President Biden’s three nominees for the Chemical Safety Board faced scrutiny over their work experience during a July 29 confirmation hearing, according to an article from Safety+Health. Nominees Sylvia Johnson, Steve Owens and Jennifer Sass were questioned by members of the Senate Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice and Regulatory Oversight Subcommittee amid stakeholder concerns regarding their qualifications.
A July 27 letter from the American Chemistry Council contending the nominees “lack the critical and necessary background to meet the mission of the CSB” reportedly prompted the line of questioning. Johnson, Owens and Sass defended their nominations and pointed to relevant elements of their work histories, according to the article. The CSB has had only one of its five seats filled since May 1.
In his July editorial "Add Industry Perspective To The CSB," Editor Mark Rosenzweig also pondered the background of the nominees noting "No prospective member of the CSB board has process safety experience."
Read the entire article here.
