October 25, 2017

MANCHIN STATEMENT ON EPA NOMINEE DOURSON

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) today issued a statement on the nomination of Dr. Michael Dourson to lead the Environmental Protection Agency Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP).

“In West Virginia, we are unfortunately familiar with the dangers that can arise when we neglect to properly comply with and enforce our chemical regulations. We all remember the horrors of the January 2014 chemical spill on the Elk River when thousands of West Virginians were without clean water as the result of a chemical spill. I fought tirelessly to update the Toxic Substance Control Act to prevent accidents like the Elk River spill from happening again. I also continue to work to address West Virginia’s contamination challenges caused by a chemical called PFOA, a chemical which Dr. Dourson has evaluated to be safe at levels much higher than is considered acceptable by EPA scientists.   

The EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention is responsible for implementing and enforcing our updated TSCA laws. Strong leadership at this agency is vital to protecting public health. After reviewing his qualifications, I am not convinced that Dr. Dourson is the proper fit to oversee the federal agency responsible for overseeing chemical safety. While I appreciate Dr. Dourson’s willingness to serve, I cannot support his confirmation to lead the EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.”

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