Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Axed in 'Freedom for Farmers Act': Public Health Protections at Risk?

The "Freedom for Farmers Act of 2025" does one big thing: it eliminates the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) within a year of becoming law. That means the agency responsible for investigating the health effects of toxic exposures, maintaining disease registries, and responding to environmental emergencies will be gone. While the bill says some of its key functions, like creating a list of hazardous substances, (specifically under section 104(i)(1)(A) of CERCLA) will be moved to another part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), it's not clear which agency or how well those duties will be handled.

Killing the Watchdog

The ATSDR is the main federal agency that deals with the health impacts of hazardous waste sites and toxic spills. They're the ones who figure out if that old factory or abandoned mine is making people sick. Abolishing this agency, even if some tasks are transferred, raises a serious question: who will be the dedicated watchdog for communities facing these risks? The bill gives the HHS Secretary the power to shift around "related assets, funds, personnel, records, and property" (SEC. 2), but it doesn't guarantee that the same level of resources or expertise will be maintained. This could leave regular folks—whether you're a farmworker, a factory employee, or just living near a Superfund site—more vulnerable.

Real-World Impact: Less Oversight, More Risk?

Imagine a chemical spill near a school. Right now, the ATSDR would be involved in assessing the health risks and advising the community. Under this bill, that responsibility gets tossed to an unspecified agency within HHS. Will they have the same specialized staff? The same budget? The same commitment to protecting public health? The bill doesn't say. This isn't just about abstract regulations; it's about real people's health. For instance, if you're a construction worker dealing with asbestos, or a family living near a polluted river, the ATSDR is (or was) your advocate. This bill removes that dedicated advocate.

Technicalities and the Bigger Picture

Section 3 of the bill is all about scrubbing the ATSDR's name from existing laws – the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), the Toxic Substances Control Act, even the Clean Air Act. These "conforming amendments" are basically deleting any mention of the agency. While seemingly minor, these changes signal a major shift. It's like removing a key player from a team and hoping the rest of the team can pick up the slack without any loss of performance. The bill mandates a "wind-up period" (SEC. 2) for transferring responsibilities, but that's managed by the HHS Secretary, and there are no guarantees of a smooth or complete handover. This could lead to gaps in monitoring, response, and ultimately, protection for communities exposed to toxic substances. It also sets a worrying precedent: if one regulatory agency can be dismantled, what's stopping others from facing the same fate?