Keith James Cronin, 47, a senior project manager at the United States Environmental Protection Agency and a sergeant in the Virginia Army National Guard's 229th Combat Engineer ID Battalion L of Fredericksburg, passed away Friday, Dec. 10, 2004, after a long struggle with adeno carcinoma of unknown primary.

Mr. Cronin was this nation's leading expert for the Environmental Protection Agency's development of policy under Section 4(a)(1)(B) (the "B" policy) of the Toxic Substances Control Act. The policy provided quantitative criteria for the testing of industrial chemicals for human health and environmental effects. In addition, he served as the lead negotiator for developing Enforceable Consent Agreements between EPA, the chemical industry and other members of the regulated community for testing certain industrial chemicals in a wide variety of workplace settings. Over the past 17 years, Mr. Cronin has provided scientific and technical expertise to EPA and other federal agencies in support of their missions to collect and develop information necessary to assess potential risks to humans and the environment from toxic chemicals. During the past year, Mr. Cronin has served as a leader of intra- and inter-agency work groups for major initiatives, such as the proposed high production volume chemical test rule and the recently finalized the Occupational Health and Safety Administration's dermal test rule, which required industry to test 37 high production volume chemicals of interest to OHSA. In addition to leading multidisciplinary teams that developed Section 4 test rules, Mr. Cronin served as the lead negotiator for ECAs developed for phenol, 1,6-hexemethylene diisocyanate, alkyl glycidyl ethers, sodium cyanide and bisphenol, A diglycidyl ether. Furthermore, Mr. Cronin successfully developed the direct final rule for revisions to reporting regulations under TSCA Section 8(D) and was instrumental in developing the agency's Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program. Throughout his career, Mr. Cronin was the recipient of more than 30 medals, letters of appreciation and special act-of-service awards. His career at EPA was an endeavor of professional fulfillment and many lasting friendships.