GAO's Updated High-Risk List Still Includes EPA's Process For Assessing And Controlling Toxic Chemicals

On February 25, 2025, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report entitled High-Risk Series: Heightened Attention Could Save Billions More and Improve Government Efficiency and Effectiveness, "highlight[ing] 38 areas across the federal government that are seriously vulnerable to waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement or that are in need of transformation." The category "Seizing Opportunities to Better Protect Public Health and Reduce Risk" lists high-risk areas focused on addressing critical weaknesses in public health efforts, including "ensuring the Environmental Protection Agency [(EPA)] provides more timely reviews of potentially toxic chemicals before they are introduced into commercial production and widespread public use." GAO's report includes an overview of "Transforming EPA's Process for Assessing and Managing Chemical Risks," noting that EPA "needs to address capacity issues to more effectively assess and manage chemicals posing risks