Effectiveness of US Environmental Regulation on Biotechnology:With the multibillion-dollar growth of the American biotechnology industry, the public is increasingly weary of the environmental risks associated with biotechnology. As a result, there has been increasing scrutiny and growing distrust of the government and its regulatory practices. A 2010 poll conducted by the New York Times found that 91% of respondents considered US government regulation of the biotechnology industry “insufficient” and expressed considerable doubt about testing standards (Bittman). Most critics in the media link the US government to lax regulation. And while these concerns are real, the extent to which they are taken into account is disproportionate. Despite public concerns, the US government has an effective environmental regulatory policy due to its comprehensive testing-for-approval process; regulatory standards; past track record for safety; and consideration of all factors, including economic development and costs. First, the US government has a very rigorous environmental testing procedure for all GMOs. Each must be approved by 2 environmental safety agencies: the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and each of these agencies requires significant testing prior to approval. The current average time for approval is 6 years from application submission (“PIP registration”), where it goes through studies by “academia, industry and other federal agencies” (“Plant Incorporated Protectants”). However, there are no specific criteria set for a particular application and each application is reviewed on a case-by-case basis. But there are general guidelines that agencies use. The EPA, for example...... half of the document......t Agriculture. Compliance and inspection process. USDA, July 23, 2010. Web. November 27, 2011. United States. Department of Agriculture. Biotechnology FAQs. USDA and Web. November 24, 2011. United States. Department of Agriculture. History of non-compliances. USDA, August 4, 2011.Web. November 27, 2011. United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Section 3 Current and Previously Registered PIP Registrations. EPA, February 15, 2011. Web. November 27, 2011. United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Protectives incorporated into plants. EPA, "September 25, 2011. Web. November 22, 2011. United States. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Questions and Answers: Kentucky Bluegrass:. APHIS, July 13, 2011. Web. November 22, 2011. United States. Department of Energy. Genetically modified foods and organisms. USDoE, 5 November 2010. Web. 27 November. 2011.