"Chairman Accuses EPA Of Playing Politics With Herbicide Study"

"The chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee yesterday questioned why U.S. EPA posted -- then suddenly removed -- a study on its website showing that exposure to the herbicide glyphosate doesn't appear to cause cancer.

Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) said the agency's move raises concerns about officials' motivations. He asked EPA to provide all documents and correspondence related to the glyphosate study since Jan. 1, 2015.

"EPA's apparent mishandling of this report may shed light on larger systemic problems occurring at the agency," Smith wrote yesterday to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. He gave the agency until May 18 to provide the documents. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup.

At issue is an 87-page report by EPA's Cancer Assessment Review Committee dated Oct. 1, 2015, and marked "final" in documents posted to the agency's website Friday.

It disappeared from the website Monday. The agency said that it was inadvertently posted and that the study hasn't been completed, according to Smith's letter."

Marc Heller reports for Greenwire May 5, 2016.