbergeld, Senior Toxicologist 

 with the Environmental Defense Fund; and Dr. Warren Muir, 

 President of Hampshire Research and Senior Fellow of INFORM. 



I'm going to step out and take a call. I'll be back in just a minute. 

 Please take your seat. 



[Recess.] 



Senator Reid. I apologize for the delay. 



We'll first hear from Mr. Peter Guerrero. 



STATEMENT OF PETER GUERRERO, DIRECTOR, ENVIRON- 

 MENTAL PROTECTION ISSUES, GENERAL ACCOUNTING OF- 

 FICE; ACCOMPANIED BY RAY SMITH, EVALUATOR 



Mr. Guerrero. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



