And then there was one

Abstract

This is a guest editorial by Kristen M. Kulinowski, director of the Science and Technology Policy Institute at the Institute for Defense Analyses. She is also a former member of the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. In 2019 alarm bells were ringing across the US over the fate of a small federal agency charged with keeping communities safe. In a little over a year, the terms of the three remaining members of the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) would end, leaving the agency without leadership unless new members were nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. By February 2020, I was the only one left, the president’s sole nominee was in confirmation limbo, and the agency’s survival was in doubt. Finally, Katherine Lemos was confirmed as chair and board member. I left the agency shortly thereafter. While it’s good that there’s not a