Appendix C
Statement of Task
The Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology (BEST) will conduct a scientific review of the Proposed Risk Assessment Bulletin recently released by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Specifically, the committee will determine whether the application of the proposed guidance will meet OMB’s stated objective to “enhance the technical quality and objectivity of risk assessments prepared by federal agencies.” In performing its task, the committee will comment, in general terms, on how the guidance will affect the practice of risk assessment in the federal government. The committee will identify critical elements that might be missing from the guidance. The committee will also determine whether OMB appropriately incorporated recommendations from previous reports of the NRC and other organizations into the proposed risk assessment guidance. In addition, the committee will assess whether there are scientific or technical circumstances that might limit applicability of the guidance.