October 17, 1994
EPA-SAB-EC-COM-095-001
Honorable Carol M. Browner
Administrator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
401M Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20460

Dear Ms. Browner:

       The Science Advisory Board (SAB) notes with interest your leadership in the Women in
the Environment workshop to be held in Oakland, CA next month, and in the United Nations
Fourth World Conference on Women to be held in Beijing, China next year.

       The SAB encourages a rigorous examination of scientific and technical issues related to
women and the environment.  Quite frankly, this is an area of study that is more marked by
ignorance than insight and better characterized by neglect than knowledge. Recent reports from
the World Health Organization, the National Academy of Sciences, and others document the
systematic lack of knowledge about female-specific aspects of fields as diverse as animal testing,
human testing, and exposures, both in the home and occupational settings.

       Women have some obvious differences that may make them more—or less—susceptible
than men to the effects of environmental insults.  Their vital role in reproduction and support of
the growing fetus is recognized but not completely studied. Even less well established is the
importance of hormonal differences, physiological changes, and behavioral patterns in women
which have the potential to affect the manner and magnitude of sex-specific responses to agents in
the environment. Women also experience exposures which can qualitatively and quantitatively
different from exposures experienced by men. Further, the role of women in altering public
attitudes toward the importance of environmental protection has not been developed, despite the
major part that women play in early education of the population.

       While people may disagree about the magnitude of the impact resulting from this lack of
knowledge, it cannot be denied that these gaps exist.  In order to make progress, leaders such as
yourself need to point out the problems and then move forward aggressively to address them.

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       Again, the SAB commends your initiative on this matter and stands ready to assist you
through direct advice, review of Agency documents, or any other way that could be helpful.
                                  Sincerely,
                                  Genevieve Matanoski, M.D., Dr.P.H.
                                  Chair, Science Advisory Board

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