Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) is taking the FDA to task for what he calls "total disregard" of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements, according to a story in the "FDAnews Device Daily Bulletin" (August 5, 2008, Vol. 5:152). Rep. Kucinich is the chair of the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform's Subcommittee on Domestic Policy, which has held two hearings so far on the environmental impact of dental mercury and amalgam.
In a July 28 letter addressed to FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach, M.D., Rep. Kucinich reminds the FDA of its duty under NEPA to prepare an environmental impact statement or an environmental assessment as part of its rulemaking process in reclassifying dental mercury, classifying encapsulated amalgam alloy and dental mercury, or issuing special controls for amalgam alloy.
According to the letter, NEPA's purpose is "to require federal agencies to take a 'hard look' at the environmental consequences of their actions" when making decisions.
A copy of the letter from Rep. Kucinich is available here.
