EPA’s Gutting of Chemical Risk Science Paves Way for Political Interference

The Environmental Protection Agency is abandoning its cornerstone science program for chemical risk assessments, a change that insiders say opens the door to political interference and threatens public health safeguards.

An internal EPA memo dated April 27, obtained by C&EN, reveals that Deputy Administrator David Fotouhi has ordered the agency to stop using the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) for hazard and dose-response assessments. Instead, these scientific evaluations will now be conducted entirely within the EPA’s policy offices—such as Air, Water, and Chemical Safety—rather than by independent science specialists.

This shift aligns with President Trump’s May 23, 2025, executive order “Restoring Gold Standard Science,” which critics argue is a euphemism for politicizing science. The memo cites complaints about IRIS being “overly conservative” and lacking continuity, but experts see it as a direct response to chemical industry pressure.

Chris Frey, EPA’s former assistant administrator for research and development, calls the move “hugely inefficient” and warns it “just opens the door for the policy to influence the scientific findings.” Previously, IRIS assessments were conducted by dedicated scientists in the now-shuttered Office of Research and Development, creating a firewall between science and policy decisions. With the ORD’s closure and staff reassignments, that protective barrier has vanished.

Maria Doa of the Environmental Defense Fund echoes these concerns, noting that EPA has lost significant expertise and will struggle to produce quality assessments on time. The fragmented approach risks inconsistent results, as multiple policy offices might assess the same chemical differently, with no clear mechanism to resolve conflicts.

The chemical industry, led by the American Chemistry Council, has long pushed to eliminate IRIS, criticizing it as “too conservative” and outdated. The leaked memo even instructs the agency to add disclaimers on the IRIS website indicating its values “are not necessarily intended for use as regulatory levels,” signaling a retreat from science-based standards.

This development is a stark example of the Trump administration’s broader assault on independent science and regulatory integrity. By dismantling the EPA’s scientific backbone, the agency is handing the reins to political appointees and industry-friendly officials, undermining protections against toxic chemicals and endangering public health.

We will continue to track how this policy shift unfolds and its consequences for environmental safety and democratic accountability. The EPA’s science should serve the people, not political agendas or corporate interests.