On March 5, 2026, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), through the Free Information Group (FIG), filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The aim is to obtain records on the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) tools used by the EPA within workforce and regulatory practices. PEER is requesting clarity on potential AI applications for analyzing employee communications, monitoring sentiments, and assisting in chemical safety evaluations. Notably, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has advocated for increased AI utilization to expedite chemical reviews. Key requests include documentation on the integration of external AI tools like Grok and xAI into EPA systems, analyses of employee communications, AI-generated employee evaluations based on ideological metrics, and records related to AI-assisted chemical assessments. PEER and FIG plan to publicly release any responsive records they receive, emphasizing transparency in the agency’s AI-related activities.
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