proaches that protect the public health, the health of our citizens, 

 the health of our economy, approaches that combine a firm commit- 

 ment to environmental protection with flexibility, innovation, and 

 common sense, and approaches that involve citizens at all levels in 

 the decision making process. 



Since the passage of TSCA 18 years ago, we have learned two 

 key lessons on chemicals management: 



First, pollution prevention offers significant opportunities for pro- 

 tecting the environment. 



Second, empowering the public with information as a powerful 

 tool for environmental progress. We have now made these lessons 

 the cornerstone of our new approach to addressing toxics in the en- 

 vironment, and we believe that they should be the starting point 

 for any reconsideration of TSCA. 



The Clinton Administration strongly supports pollution preven- 

 tion as a core principle of environmental policy. Our society simply 

 cannot afford to address environmental protection as an after- 

 thought. This ethic is particularly important to TSCA since chemi- 

 cals introduced into the environment then become air, water and 

 waste problems if improperly managed. Encouraging the use of 

 safer chemicals and processes in the first place should be a fun- 

 damental step in carrying out TSCA's mission to protect human 

 health and the environment. TSCA also plays an important role in 

 Administrator Browner's common sense initiative to address envi- 

 ronmental protection across all of EPA's programs for a given sec- 

 tor. 



We are also very strongly committed to the public's right to 

 know. As you know, the creation of the toxic release inventory 

 opened a new era of environmental policy. Through public disclo- 

 sure of emissions data, both citizens and industry began more con- 

 structive dialogue and partnerships with EPA to reduce emissions 

 and prevent pollution. I believe the success of this program justifies 

 expanding the right to know concept in other areas of environ- 

 mental policy. 



You may agree with these principles but wonder how they can 

 be applied to the realities of running the toxics program. Let me 

 describe a three-point strategy we have developed to do just that. 



The first is to provide information and tools that lay out the 

 basis for empowering the broadest possible initiative from industry, 

 the public, and government. 



Second, help set goals both in terms of a specific chemical agenda 

 and of a broader environmental ethic for chemical management in- 

 cluding the development of cleaner, safer technology. 



And, third, target direct efforts to areas where pollution preven- 

 tion is needed to reduce risk. 



This strategy calls upon most of the traditional TSCA work in- 

 cluding information collection, testing, new chemicals review, and 

 chemical specific risk management. First, it is a vital part of our 

 mission to provide information and tools to empower others. The 

 public release of environmental data gives everyone the ability to 

 participate in the broader national effort to set a toxics agenda and 

 address chemical issues. Already we have given States some of the 

 tools necessary to more effectively determine what risks exist in 

 their local communities and to target their compliance and enforce- 



