CSB Chairman Moure-Eraso steps down

Washington – Chemical Safety Board Chairman Rafael Moure-Eraso has resigned under pressure from President Barack Obama and a group of bipartisan lawmakers.

Eraso announced his resignation March 26 – about three months before his five-year term was set to expire. His action follows a year of increased pressure from Congress, which conducted two hearings nine months apart to lambaste Moure-Eraso for alleged failures and mismanagement at the agency.

During the hearings, Moure-Eraso acknowledged that his tenure was not without flaws. But he said CSB had worked hard to close a backlog of cases while issuing recommendations to prevent chemical incidents and protect workers in the future.

Reps. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) and Elijah Cummings (D-MD), the chairman and ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, respectively, issued a joint statement praising the resignation.

“Dr. Moure-Eraso’s mismanagement of the CSB, abuse of power, employee retaliation, and lack of honesty in his communications with Congress are among the many reasons why his resignation is the right next step for this federal agency,” Chaffetz and Cummings said.

Earlier this month, President Obama nominated Vanessa Allen Sutherland to succeed Moure-Eraso at the end of the chairman’s term.