Establishing a Bureau of Environmental Statistics: More Data Collection and Analysis would Greatly Enhance Our Ability to Set Policy and Measure Its Effectiveness (Perspectives‪)‬

In 2003, Rep. Doug Ose (R-Calif.) proposed the Department of Environmental Protection Act, which would elevate the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to a cabinet department and create within it a Bureau of Environmental Statistics (BES). Although cabinet status for the EPA may have symbolic or organizational advantages, the creation of a BES could prove to be the most meaningful portion of the bill, as well as an important development for future environmental policymaking. Noting the weakness of available data describing the environment, in comparison to data available to other agencies in their own respective purviews, the bill would authorize the proposed BES to collect, compile, analyze, and publish "a comprehensive set of environmental quality and related public health, economic, and statistical data for determining environmental quality ... including assessing ambient conditions and trends."