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government concentrates production, the authors say. The report is available on the Internet (http://www. pewclimate.org).^
Integrity bill requires peer review of agency regulatory data Rep. Richard W. Pombo (RCalif.) has introduced a bill that would require independent peer review of scientific data used as the basis for all new federal regulations. Tided the Science Integrity Act (H.R. 574), the bill would require federal agencies to have an independent peer review process in place within two years. Currently, peer review often consists of review by someone within the agency, Pombo says. The review panel for each rule would be required to have from two to five outside experts. Eventually, each peer review report, all scientific data used in support of a regulation, the response of the agency head to points of disagreement among the peer reviewers, and all public comments received would be transmitted to Congress, and the rule could not be issued in final form until 30 days after the transmittal. The bill was referred to the Committee on Government Reform.^
Climate change may have little net effect on U.S. food output A report published by the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, Arlington, Va., concludes that climate change is not expected to threaten the ability of the U.S. to produce enough food to feed itself in the next century. However, the authors point out that there are major uncertainties in predicting how climate change could affect food production. These include questions about the effects of climate change on water availability, plant fertilization, and extreme weather events. These questions can be resolved only with increased government research, according to the report. The authors also conclude that over the next century, some U.S. agricultural regions—particularly in the North—are expected to benefit, while others—especially in the South—could face adverse impacts. For example, grain yields could fall significantly in southern states, while in the North grain yields could increase. But if there is more than a 2 to 2.5 °C warming over today's average global temperatures, there would be an overall negative effect on agricultural 36 FEBRUARY 15, 1999 C&EN
Terrorism versus right to know Citing terrorism fears, several House Republicans say they are leaning toward introducing legislation to limit public access to portions of corporate chemical accident risk management plans (RMPs), which are required by June underright-to-knowprovisions of the Clean Air Act. The law covers 66,000 companies handling large amounts of 140 toxic and flammable chemicals. These representatives are concerned about the availability of off-site consequences data from a hypothetical accident (see page 9). EPA has already agreed to keep this information, including "worstcase scenarios," off the Internet, but the House members remain concerned that a third party may obtain the material and make it electronically available to anyone—including terrorists. Potential supporters of legislation include House Commerce Committee Chairman Tom Bliley (R-Va.). However, EPA opposes the bill, as do many community groups and some members of Congress, who question its need and note that most information about chemical companies' operations is already plainly known.^
Agent orange health impacts reviewed The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has released its latest review of the long-term health effects of exposure to agent orange among veterans who served in the Vietnam War. Overall, the IOM report indicates there are no new diseases that can be associated with veterans' exposure to pesticides, and the few diseases that have been linked to exposure have not been refuted. This means that soft-tissue sarcoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and Hodgkin's disease have a statistical association with such exposure, and there is suggestive evidence that respiratory cancers, prostate cancer, multiple myeloma, and the birth defect spina bifida may be associated with agent orange exposure. The weak point in all this, IOM reports, is exposure. Most research linking the pesticide to disease comes from occupational and environmental settings, not from studies of Vietnam War veterans. As a result, IOM says it cannot quantify theriskfor veterans of any
of these diseases. This report is the latest of the biennial reviews of veterans and agent orange mandated by Congress in 1991.^
Health effects testing required on gasoline additive MMT Additional health effects testing will be required on the gasoline additive methylcyclopentadienylmanganese tricarbonyl (MMT), EPA announced in a letter to Ethyl Corp. Ethyl is the sole maker of MMT. EPA wrote that, because of continuing uncertainties regarding the public health effects of MMT and the potential for widespread public exposure to its emission products, the agency is proposing a testing program. A U.S. federal court ruled in 1995 that gasoline producers should be allowed to use MMT as an octane enhancer. Still, MMT currently is used in only 0.1% of the gasoline sold in the U.S. MMT is, however, added to some Canadian gasoline. Canada had banned the additive, but it lifted the ban last year as part of the settlement of a lawsuit brought by Ethyl.^
NAS reelects Alberts Biochemist Bruce M. Alberts, 60, has been elected to serve another six-year term as president of the 1,800-member National Academy of Sciences (NAS). As president, he also chairs the National Research Council (NRC). Alberts' second and final term begins in July and continues through June 2005. Other elections reported to the NAS governing council last week—NAS members elect officers by mail ballot—include R. Stephen Berry as NAS home secretary. Berry is James Franck Distinguished Service Professor in the department of chemistry at the University of Chicago. Among other duties, Berry will oversee membership activities of the academy, will serve as secretary of its governing council, and will be chairman of NRC's Report Review Committee. Elected as NAS councilor-at-large was John I. Brauman, J. G. Jackson-C. J. Wood Professor of Chemistry at Stanford University. Other elected NAS councilors-at-large are economist Brian J. L. Berry, University of Texas, Dallas; astronomer Kenneth I. Kellerman, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Charlottesville, Va.; and marine biologist Jane Lubchenco, Oregon State University, Corvallis.^
