"Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson visited Sen. David Vitter,  R-La.,  in his office Thursday to ask him to release his hold on the nomination of Paul Anastas to be the EPA's assistant administrator in charge of its Office of Research and Development.

But the meeting between the two Tulane University alumni did nothing to unstick the stalemate,  which has nothing to do with the merits of Anastas,  the man known as 'the father of green chemistry,' whom President Obama nominated for the EPA post in May.

Instead,  it has everything to do with the politics of formaldehyde."

Jonathan Tilove reports for the New Orleans Times-Picayune September 24, 2009. [2]