Critics say leadership failures at CSB jeopardize agency’s mission
Testimony before a congressional hearing earlier this month blamed investigative delays at the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) – and the exodus of CSB personnel that’s contributing to the backlog – on poor leadership by board Chairman Rafael Moure-Eraso.
The board is responsible for investigating accidents such as the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. But its effectiveness has languished since 2006, an analysis by the Center for Public Integrity found last year. While its accident investigations are supposed to be completed within a timely manner, there remains a significant backlog, drawing the ire of victims’ families as well as members of Congress.