Obama Nominates Jim Jones to Officially Head EPA Toxics Office

The White House has announced that President Obama will nominate long-time EPA leader Jim Jones to be the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP).  Jones has been acting chief of the office since the departure of Steve Owens last October.  Jones' nomination must be confirmed by the Senate, a prospect that led some to believe Obama would not officially nominate anyone during this contentious election year.  Another nominee, Ken Kopocis to be Assistant Administrator of the Office of Water, has been held up by Republicans critical of ongoing rulemaking from that office.

Jones has previously served as Deputy Assistant Administrator in the Office of Air and Radiation as well as Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. He previously also was Director of the Office of Pesticide Programs and "held a series of management positions in the EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs" in a career that goes back to 1991 at EPA.

The Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention is charged with overseeing EPA's regulation of industrial chemicals and pesticides. EPA and many of the Office's programs have been mired in a seemingly constant battle to maintain funding for "protection of human health and the environment" as Congress tries to limit EPA's ability to do so.  Several initiatives and rulemakings have also been hung up under review at the Office of Management and Budget.

The White House announcement of this and other key administration posts can be read here.

EPA Announces New Acting Director of Chemicals Office

 Jim Jones, a long-time EPA official, has been tapped by EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson to replace outgoing Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) head Steve Owens.  Owens is leaving his position to return to his home in Arizona where his family had remained during his time in Washington.

Jim Jones' appointment is as an "Acting" Assistant Administrator for OCSPP, and will remain in that position while President Obama determines who he will nominate to run the office permanently.  The permanent nominee would have to receive Senate confirmation and, given that Republicans in the Senate are already blocking even a vote on the President's nominee to head the Office of Water (i.e., Ken Kopocis), there is quite a bit of uncertainty as to when a nominee for permanent AA will be announced.  With Congressional Republicans voting repeatedly to inhibit EPA's authority and the major cuts in EPA budget expected due to the failure of the Congressional Super Committee to agree on spending reductions, Jim Jones could be Acting AA for a long time.

Jones has been with EPA for roughly 20 years and has served in many capacities, the most recent being as head of the Office of Air.  No word yet on who will be tapped to replace Jones in the air office while he is Acting AA at OCSPP.