Pesticides:
Options to Achieve a Single Regulatory Standard
RCED-94-57: Published: May 13, 1994. Publicly Released: May 13, 1994.
Additional Materials:
- Full Report:
Contact:
GAO reviewed: (1) federal pesticide laws and the administrative policies that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed to implement them; and (2) legislative options for establishing a single standard for regulating the use of pesticides on foods.
GAO found that: (1) because of conflicting pesticide legislation, EPA often applies different standards of risk for carcinogenic pesticides in different situations and considers the benefits of using pesticides in some instances but not in others; (2) EPA allows the use of carcinogenic pesticides on raw foods and certain processed foods when it has determined that the risk of cancer is negligible; (3) EPA policies to reconcile the differences in the pesticide laws have been overruled in court; (4) EPA expects that the court's decision will prove costly for the agricultural and pesticide industries and for EPA regulation resources; (5) modifying EPA administrative policies would not resolve the legal differences in pesticide legislation; and (6) Congress could establish a single standard for carcinogenic pesticides by amending the existing laws.
Jan 22, 2021
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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers:
Information on the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability ProgramGAO-21-240R: Published: Jan 22, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 22, 2021.
Jan 19, 2021
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Chemical Assessments:
Annual EPA Survey Inconsistent with Leading Practices in Program ManagementGAO-21-156: Published: Dec 18, 2020. Publicly Released: Jan 19, 2021.
Jan 15, 2021
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Environmental Liabilities:
NASA's Reported Financial Liabilities Have Grown, and Several Factors Contribute to Future UncertaintiesGAO-21-205: Published: Jan 15, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 15, 2021.
Jan 13, 2021
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Nuclear Waste:
Congressional Action Needed to Clarify a Disposal Option at West Valley Site in New YorkGAO-21-115: Published: Jan 13, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 13, 2021.
Jan 7, 2021
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Hanford Cleanup:
DOE's Efforts to Close Tank Farms Would Benefit from Clearer Legal Authorities and CommunicationGAO-21-73: Published: Jan 7, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 7, 2021.
Dec 18, 2020
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Drinking Water:
EPA Could Use Available Data to Better Identify Neighborhoods at Risk of Lead ExposureGAO-21-78: Published: Dec 18, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 18, 2020. -
Recycling:
Building on Existing Federal Efforts Could Help Address Cross-Cutting ChallengesGAO-21-87: Published: Dec 18, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 18, 2020.
Dec 9, 2020
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Environmental Protection:
Action Needed to Ensure EPA's Enforcement and Compliance Activities Support Its Strategic GoalsGAO-21-82: Published: Dec 9, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 9, 2020. -
Oil and Gas:
Onshore Competitive and Noncompetitive Lease RevenuesGAO-21-138: Published: Nov 19, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 9, 2020.
Dec 7, 2020
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Air Pollution:
Opportunities to Better Sustain and Modernize the National Air Quality Monitoring SystemGAO-21-38: Published: Nov 12, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 7, 2020.
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