ABSTRACT
The development of a comprehensive set of federal laws to protect the environment and human health was discussed in chapters 4-8. The key laws are built upon a regulatory structure, using a command and control approach. In particular, the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Superfund Act, and their amendments, direct EPA to establish standards for pollutants in air, water, and soil, respectively. Over time, EPA and other regulatory agencies (e.g., OSHA) have turned to risk assessment as the method of choice for developing their standards. The evolution of risk assessment from a regulatory method of convenience to a driver of national environmental policies is best appreciated by reviewing how risk assessment evolved in U.S. regulatory agencies, followed by how risk assessment is applied to reducing the consequences of environmental hazards.
