Democrats grill chemical safety choice

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s nominee to oversee chemical safety at the Environmental Protection Agency promised Wednesday to apply sound science in his new job and defended his history on behalf of corporate clients of endorsing far higher exposures to toxins than the government now allows.

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee was widely expected to approve along party lines the nomination of Michael L. Dourson to become head of EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.

Democrats on the committee, lacking the ability to block Dourson’s confirmation, challenged Dourson with open scorn at a hearing.

“This is an absolute atrocity,” Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., said.

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., said, “You’re advocating for levels that will poison people.” Booker likened Dourson to a Disney villain.

Dourson largely did not respond to criticisms by Democrats. Asked whether he would recuse himself from decisions regarding chemicals made by companies that paid him to evaluate their safety, Dourson repeatedly declined to make such a pledge.

“I’m going to rely on guidance from EPA ethics officials,” Dourson said, adding that he has not always reached conclusions favorable to his paying clients.

“I just don’t understand why you don’t recuse yourself” from matters involving former clients, Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., said. He pointed to 10 examples where Dourson endorsed chemical exposures far higher than the EPA ultimately concluded was safe.

Dourson’s work at the Toxicology Excellence for Risk Assessment — a nonprofit that performs research bankrolled by chemical companies and government agencies — has drawn fire from environmental and public health organizations. His past clients include Dow Chemical Co., Koch Industries Inc. and Chevron Corp, as well as trade associations representing the pesticide, processed food and cigarette industries.