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The article reports that the U.S. National Research Council's Committee of Models in the Regulatory Decision-Making Process is studying how the Environmental Protection Agency should select and use models for regulatory decisions. These models can help legislators determine the cleanup level for a particular chemical. It can also predict how pollutants move through the environment. Others are used to estimate the costs and benefits of proposed new regulations. Other parties interested in the models include the public and lobbying groups.

Discusses a proposed plan for the United States Environmental Protection Agency on how to rank submissions of chemical companies on safety of high-production-volume chemicals. Assessment of data on chemicals which pose a health or environmental hazard; Review of information on lower priority substances; Prioritization of submissions for assessment.

Reports that the United States Environmental Protection Agency has adopted the recommendations of the National Research Council for a safe daily dose for human ingestion of perchlorate. Solubility of perchlorate; Inhibition of the uptake of iodine by the thyroid; Pollution of the drinking water.

Discusses the management challenges faced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency according to the Office of Inspector General in its semiannual report to Congress in January 2005. Lack of methods and deadlines for meeting the goals of its strategic plan; Failure of the agency to identify and report the financial difficulties of its Superfund program.