U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, led a hearing on the nominations of Ho Nieh to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and Douglas Troutman to be Assistant Administrator for Toxic Substances at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
During her opening statement, Capito described the backgrounds and qualifications of both nominees and called for their swift confirmation. She outlined her expectations for their roles in addressing challenges at the NRC and EPA.
“Today, we will receive testimony from Ho Nieh, who is nominated to serve on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the remainder of the term expiring June 30, 2029, and Douglas Troutman, the nominee to lead the EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. I welcome both well-qualified nominees and I support their swift confirmation," Capito said.
She highlighted the importance of leadership at the NRC, especially as the commission works to implement the bipartisan ADVANCE Act and Executive Order 14300. “Strong, unified leadership at the NRC will help provide the necessary confidence in the industry and the public that we need, so we can build more nuclear safely and quickly, and to meet our energy needs. A slate full of five Commissioners who are all aligned with ambitiously implementing the bipartisan ADVANCE Act and Executive Order 14300 will provide that confidence," she stated.
Capito also emphasized the need for the NRC to maintain its core licensing and safety mission while updating regulations. She noted Mr. Nieh’s experience in various NRC roles, including resident inspector, division director, Chief of Staff for a Commissioner, and Office Director for Nuclear Reactor Regulation. She also cited his international experience at the International Atomic Energy Agency and OECD’s Nuclear Energy Agency, as well as his leadership at a nuclear utility’s regulatory affairs program and his recent work at the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations.
Regarding Troutman’s nomination, Capito described the challenges facing the EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “This office is central to how our country regulates chemicals, protects public health, and sustains American competitiveness in critical industries," she said.
Capito discussed Troutman’s eighteen years of leadership at the American Cleaning Institute, including his roles leading legal and government affairs teams and serving as Interim Co-CEO. She argued that his experience has prepared him for the role at EPA.
She raised concerns about the current chemical safety system, saying it hampers innovation and imposes excessive regulatory burdens. “The current chemical safety system buries new, often safer, innovations under years of scrutiny and restrictions. That is the opposite of what Congress intended in the bipartisan 2016 TSCA amendments," she said.
Capito added, “Instead of a balanced, science-based approach, the system today assumes the worst of every product while leaving legacy chemicals largely untouched. As we work to improve TSCA, the Committee has received feedback on what works and what needs to be fixed.”
She cited examples of regulatory impacts, such as companies abandoning safer chemicals due to restrictions, and noted that some EPA-imposed discharge limits are so strict that companies must incinerate wastewater to comply. “We are literally forcing companies to burn water to bring safer chemicals to market – an absurd, backwards outcome," she said.
Capito referenced findings from the Government Accountability Office and the EPA Inspector General, concluding that problems with TSCA implementation stem from leadership, management, and culture rather than resources.
“I look forward to hearing from both nominees on how we can efficiently support innovation and improvements to environmental safety,” Capito concluded.
