Prominent Democrats have urged the Biden administration to go easy on certain chemicals and toxics despite the party’s focus on public health and the environment, according to correspondence obtained by E&E News under the Freedom of Information Act.

Congressional Republicans are usually skeptical of increased regulation of chemicals, but the letters show members of President Joe Biden’s party have similarly sought a lighter touch from EPA on pesticides and chemicals used in farming.

Many Democrats have showered the administration with letters to increase scrutiny of “forever chemicals.” But some that have also asked for leniency hail from agriculture-heavy congressional districts. Their targets have ranged from notorious substances under intense scrutiny to lesser-known disinfectants.

Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.) penned a letter to Rod Snyder, EPA’s agriculture adviser, about “the need for a robust interagency review and coordination process” for the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) assessment of formaldehyde.