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Vitter Fights For Formaldehyde
http://www.politico.com/news/sto…
The Environmental Protection Agency has been trying since 1998 to update its official assessment of formaldehyde, which was first written in 1989 and describes the chemical as a “probable” rather than a “known” carcinogen, even though three major scientific reviews now link it to leukemia and strengthen its ties to other forms of cancer.
After the agency’s efforts were repeatedly stalled by the chemical industry and Congress, a new administration and a new EPA administrator, Lisa Jackson, seemed close to finalizing the EPA’s assessment last summer — until Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) began raising objections on behalf of the formaldehyde industry.
Vitter argued that the reassessment was premature and put a hold on a key EPA official’s appointment. And two days before Christmas, he won what the industry declared was a victory. Jackson agreed to an outside review — this time by the National Academy of Sciences — and Vitter released his hold.
Democrats in Congress and public health watchdogs have criticized the academy in the past for being slanted toward industry because some of the scientists who serve on its review panels have written studies funded by the chemical companies whose products they are evaluating.