Abstract: | This paper focuses on recent efforts in the United States to improve the federal government's approach to regulating risk, with particular emphasis on legislation introduced in the Congress of the United States that was designed to reform and standardize risk assessment and risk management practices at the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other federal agencies with responsibility for health, safety, and environmental regulation. After reviewing the key provisions of the legislation and the potential impact of those provisions on EPA's risk-related activities, the paper suggests certain fundamental principles that should guide the debate on reform of policies and procedures associated with risk. |