Industry Backgrounds Dominate EPA Chemical Safety Leadership
The U.S. Senate is reportedly preparing to confirm Douglas Troutman, a current industry lobbyist, to lead the Environmental Protection Agency’s chemical safety and pollution prevention office, according to sources familiar with the nomination process. If confirmed, analysts suggest this would mean all four top positions in the agency’s toxics office would be held by former chemical industry lobbyists, raising significant concerns among public health advocates.
Scott Faber, vice-president of government affairs for the Environmental Working Group, reportedly stated that “the lunatics are running the asylum, and industry is firmly in charge of chemical safety.” Faber added that these appointments could potentially reverse recent progress on toxic chemical protections, according to his statements to reporters.
Nominee’s Industry Ties and Previous Work
Troutman currently serves as chief lobbyist for the American Cleaning Institute, a trade group representing manufacturers of cleaning products including major corporations like BASF, Dow and Procter & Gamble. His nomination testimony before the Senate committee on environment and public works is documented in official records.
In his statement to lawmakers, Troutman reportedly emphasized that he hopes to “bring a reasoned approach to engaging chemical management matters” under the belief that “economic prosperity and environmental protection are not mutually exclusive.” The position he would occupy oversees the EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, which evaluates new chemicals for market approval and re-evaluates previously approved substances.
Transparency Law Controversy
Sources indicate Troutman was involved in a controversial attempt to repeal California’s Cleaning Product Right to Know Act, legislation that required manufacturers to disclose chemicals in their products. According to reports, this 2023 effort surprised both public health advocates and many industry players.
Faber recounted that public health groups initially didn’t know who was behind the attempted repeal but eventually identified Troutman as the apparent source. The legislation, known as the Cleaning Product Communication Act, was characterized by Troutman in a press release as “a pro-consumer proposal” that would provide clarity on ingredient disclosure.
The original California law, SB 258, was considered a historic breakthrough in chemical transparency. Research from the Environmental Working Group has found that common cleaning products may contain hundreds of volatile organic compounds linked to serious health issues, and another study connected frequent cleaning product use with increased childhood asthma risk.
Pattern of Industry Influence
The report states that other top officials in the chemical safety office include Nancy Beck and Lynn Ann Dekleva, both with significant industry ties. Beck, who previously worked as a lobbyist for the American Chemistry Council, has reportedly helped lead efforts against new drinking water limits for PFAS “forever chemicals” and helped weaken rules around asbestos and other hazardous substances during her time at the EPA.
According to analysis from the Natural Resources Defense Council, Beck and Dekleva were accused of interfering in agency science and altering reports for political reasons. Jennifer Sass, a senior scientist with NRDC, stated that “we don’t have to guess – we know what they’ve done and what they’re going to do” based on their track records.
Kyle Kunkler, the new deputy assistant administrator overseeing pesticides, is a former pesticide industry lobbyist who received a “rising star” award from CropLife, a major agricultural trade group. This pattern of lobbying backgrounds throughout the chemical safety leadership has raised alarms among environmental advocates.
Potential Regulatory Consequences
Analysts suggest there may be little that can be done to stop the new leadership from rolling back regulations, but Faber emphasized that “we need state powers more than ever.” Hundreds of state laws passed in recent years have banned or restricted toxic chemicals, forcing industry changes despite federal industry developments.
Major cleaning product manufacturers including Clorox and Henkel reportedly opposed the legislation that would have repealed California’s transparency law, suggesting even some industry players support certain chemical safety measures. The current EPA administration has proposed a new rule that could invalidate many recent state regulations around toxic chemicals, potentially limiting this last line of defense against related innovations in chemical safety.
Faber concluded that “our only hope now is preserving state laws” as the federal chemical safety office transitions to leadership with extensive industry backgrounds and a history of supporting deregulatory approaches to chemical management and market trends.
This article aggregates information from publicly available sources. All trademarks and copyrights belong to their respective owners.
Note: Featured image is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent any specific product, service, or entity mentioned in this article.
