EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced on October 31st the appointment of Michael Honeycutt, Ph.D. as chairman of the agency’s EPA Science Advisory Board, which provides advice to the administrator on broad scientific matters.
Dr. Honeycutt is the director of the Toxicology Division of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. He has been employed by the TCEQ since 1996 and has managed the division of 14 toxicologists since 2003. He is no stranger to reviewing technical information since his responsibilities include overseeing health effects reviews of air permit applications, overseeing the review of the results of ambient air monitoring projects, and overseeing the reviews of human health risk assessments for hazardous waste sites.
Honeycutt spearheaded the updating of TCEQ’s Effects Screening Levels, or toxicity factors for chemicals. The current TCEQ ESL derivation procedure has been through two independent external scientific peer reviews and multiple rounds of public comment.
Honeycutt brings a wealth of experience to his new position. Currently, he serves as a technical resource for TCEQ management and staff on issues concerning air and water quality, drinking water contamination, and soil contamination. He also serves as an expert witness in public and state legislative hearings, participates in public meetings, and has conducted hundreds of media interviews.
In addition, Honeycutt is an adjunct professor in two departments at Texas A&M University. He has published numerous articles in the peer-reviewed literature, serves or has served on numerous external scientific committees, and has provided invited testimony at Congressional hearings—experience that will serve him well in his new position where he will review research used in EPA decision-making.