WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, today participated in a Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Regulatory Oversight Subcommittee hearing on three nominees to be members of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigations Board (CSB).

HIGHLIGHTS:

WEST VIRGINIA’S CHEMICAL JOBS: “Congress created the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigations Board to investigate accidents and determine the conditions and circumstances that led up to accidents. The Board identifies the cause or causes of accidents so that similar things can be prevented. This investigative work is vital for the safety of our country’s facilities and our communities. I’m from West Virginia. We have a lot of chemical facilities, and we’ve had several accidents. We’re a global leader in chemical manufacturing, and the industry provides thousands of jobs in West Virginia, particularly in the community where I live. I am committed to making sure CSB is led by individuals who have the right skills and technical expertise. Learning from past mistakes is critically important.”

PUSHING BACK AGAINST ACTIVIST NOMINEES: “In 2019, you tweeted, ‘Shame on the EPA Chemical Safety Office for posturing to the American Chemistry Council corporate toxic chemical manufacturers and polluters! Mission Fail!’ This was in response to a tweet documenting that the head of EPA’s chemicals office spoke to industry about her commitment ‘to implementing TSCA in an open and transparent way.’ Why is that posturing?...I don’t think you can have sufficient implementation of TSCA if you’re not also talking to the manufacturers and producers and other people who are intimately involved…I mean how can you not talk to the people who understand the processes? It seems like that’s what you’re saying here.”

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