"Federal Judge Reinstates Obama-Era Rule On Methane Emissions"

"On Wednesday, Senate lawmakers will weigh whether to confirm as the chemical industry’s top regulator a scientist who over the past two decades has helped companies argue against stricter government regulation of potentially harmful compounds in everyday products.

Critics say Michael Dourson, a University of Cincinnati professor and longtime toxicologist, is too closely tied to the chemical industry, and has too many conflicts of interest, to be considered for such a post. They point specifically to the nonprofit consulting group he founded in 1995, which over the years has produced research for chemical companies that showed little or no human health risks for their products.

If Dourson, who worked at the EPA from 1980 through 1994, is confirmed to head the agency’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, he potentially could oversee the review of chemicals produced by companies that he has represented in the past."

Brady Dennis reports for the Washington Post October 4, 2017.