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Peer Review Agenda
EPA FY 2006 Annual Peer Review Report (PDF, 185 KB, 4 pages, about PDF)
EPA FY 2005 Annual Peer Review Report (PDF, 118 KB, 3 pages, about PDF)
Peer Review Handbook (PDF, 1.15MB, 190 pages, about PDF)
On December 16, 2004, the Office of Management and Budget issued its
Final Information Quality Bulletin for Peer
Review (PDF, 263 KB, 45 pages, about PDF).
The Bulletin requires federal agencies to conduct peer reviews of "influential scientific information" before it is disseminated to the public and to post Peer Review Agendas on their Web sites.
The Bulletin defines "influential scientific information" as "scientific information the agency reasonably can determine will have or does have a clear and substantial impact on important public policies or private sector decisions." The Bulletin establishes minimum peer review requirements for all non-exempt influential scientific information. It imposes the strictest requirements on "highly influential scientific assessments (HISAs)."
A scientific assessment is an evaluation of a body of scientific or technical knowledge that typically synthesizes multiple factual inputs, data, models, assumptions, and/or applies best professional judgment to bridge uncertainties in the available information. The Bulletin considers a "scientific assessment" to be "highly influential" if the agency or the OMB Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Administrator determines that the dissemination could have a potential impact of more than $500 million in any one year on either the public or private sector or that the dissemination is novel, controversial, or precedent-setting, or has significant interagency interest.
This Web site is designed to meet a requirement in the Bulletin that all federal agencies post on their Web sites a Peer Review Agenda that includes all planned and ongoing "influential scientific information" subject to the Bulletin's peer review requirements. The peer review information provided on each record is described as a "Peer Review Plan." Agencies must allow public comment on the adequacy of their Peer Review Plans. The Bulletin applies to all covered information disseminated on or after six months following publication of the Bulletin, except information for which an agency has already provided a draft report and an associated charge to peer reviewers.
Peer Review Agenda
Highly Influential Scientific Assessments | Influential Scientific Information
The final Peer Review Report has been posted (the peer review is complete.)
Public comments are currently being accepted on the peer review plan. Please note that some peer review plans provide information regarding opportunities to comment on the product or document.
The public may nominate peer reviewers for that record.
The comment period has closed or no comments will be accepted.
The comment period will open later.
The plan is being developed or Science Activity is still ongoing.