HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE CONCERNED ABOUT R&D, GORSUCH PROMISES TO DO MORE WITH LESS

Oct 13, 2026

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House Science Subcommittee testimony highlights EPA Administrator Anne Gorsuch’s assessment of weaknesses in the Office of Research and Development, citing unresponsive priorities, overly complex planning, top-heavy management, poor long-term vs. short-term balance, and inconsistent scientific quality. To address these issues, she outlines new advisory-group goals including stronger peer review, improved research relevance, and faster response time. Members question severe R&D cuts and the ability to meet legal requirements amid proposed reductions in the FY’82 budget.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

House Science Subcommittee Testimony

Problems in the Office of Research and Development

Advisory-Group Goals for Reform

Budget-Cut Concerns and Statutory Requirements

AIR/WATER pollution report including airandwater news October 26,1981 Page 411 House Subcommittee Questions Gorsuch About R&D... … … ..Page 412 Former EPA Employee Predicts Lay Off of Environmental Scientists.... ..Page 412 Canadian Acid Rain Position Tied to Internal Politics..... . .. .Page 413 Industry Group Recommends Revisions to Air Act............. ....Page 414 *Dingell Queries Gorsuch on Personnel Cuts.............. .. .....Page 415 SLANTS&TRENDS ANOTHER TOUGH WEEK FOR ANNE GORSUCH.State organizations and the League of Women Votersjoined Congressmen last week in criticizing the EPA Administrator and planned budget and personnel cuts.The “they speak and we listen approach"to program management now being used by EPA is “clearly unac-ceptable to the state administrators who will soon be responsible for the implemehtation of the federallymandated environmental program,"asserted an organization of state water pollution control administrators.Earlier,state air pollution administrators commented that“EPA's inexplicable rush to cut its own throatwill do the same to us."See stories,pages 412,415. *本 VICE PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH MET WITH KEY CONGRESSIONAL leaders last week to discuss thefuture of the Clean Air Act.All agreed to try to complete reauthorization this year.However,sweepingchanges in the act are not considered likely.Senate Environment and Public Works Committee ChairmanRobert Stafford(R.-Vt.)told A/WPR that efforts this year would be aimed at a “modest bill.”The substanceof that bill has yet to be determined.He also said that Bush was trying to act as a “catalyst”to get actionfinished this year.The other participants were Sens.Jennings Randolph(D.-W.Va.),John Chafee(R.-R.I.),George Mitchell(D.-Me.),Reps.John Dingell(D.-Mich.),Henry Waxman(D.Calif.),James Broyhill (R.-N.C.),Edward Madigan(R.-IIl.)and Gorsuch. USER CHARGES IN LIEU OF REGULATION may again be proposed by Sen.Pete Domenici(R.-N.M.)during Clean Air Act deliberations this year."Ifind a real attraction in this concept,"Domenici told a con-ference on “Market Alternatives to Regulation and Subsidies”last week.“It allows industry the opportunityto determine its own cost-effective trade-offs.”Acknowledging the difficulty in taxing industry into extinc-tion,"Domenici insisted the attempt must be made. CLEAN WATER ACT AMENDMENTS were still awaiting floor action in both the House and Senate at presstime last week.Senate bill,S.1716,was expected to be taken up late last week or early this week,while theHouse bill,H.R.4503,is scheduled for action Monday or Tuesday of this week.Some amendments are ex-pected to be offered to the House bill,including one striking provisions easing ocean waiver requirements(A/WPR,Oct.5,1981,p.383).Negotiations have already been initiated between House and Senate staffersto smooth the way for a conference on the two bills. FIRST STEPFOR SUPERFUND'was the billing Gorsuch gave last week to her announcement of the top114 sites to be given priority treatment under the chemical dump cleanup program.The 10 overall worstsites,in alphabetical order,are:Commencement Bay,Takoma,Wash.;Keefe Environmental Services,Epping, N.H.;Lipari Landfill,Pitman,N.J.;Mark Phillip Trust,Woburn,Mass.;McAdoo Associates,McAdoo,Pa.;Nyanza Chemical Waste Dump,Ashland,Mass.;Pollution Abatement Services,Oswego,N.Y.;Price Landfill,Pleasantville,N.J.;Tar Creek,Ottawa,Okla;and Tybouts Corners,New Castle,Del.Meanwhile,the agency'slong-awaited national contingency plan has been forwarded to Congress.Details next issue. # HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE CONCERNED ABOUT R&D,GORSUCH PROMISES TO DO MORE WITH LESS complex and cumbersome management system and a budget planning process that seem more to frustratethan support their efforts,"Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Anne Gorsuch stated last week.In testimony before the House Science Subcommittee on Natural Resources,Gorsuch ou

FAQs

What problems did Anne Gorsuch identify in EPA’s Office of Research and Development?

She described multiple failures, including lack of responsiveness to real research needs, ineffective and overly complex planning, cumbersome management, weak balancing of long- and short-term work, and inconsistent scientific quality.

What goals did Gorsuch set to improve ORD performance?

She established an advisory group and set goals such as stronger peer review and incentives, greater attention to research relevance, and a faster research response time.

How did subcommittee members view the proposed R&D funding cuts?

Members pressed for justification, emphasizing the need to meet statutory requirements while cuts were discussed, and questioned whether the EPA could do “more with less” as funding reductions were proposed.

Oct 13, 2026

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