Senators asked Administrator Lee Zeldin about reforms to accelerate EPA reviews of new chemicals and pesticides that, they said, had languished for years.

Zeldin said he inherited “backlogs” across new-chemicals, pesticide reviews, and state implementation plans, and described two remedies: hiring additional scientists and upgrading outdated technology. “The feedback that I got from the career staff in the office of chemicals is that they would be able to reduce the backlog, if they had 2 things. 1, they were able to bring more scientists into their office ... And secondly, to bring their technology up to date because it was very outdated,” he said.

Why it matters: Delays in chemical and pesticide reviews can slow the introduction of technologies that industry and some lawmakers say are safer or more efficient, and have implications for agriculture, manufacturing and supply chains.

Zeldin said the agency’s internal reorganization will add scientists to program offices and create an office of applied science and environmental solutions. He told the committee the pesticide review backlog had been reduced by over 2,300 cases and that the agency expects to address the new-chemicals backlog as well. He also noted recent congressional funding targeted to speed these reviews.

Senators asked for continued transparency on review timelines and for assurances that reviews would remain science-based. Zeldin responded that the agency intends to follow statutory obligations and apply risk- and science-based analysis to pesticide and chemical decisions.

Committee members requested follow-up details on staffing, technology upgrades, and metrics to measure backlog reductions.