Academy review 'like the Supreme Court'
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
JEREMIAH STETTLER THE SAGINAW NEWS
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency may say dioxin causes cancer and
other illnesses, but it needs to do a better job proving it, a National Academy
of Sciences report concludes.
The academy calls for greater "transparency" in an EPA analysis of dioxin's
health effects.
The nonprofit academy, which Congress commissioned to scrutinize a final section
of the EPA's 1,800-page examination of dioxin, reported this morning that
federal regulators have provided too little justification for their findings
about the risks associated with the toxin.
Dioxin, a series of pollutants linked to weakened immune systems and some forms
of cancer, now plagues properties downstream and downwind of Midland-based Dow
Chemical Co.
While the academy did not challenge the carcinogenicity of dioxin, scientists
urged the EPA to better explain its conclusions, its assumptions and the
uncertainties that continue to swirl in the scientific community about effects
of dioxin on humans.
Greg Rudloff, corrective action project manager for the EPA, said the academy's
critique could mean completion is in sight for a document that began in the
early 1990s.
"The NAS review is like going to the Supreme Court," he said. "What comes out of
this peer review will enable the agency to make final changes to the dioxin
reassessment and move forward."
While state legislators and Dow officials have trumpeted the academy's review,
calling it a beacon of good science in dealing with dioxin contamination, others
wonder what makes this critique so special.
The Ann Arbor-based Ecology Center reported Monday that this is one of five
scientific reviews conducted since 1991. Spokeswoman Tracey Easthope said she
sees nothing ground-breaking.
Peter L. deFur, an associate professor at the Center for Environmental Studies
at Virginia Commonwealth University who was co-chairman of the last peer review
of the EPA's dioxin analysis in 2000, said he has scratched his head over this
critique's popularity. He expects little new information to come from the
report.
"There is no earth-shattering information that has been revealed here," he said.
"It is only the eyes and interpretation of the science that has been out there
for a while (that has changed)."
Dow officials had not seen the academy's critique late Monday and could not
comment. However, they said the National Academy undoubtedly will interject
"good science" into the dioxin debate. v
Jeremiah Stettler is a staff writer for The Saginaw News. You may reach him at
776-9685.
©2006 Saginaw News
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