Beck will be joined by Dekleva, who also previously worked for the American Chemistry Council and DuPont and will serve as the deputy assistant administrator. Dekleva did not respond to a request for comment.

Kyla Bennett, the director of science policy at Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, said the appointment of Beck and Dekleva means a return to the first Trump administration.

“The bottom line is that EPA’s Office of Chemicals and Pesticides has been captured by industry and having Dr. Dekleva in charge of anything having to do with that is not only a conflict of interest, but a scary prospect for the American public,” said Bennett, who compared the appointments with “a fox watching the chicken coop.”

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