C& EN TA L KS W ITH
KENNETH OLDEN Former NIH institute director DELAYS RETIREMENT to oversee EPA’s controversial chemicals assessment program CHERYL HOGUE, C&EN WASHINGTON
Olden seeks to defuse much of the criticism the golf course, settle down with a good book, or lobbed at IRIS through greater transparency travel, rather than take a demanding full-time job. about how the program operates. But not Kenneth Olden. In July, Olden took on “When people don’t know exactly what you’re a position that’s in the crosshairs of controversy doing and how you’re doing it, it creates misgivin Washington, D.C. As director of the Environings.” That, he says, is likely to change “once mental Protection Agency’s National Center for people understand the resources we have to do Environmental Assessment, Olden oversees EPA’s our job and how we utilize those resources and chemicals assessment program—the Integrated that we use the best science available to us at the Risk Information System (IRIS). The program has time when we make our decision.” been a lightning rod for criticism from Congress, “Critics will be able to see exactly what we’re industry, and environmental activists for years. doing and why we’re doing it,” he continues. The assessments that the IRIS program pro“Once we do that, people will understand that duces include EPA’s scientific judgment on the we’re doing as good a job as one can do given scisafe level of exposure to a chemical. Although entific uncertainties.” these documents are not regulations, federal Olden disputes a claim made by Calvin M. and state environmental decisionmakers rely on Dooley, chief executive officer of the American them as they craft rules and set pollution cleanup standards. EPA’s Chemistry Council, a trade association. At a congressional hearing drafting of these assessments gets a lot of attention from chemical in 2011, Dooley testified that “IRIS is broken.” manufacturers and other companies that are liable for cleanups. “I don’t think the IRIS program is broken,” Olden states calmly. “I had anticipated retirement,” says Olden, who directed the Na“Any enterprise can get better. IRIS can also get better. But I don’t tional Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Environmental think there are any issues that require crisis action. Scientific Health Sciences and the National Toxicology Program from 1991 to leadership here is outstanding,” says Olden, who earned a doctor2005. He was the first African American to head an NIH institute. ate in cell biology and biochemistry at Temple University. Since leaving NIEHS, Olden has worked at Harvard University and “We just need to change the tone” of discussions about EPA’s most recently was founding dean of Hunter Colchemical assessments, he says. “We will still have lege’s School of Public Health. But despite the call of “Honest people differences. That is to be expected because honest a more leisurely life, Olden decided to tack one more can disagree people can disagree about the science.” accomplishment onto his curriculum vitae. about the science.” AS A MAJOR STEP in changing IRIS, Olden in Sep“What motivated me to postpone my plans was the opportunity to make hazard assessment, risk astember announced that EPA will ask industry and sessment, and environmental protection less adverother concerned groups to provide their views before sarial,” he tells C&EN. “If you’re fortunate, as I have been, you give the agency decides on which scientific data to rely for assessment of back. It seems like a small thing to give a few years back.” a chemical. Also, EPA is establishing publicly available criteria it will He has a goal for his work at EPA: “We need to get more civility, follow for either including scientific studies in these assessments or more collaboration in environmental health decision making.” excluding them (C&EN, Sept. 24, page 9). Olden has his work cut out for him. Environmental groups, In addition, Olden is encouraging those with a stake in EPA’s Democrats in the House of Representatives and Senate, and conchemical assessments—who he describes as the American public, gressional investigators have criticized IRIS for years because of including industry—to provide input to the agency. For instance, the the sluggish pace of the assessments. agency held a webinar on Nov. 13 to garner the public’s views on IRIS. Industry, meanwhile, has attacked the process and assumptions Despite the energy Olden is putting into public outreach, he EPA uses in compiling the assessments, calling them outdated and says this sort of effort didn’t come naturally to him. Olden makes faulty. Last year, the National Academy of Sciences provided EPA a claim that many scientists can relate to: “I am an introvert.” He with unsolicited advice on how the agency should improve IRIS. Afadds, “I know that comes as a surprise to a lot of people. ter that, Republicans in the House insinuated that the science-based “But to do what I wanted to do—take the science and translate IRIS program damages the economy because it is biased to ensure into public health practice, to impact human life—you have to that environmental regulations are tougher than they need to be. acquire certain skills.” What makes the job easier, he says, is that “I “We are taking a look at all of those issues,” Olden says of the understand and like people.” sundry allegations against IRIS. “I have a reputation of not coming Although Olden is pouring gusto into his work, he says that he will in with fixed views of what’s right or what’s wrong.” If claims have retire after he leaves this position. For now, he says, “I’m enthusiastic veracity, he says, EPA will rectify the problems. and energized because it’s an opportunity to make a difference.” ◾ CHERY L HO GU E/C& EN
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