The man leading a fact finding mission into the use of Agent Orange and other chemical agents at a New Brunswick military base is stepping down. Vaughn Blaney is leaving the post due to health concerns.

The former New Brunswick environment minister was appointed to the job less than two months ago. The inquiry is looking at whether those who lived near Canadian Forces Base Gagetown were harmed by exposure to herbicides used in the 1960s, '70s, and '80s. The chemicals were used to clear brush from training areas.

"I regret deeply having to take this action now but I could not in good conscience put my health at risk," Blaney said in a statement.

"This is very important but stressful work, and I didn't in any way want to put the project in jeopardy by delaying my decision."

The hunt is now on for someone else to head the inquiry, and officials say work will continue.

Many Gagetown residents have expressed skepticism about the project's commitment to finding the truth. Those affected by the spraying are now concerned the hunt for a replacement will slow the study's final results.

"This means to me right now that this is going to sit on the back burner," says retired soldier Wayne Cardinal. "It's just another thing that's going to drag on, maybe even longer than they predict."

Other critics say the federal government should have had a contingency plan. "Why wasn't there somebody else appointed to back him up? In the military, we have one person goes down, another backs him up," says retired soldier Earl Graves.

The federal government issued a press release saying it would work quickly to find a replacement, but no specific date was mentioned.

With a report from ATV's Monica Verma