INTRODUCTION

Edward J Calabrese

Past issues of the BELLE Newsletter have principally focused on mechanistically-oriented evaluations of the nature of biological effects at low doses with particular emphasis in recent years on hormetic effects. This issue of the BELLE Newsletter represents a departure from such technical evaluation by trying to place these findings within a broader societal context. To that end, this Newsletter was designed to encourage the exploration of the legal implications of hormetic findings for the field of environmental law with particular emphasis on regulatory aspects. To achieve this goal, Professor Frank Cross of the University of Texas at Austin was invited to develop a white paper on the topic. The manuscript of Professor Cross was then subjected to 11 independent critiques of leading theoreticians and practitioners in various aspects of environmental law. Once the critiques were received they were shared with Professor Cross who was given the opportunity to address the expert commentaries. This issue opens a new dimension to the issue of hormesis by more aggressively encouraging the intellectual evaluation of hormesis by those trained in the legal profession. Their perspectives will both challenge current thinking on the topic and lead to new and exciting developments.