Politico: EPA intentionally delayed release of cancer study, officials say

The draft assessment, completed by EPA scientists shortly before the inauguration in 2017, shows that the inhalation of formaldehyde vapor puts people at risk of developing leukemia and other ailments, both a current and former agency official told Politico.

The current and former agency officials told Politico the move is part of a campaign to undermine the EPA's independent research into the risks associated with toxic chemicals.

Though formaldehyde is found in everyday materials like wood and household products, it has been found to be highly toxic and may cause adverse health effects. The EPA considers formaldehyde a probable human carcinogen. However, this new draft assessment provides evidence of ties to nasopharyngeal cancer and leukemia.

This report comes as EPA administrator Scott Pruitt resigned on Thursday amid months of ethics controversies. Andrew Wheeler, the EPA's deputy administrator and former coal lobbyist, will assume the position upon Pruitt's departure.

The EPA officials told Politico that Trump appointees have canceled key briefings that would have advanced the study and placed undue requirements on officials who would begin the required internal review of the formaldehyde study.

"They're stonewalling every step of the way," the current official said.

The EPA could not immediately be reached for comment by CNN. However, in a comment to Politico, an EPA spokeswoman denied that the delay was intentional.

"EPA continues to discuss this assessment with our agency program partners and have no further updates to provide at this time," EPA spokeswoman Kelsi Daniell told Politico. "Assessments of this type are often the result of needs for particular rulemakings and undergo an extensive intra-agency and interagency process."

Assessments from the Integrated Risk Information System, an independent science division of the EPA that produced the report, often form the basis for federal and state regulations. In 2016, the Toxic Substances Control Act created a "mandatory requirement for EPA to evaluate existing chemicals with clear and enforceable deadlines" and mandated "risk-based chemical assessment."

The administration's handling of the formaldehyde study has come under scrutiny in the past, prompting an inquiry by Democratic senators in to its whereabouts. In January, Pruitt testified before a Senate panel that the study was nearly complete. In May, Sens. Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Rhode Island's Sheldon Whitehouse and Delaware's Tom Carper penned a letter to Pruitt asking about the delay, expressing concern that they had received no response from the administration in months. Markey claims in the letter than his office contacts the EPA every two-three weeks about the release of the study.

"Because formaldehyde can be found in such everyday items as furniture and personal care products, health risks are substantial." Markey said in a statement to CNN regarding the new revelations of the delay.

"Delaying the EPA's latest assessment of the health risks of formaldehyde only further endangers the public's health. The EPA should move past politics and focus on its job of protecting Americans' health."