Risk Assessment: Required Course Pack

Craig M. Pease, editor

Scientific method

Pease, C.M. and J.J. Bull. 2000. Science for Business, Law and Journalism. Published separately.

Uncertainty and risk: An introduction

What is risk?

Breyer, S. 1993. Breaking the vicious cycle: Towards effective risk regulation. Excerpts from Chpt. 1. Page 1

Felsot, A.S. 1998. Numbers, numbers everywhere--and not a drop of meaning. J. Environmental Law and Litigation 13: 91. Excerpts. Page 10

Ames, B.N. and L.S. Gold. 1998. The causes and prevention of cancer: The role of environment. Biotherapy 11: 205-220. Excerpts. Page 21

McGinnis, J.M. and W.H. Foege. 1993. Actual causes of death in the United States. JAMA 270: 2207-2212. Page 25

The central elements of a risk assessment

U.S. National Research Council. 1983. Risk assessment in the federal government: Managing the process. (The "Red Book") National Academy Press. Washington, D.C. Excerpts from the Summary, Introduction, and Chapter 1 Page 31

US Office Management and Budget. 2006. Proposed risk assessment bulletin. Excerpts. Page 51

Methylmercury risk assessments

Rice, D.G. 2003. Testimony before Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. July 29, 2003. Page 59

National Research Council. 2000. Toxicological effects of methylmercury. Preface, Executive Summary, and Figures 7-4 and 7-5. Page 63

US EPA. 1998. Mercury study report to Congress---Overview. Page 82

Methylmercury science

Overview

Bolger, P.M. and B.A. Schwetz. 2002. Mercury and health. New England Journal of Medicine 347: 1735-1736. Page 86

Clarkson, T.W. et al. 2003. The toxicology of mercury---Current exposures and clinical manifestations. New England Journal of Medicine 349: 1731-1737. Page 88

A key scientific paper

Grandjean, P. et al. 1998. Cognitive performance of children prenatally exposed to "safe" levels of methylmercury. Environmental Research, Section A 77: 165-177. Page 95

Exposure to methylmercury

Schober, S.E. 2003. Blood mercury levels in US children and women of childbearing age, 1999-2000. JAMA 289: 1667-1674. Page 103

Is methylmercury harmful at low doses: A controversy

Myers, G. 2003. Statement to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. July 29, 2003. Page 111

Myers, G.J. et al. 2003. Prenatal methylmercury exposure from ocean fish consumption in the Seychelles child development study. The Lancet 361: 1686-1692. Page 114

Various authors. 2003. Correspondence on the Myers et al. paper. The Lancet. Page 123

Trasande, L. et al. 2005. Public health and economic consequences of methyl mercury toxicity to the developing brain. Environmental Health Perspectives 113: 590-596. Page 129

Various authors. 2006. Correspondence on the Transande et al. paper. Environmental Health Perspectives 114: A399-A401. Page 136

Regulation of mercury under the Clean Air Act

US EPA. 2005. Clean air mercury rule. Page 139

US EPA. 2005. Mercury: Controlling power plant emissions: Decision process and chronology. Page 143

Heinzerling, L. and R.I. Steinzor. 2004a. A perfect storm: Mercury and the Bush administration. 34 ELR 10297. Page 147

Heinzerling, L. and R.I. Steinzor. 2004b. A perfect storm: Mercury and the Bush administration, Part II. 34 ELR 10485 Page 164

Friedland, D.M. and J.R. Grant. 2005. Residual risk standards: 'Phase Two' of Clean Air Act's air toxics provisions. Bureau of National Affairs, Environmental Reporter vol 36, no. 23. 10 June 2005. Page 176

Risk perception and communication

Slovic, P. 1987. Perception of risk. Science 236: 280-285. Page 186

Sandman, P. M. 1985. Getting to maybe. Some communication aspects of siting hazardous waste facilities. Seton Hall Legislative Journal 9: 442. Page 192

Ruckelshaus, W.D. 1984. Risk in a free society. Environmental Law Reporter 14: 10190. Page 205

Legal framework for risk assessment

Administrative law

Citizens to Preserve Overton Park vs. Vople. 1971. 91 S.Ct. 814. Page 214

National Coalition Against Misuse of Pesticides vs. Thomas. 1987. 809 F.2d. 875. (ethylene dibromide case) Page 223

Three key risk assessment cases

Shere, M. 1995. The myth of meaningful risk regulation. Harvard Environmental Law Review 19: 409. Excerpts. Page 232

Industrial Union Department, AFL-CIO vs. American Petroleum Institute. 1980. 100 S.Ct. 2844. Excerpts. (benzene case) Page 240

Public Citizen Health Research Group v. Tyson. 1986. 796 F.2d. 1479. Excerpts. (ethylene oxide case) Page 258

Natural Resources Defense Council v. US EPA. 263 U.S.App.D.C. 166. Excerpts. (vinyl chloride case) Page 273

Risk assessment in federal statutes

FIFRA, TSCA, OSH Act and CERCLA Excerpts. Page 284

Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. Excerpts. Page 291

Alternative ways for society to reduce risk: A comparison

Hood, C. et al. 2001. The government of risk. Excerpts. Page 293

Reserve Mining Co. v. EPA. 1975. 514 F.2d 492. Excerpts. (asbestos case) Page 308

Technology-based regulation

Houck, O. 2003. Tales from a troubled marriage: Science and law in environmental policy. Science 302: 1926. Page 311

Babich, A. 2005. Too much science. Environmental Forum. May/June 2005, pages 36-45. Page 315

Cost-benefit analysis

Sunstein, C. 2003. Risk and reason. Excerpts. Page 325

Executive Order 12866 of September 30, 1993. Excerpts. Page 359

American Trucking v. Whitman. 121 S.Ct. 903. Excerpts. Page 361

Ackerman, F. and L. Heinzerling. 2005. Priceless: On knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing. ALI-ABA Continuing Legal Education, February 16-18, 2005. Page 366

Graham, J.D. et al. 2006. Managing the regulatory state: The experience of the Bush administration. 33 Fordam Urban Law Journal 953. Excerpts. Page 376

Faber, D.A. and P.A. Hemmersbaugh. 1993. The shadow of the future: Discount rates, later generations, and the environment. Vanderbilt Law Review 46: 267. Excerpts. Page 385