Report: Lack of Full Board Presents Operational Challenges for CSB
Operating without a full board is one of the “top management challenges” facing the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB), according to a report published earlier this month by EPA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG). CSB investigates major chemical accidents and makes recommendations for improving the safety of the chemical industry, workers, and communities.
Since July 2025, the agency has been operating with only two confirmed members even though by law it is supposed to have a five-member board of technically and professionally qualified individuals, including a chair. CSB’s board currently includes Chairperson Steve Owens and board member Sylvia E. Johnson, both of whom were nominated by President Biden and confirmed by the Senate in 2021. Previous board member Catherine Sandoval, who was also nominated by President Biden, retired from CSB last year ahead of her term’s expiration of February 2028.
Board members must be appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, and they serve fixed terms of five years. These term limits plus “the risk of resignations, removals, and natural attrition all put the CSB’s governing body at a continued risk of unfilled membership,” OIG’s report warns.
The report also outlines the challenges presented by a two-member board. CSB’s quorum and voting requirements state that a quorum of the board consists of three members unless there are fewer members in office. A two-member board must agree to approve items of business, as tie votes result in no action. If CSB’s board were to lose another member, its efficacy would be further affected, OIG explains.
“If the board were reduced to a single member, it would be unable to perform some critical functions,” the report states. “For example, although a single-member board may approve the budget, it may not approve investigation reports or safety recommendations.”
CSB has not had a full board since 2011, according to a previous news release. The agency has also been targeted for elimination, most recently in President Trump’s budget request for fiscal year 2026. CSB’s budget for FY 2026, which ends Sept. 30, is $14 million, only a little less than the $14.4 million received in FY 2025.
OIG’s full report is available from the EPA website. More information about CSB can be found on the agency’s home page.