The Trump administration has appointed two industry insiders to oversee chemical regulations, amid a broader Republican push to speed up an approval process they say has held up innovation and economic growth. Two veterans of Trump’s first administration, Nancy Beck and Lynn Dekleva, were named to help lead regulation of chemicals at the Environmental Protection Agency, the agency confirmed in an email. The appointments were first reported by the New York Times. Beck is known for fighting strict chemical regulations and aligning policy with industry interests. She is returning to the agency’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, according to an internal agency announcement reviewed by The Washington Post. The move has many environmental groups concerned that major chemical safety regulations, enacted to protect human health, could be back on the chopping block.

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