Senate confirms Sutherland, Kulinowski as members of CSB

Washington – The Senate on Aug. 5 confirmed two new members to serve on the Chemical Safety Board, including the agency’s new chair.

Vanessa Sutherland was confirmed both as a new member and as the agency’s chair, and Kristen M. Kulinowski was confirmed as a new member. Both Sutherland and Kulinowski were confirmed in a voice vote, and will serve a five-year term. Sutherland was sworn in as chair Aug. 11.

“I look forward to working closely with them on the important work of the CSB to help prevent chemical incidents. Both bring broad expertise and experience to their new positions,” Richard Engler, CSB member and delegated interim executive, said in a press release.

Sutherland previously served as chief counsel for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, and Kulinowski was a research staff member in the Institute for Defense Analyses’ Science and Technology Policy Institute, according to the CSB release.

The additional two members may help alleviate internal strife that has stalled the release of at least one report following the ouster of former Chairman Rafael Moure-Eraso. However, at four members, the board remains one member short, and the president has yet to nominate a fifth member.

UPDATE: This story was updated to reflect Vanessa Sutherland being sworn in as CSB chair.