Trump Appoints Lynn Dekleva, Longtime Chemical Industry Lobbyist, To Position Approving New Chemicals, Sparking Ethics Concerns

Lynn Dekleva, a longtime lobbyist for the chemical industry, has returned to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in a powerful position overseeing the approval of new chemicals. Her appointment has raised concerns among environmental and public health advocates, given her prior role as a lobbyist for the American Chemistry Council (ACC), which has fought against tough regulations on formaldehyde and other chemicals.

Formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, has been at the center of an intense regulatory battle. The EPA began reassessing its health risks in 2021 as part of former President Joe Biden‘s efforts to strengthen chemical safety regulations. However, the ACC, led in part by Dekleva during her tenure there, pushed back hard, challenging scientific findings, calling for investigations into federal officials, and suing the EPA and the National Academies of Sciences over formaldehyde risk assessments.

Before joining the ACC, Dekleva spent over three decades at DuPont, a major chemical manufacturer. During the first Trump administration, she transitioned to the EPA, where she played a pivotal role in policy decisions. With the Trump administration back in power, Dekleva has returned to the agency, overseeing a division responsible for reviewing new chemicals before they reach the market. The ACC has long lobbied for a faster, less restrictive approval process, citing economic benefits and industry innovation.

Public health experts warn that Dekleva’s influence could undermine rigorous chemical safety evaluations. Critics fear that with Dekleva in charge, the EPA could prioritize industry interests over public health, particularly in light of the ACC’s ongoing efforts to roll back the agency’s formaldehyde regulations.

“They already have a track record of ignoring the science,” Tracey Woodruff, director of the Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment at the University of California, told Science. “Now, they’re in charge of government agencies that decide the rules.”

The return of former industry lobbyists to key regulatory positions has become a hallmark of the Trump administration’s environmental policy. Another former ACC lobbyist, Nancy Beck, rejoined the EPA to oversee existing chemical regulations. Meanwhile, the ACC is backing legislation to eliminate the EPA’s Integrated Risk Information System, the program responsible for assessing chemical risks.

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Article by Angie Schlager