Colorado State Lab Director Placed on Leave Amid Ongoing Investigation

Colorado’s state lab director, Emily Travanty, was placed on paid administrative leave today, September 12, 2025, as an investigation continues into quality control issues that have led to the loss of federal certifications and raised concerns about data integrity.

The administrative leave was initiated by Jill Hunsaker Ryan, executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), based on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) revocation of the lab’s chemistry certifications. The issues stem from failures in testing, including food safety and programs monitoring lead in water at schools and childcare centers, and have been ongoing since at least 2020. The loss of EPA certification means Colorado must rely on outside labs for certain critical testing, increasing costs for taxpayers.

According to a letter from the EPA in December, five chemists have been implicated in data irregularities, and the agency expressed concern over high staff turnover – four managers and supervisors resigned or were placed on leave in just two months. The EPA also criticized CDPHE for assigning a chemist with their own data irregularities to review past test results, calling it a “conflict of interest.” A recent EPA report details the standards for laboratory certification. While a subsequent CDPHE review found no immediate health threat, errors were identified in a subset of tests.

This development follows the recent resignation of Scott Bookman, who led Colorado’s COVID-19 response, following allegations of sexual harassment. CDPHE has stated they are cooperating with the investigation and will take corrective action to regain full federal certification; officials have not yet indicated a timeline for the investigation’s completion.