Lynn L. Bergeson and Richard E. Engler, Ph.D. Quoted in Chemical Watch Article “Extended hiring freeze ‘all bad’ for US EPA’s chemicals office”

On April 23, 2025, comments by Lynn L. Bergeson and Richard E. Engler, Ph.D. were featured in Chemical Watch’s article regarding an extension of the Trump administration hiring freeze.

Lynn Bergeson, principal with law firm Bergeson & Campbell, said the impacts of the hiring freeze on the EPA’s chemicals programme are “all bad”. 

“EPA needs all the help it can get, and competent staff are needed, urgently,” she said. 

Her colleague, Richard Engler, agreed: “There are no pros for the regulated community, EPA and its ability to fulfill its statutory requirements, or stakeholders more broadly,” he said. 

The Bergeson & Campbell team said it is hard to know if the chemicals office would be exempt from the one-in-four-out requirement, noting that it could be exempted due to its critical function.  

If, however, the hiring cap does kick in, Bergeson said the impact on the chemicals programme would be “devastating”. 

See – https://product.enhesa.com/1505792/extended-hiring-freeze-all-bad-for-us-epas-chemicals-office