| THIS WEEK ON |  | ||||
|
Science Friday > Archives > 2000 > June > June 2, 2000: Hour One:
Science in Policy Decisions / Authority of Federal Agencies
In his ruling, Judge Joe Fish "Because the USDA performance standards and salmonella tests do not necessarily evaluate the conditions of a meat processor's establishment, they cannot serve as the basis for finding a plant's meat adulterated. Indeed, a plant could, in theory, be completely sanitized from top to bottom, but if the meat in it tests positive for salmonella, the USDA could withdraw its inspectors, effectively closing a plant that is sanitary." Also last week, the Supreme Court announced that it would hear an appeal of a case regarding the EPA's implementation of the Clean Air Act. The text of the Clean Air Act says that says that the EPA must set each standard at the level "requisite to protect the public health" with an "adequate margin of safety." In a district court opinion, two members of a three-judge panel ruled last year that the EPA had interpreted those parts of the Clean Air Act "so loosely as to render them unconstitutional delegations of legislative power." It's a difficult problem for legislators. How much flexibility should they give regulatory agencies in determining what standards to set? Who should be interpreting science that potentially will have an effect on the public health and safety -- legislators and their staffs, or the employees of regulatory agencies such as the FDA, USDA, and EPA? And how should science that may become part of public policies be judged? Join Ira Flatow and guests in this hour of Science Friday for a look at the role of science in developing government regulations, and the role of regulatory agencies in the overall balance of political power.
Guests: Wendy Wagner Alan Raul Gary Guzy Related Links:
Produced By: Karin Vergoth |
|||||
