WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met with the President’s nominee to be Assistant Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention today to discuss the implementation of the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA), which governs the use and safety of chemicals commonly used in everyday life. These chemicals can be found in dry-cleaning solvents, paint strippers, and substances used in health and beauty products and remain a public health and environmental justice issue nationwide.
“Alexandra Dunn and I had a great discussion about the importance of regulating chemical exposure as an environmental justice issue,” Duckworth said. “If she’s confirmed, I hope she is willing to work with me to improve public health and protect Americans from toxic chemicals, rather than carry water for megapolluters.”
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Alexandra Dunn was nominated for this position after the President’s prior nominee, Dr. Michael Dourson, withdrew from consideration following Senator Duckworth grilled him over his Koch Industries-funded “research” that falsely claimed exposure to the dangerous toxin petroleum coke (petcoke) is safe. Dourson’s work was used by Koch-owned KCBX Terminals, Inc. to justify not cleaning up the toxin, which lead to high asthma rates and respiratory problems for adults and children that were exposed to the substance in Chicago’s Southeast Side. Duckworth also wrote an op-ed opposing Dourson’s nomination before he ultimately withdrew himself.
As a member of the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works, Duckworth oversees issues related to the nation’s waterways and infrastructure and works to ensure Illinois receives adequate funding and other support from the federal government to ensure communities and families are protected against harmful chemicals.
