Peer Review: EPA Needs Implementation Procedures and Additional Controls
RCED-94-89
Published: Feb 22, 1994. Publicly Released: Mar 25, 1994.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) peer review policies for its published scientific and technical materials, focusing on EPA: (1) efforts to implement a uniform peer review policy; and (2) controls over documents sent to outside reviewers.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
---|---|---|
Environmental Protection Agency | The Administrator, EPA, should set a schedule for developing, completing, and implementing agencywide peer review procedures. |
Closed – Implemented
EPA issued an agencywide peer review policy and implementation program on June 7, 1994. The new policy set a schedule for developing, completing and implementing agencywide peer review procedures.
|
Environmental Protection Agency | The Administrator, EPA, should develop and implement controls that protect against the premature release of documents by external peer reviewers. |
Closed – Implemented
Formal office-specific standard operating procedures were developed and implemented effective October 1, 1994. The new procedures set controls necessary to discourage premature disclosure of EPA documents by external peer reviewers.
|
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AccountabilityAgency reportsEnvironmental policiesEvaluation methodsGovernment publicationsInternal controlsPolicy evaluationResearch reportsPeer reviewPeer reiview