After filing comments with the EPA on its proposed “Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science” rule, the American Chemistry Council has issued the following statement:

“EPA’s proposed rule is a major step toward enhancing the public’s understanding of the science used to support regulations issued by the agency and increasing public confidence in agency decisions. Increasing transparency in government is an ideal we should all embrace, especially when it comes to the regulations that affect our health, environment, livelihoods and economy.

“EPA’s proposal codifies an important good governance principle, that government agencies should be as transparent as possible, within the bounds of the law, about scientific information relied upon and the justifications for the significant regulatory decisions they make.

“It’s important to remember EPA’s proposed rule is virtually the same as the agency’s policy put into place by Gina McCarthy during the Obama Administration. The goal of the McCarthy plan was to ‘increase public access to research data while protecting proprietary interests, intellectual property and personal privacy.’ So we know that we can increase transparency while protecting sensitive information.”

For more information, visit www.americanchemistry.com.