EPA Shackled: New Bill Bans Key Risk Assessments in Regulations and Enforcement

The "No IRIS Act of 2025" would straight-up ban the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from using any assessments from its Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) program. This isn't some minor tweak – it's a major overhaul of how the EPA evaluates risks to public health and the environment.

What's Actually Changing?

This bill directly prohibits the EPA from using IRIS assessments in three key areas:

1. Rulemaking: The EPA can't use IRIS data when creating or finalizing any rule or regulation (SEC. 2 (1)).
2. Enforcement and Permitting: Forget using IRIS for regulatory actions, enforcement, or issuing permits (SEC. 2 (2)). If a factory is exceeding pollution limits, and that limit was set based on IRIS data, the EPA might have its hands tied.
3. Air Toxics and Screening: IRIS assessments can't even be used to inform air toxics assessments or other mapping and screening tools (SEC. 2 (3)). Think of it like taking a key tool out of the EPA's toolbox for identifying pollution hotspots.

Real-World Rollout

Imagine a chemical plant wanting to expand operations. Normally, the EPA would use IRIS to assess the potential health risks of the chemicals involved. Under this bill, that assessment is off the table. Or consider a community concerned about air quality near an industrial site. If the air quality standards were informed by IRIS, challenging those standards becomes a lot harder.

The Bigger Picture: Challenges and Implications

This bill basically tells the EPA, "Ignore your own scientists." The IRIS program is designed to provide comprehensive risk assessments on chemicals and pollutants. By prohibiting its use, the bill could significantly weaken the EPA's ability to protect public health and the environment, and is in direct conflict with existing laws designed for that purpose.

While the bill doesn't explicitly mandate the use of alternative risk assessments, it leaves a vacuum. What data will the EPA use? The bill doesn't say, and that's a huge question mark. This could lead to less protective regulations, or a reliance on industry-funded studies, which raises serious concerns about objectivity.

Ultimately, the "No IRIS Act of 2025" isn't just about one program – it's about how we, as a country, decide what's safe and what's not. By sidelining a key scientific tool, this bill could have far-reaching consequences for public health and environmental protection.