Bush's pick for EPA enforcement called unqualified

[Guest guest]

Bush's pick for EPA enforcement called unqualified

--

 

USA: May 8, 2002

 

 

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration's choice for the top cop to enforce the

nation's environmental laws came under attack at a Senate hearing yesterday for

not having enough job experience.

 

 

Some Democrats said John Suarez was unqualified to serve as head of the

Environmental Protection Agency's enforcement office because he has no

experience in environmental law.

Suarez spent three years as Commissioner for New Jersey's Division of Gambling

Enforcement, and before that served seven years as an assistant U.S. attorney in

New Jersey where he focused on white-collar crimes such as mail fraud.

 

At a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing, lawmakers questioned

whether Suarez's nomination indicated the administration was not committed to

going after companies that violate federal environmental laws.

 

" We need someone with an environmental enforcement record, " said Sen. Barbara

Boxer, a California Democrat. " We are not happy with the (EPA) enforcement we

see, " she added.

 

Boxer said Suarez was a " fine lawyer, " but his previous jobs did not give him

the experience needed to enforce air, water and land pollution laws.

 

Sen. James Jeffords, the Vermont independent who chairs the environmental panel,

also wondered how Suarez could enforce EPA regulations with such limited

experience.

 

" The statutes that cover environmental protection are complex, " he said.

 

Suarez said he would seek the advice of EPA staff in pursing violations. " I will

continue to learn the law, " he said.

 

SUPPORTS PROGRAMS ENVIRONMENTALISTS OPPOSE

 

Hinting at his approach to enforcement, Suarez said he would support programs

that allow companies to voluntarily admit to environmental law violations and

then permit the firms to take remedial actions.

 

Environmental groups oppose such programs, arguing that companies can't be

trusted to police themselves.

 

Separately, Suarez said he would work closely with EPA regional offices and

states to enforce environmental regulations, but would not abdicate federal

enforcement authority. " I believe that a good enforcement official has the stick

and is not afraid to use it, " he said.

 

Green groups claim state enforcement is too weak and the tough hand of the

federal government is needed to protect the nation's land, air and water.

 

Suarez also promised to prosecute companies that violate the EPA's so-called

" new source review " regulations. The rule requires power plants, refineries and

other industrial sites to install expensive pollution control equipment when new

facilities are built or existing plants are modified.

 

The rules are currently being re-written by the Bush administration, and are

expected to be weakened.

 

A coalition of environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, American Rivers

and Friends of the Earth, said Suarez was the least qualified person to be

considered to head EPA's enforcement office in the last 15 years.

 

" There is no evidence that Mr. Suarez has ever dealt in any aspect of the

enforcement of state or federal environmental laws, " the groups said in a letter

to Jeffords.

 

Jeffords said he did not think Suarez's lack of environmental enforcement

experience meant his nomination was in trouble.

 

The chairman said he plans to schedule a committee vote on Suarez's nomination

soon. The full Senate would have to approve him for the EPA post.

 

 

 

Story by Tom Doggett

 

 

REUTERS NEWS SERVICE

[Guest guest]

AAAGGGHHH!!!! After seeing Norton's wonderful work, why does this guy not

surprise me. Oh I just pray daily that this world can survive two more years of

these people!!

 

--

mail2web - Check your email from the web at

http://mail2web.com/ .

[Guest guest]

oh, please, ..6 more at least..

we've still got a few more countries to bomb, and we can't let a silly thing

like an election get in the way...

are u anti-american er something?

don't make me report you to the homeland defense neighborhood watch...

 

on the other hand, *sigh*..even if the Bush juggernaut from hades is tossed out,

i don't think whomever jumps in is going to be much better....

clinton talked a lot, but he didn't really do a whole lot, except give us the

WTO, didn't sign a single nuclear arms treaty, etc...

i want to secede.....

anyone want to emigrate to fragglevania? (or should that be fragglestan?

beertopia?)

 

 

" pghpam " <pghpam wrote:

 

>AAAGGGHHH!!!!  After seeing Norton's wonderful work, why does this guy not

surprise me.  Oh I just pray daily that this world can survive two more years of

these people!!

>

>--

>mail2web - Check your email from the web at

>http://mail2web.com/ .

>

>

>

>To send an email to -

>

>

[Guest guest]

Well, I'm calling my Senators!!!!

--- EBbrewpunx wrote:

> Bush's pick for EPA enforcement called unqualified

>

--

>

> USA: May 8, 2002

>

>

> WASHINGTON - The Bush administration's choice for

> the top cop to enforce the nation's environmental

> laws came under attack at a Senate hearing yesterday

> for not having enough job experience.

>

>

> Some Democrats said John Suarez was unqualified to

> serve as head of the Environmental Protection

> Agency's enforcement office because he has no

> experience in environmental law.

> Suarez spent three years as Commissioner for New

> Jersey's Division of Gambling Enforcement, and

> before that served seven years as an assistant U.S.

> attorney in New Jersey where he focused on

> white-collar crimes such as mail fraud.

>

> At a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee

> hearing, lawmakers questioned whether Suarez's

> nomination indicated the administration was not

> committed to going after companies that violate

> federal environmental laws.

>

> " We need someone with an environmental enforcement

> record, " said Sen. Barbara Boxer, a California

> Democrat. " We are not happy with the (EPA)

> enforcement we see, " she added.

>

> Boxer said Suarez was a " fine lawyer, " but his

> previous jobs did not give him the experience needed

> to enforce air, water and land pollution laws.

>

> Sen. James Jeffords, the Vermont independent who

> chairs the environmental panel, also wondered how

> Suarez could enforce EPA regulations with such

> limited experience.

>

> " The statutes that cover environmental protection

> are complex, " he said.

>

> Suarez said he would seek the advice of EPA staff in

> pursing violations. " I will continue to learn the

> law, " he said.

>

> SUPPORTS PROGRAMS ENVIRONMENTALISTS OPPOSE

>

> Hinting at his approach to enforcement, Suarez said

> he would support programs that allow companies to

> voluntarily admit to environmental law violations

> and then permit the firms to take remedial actions.

>

> Environmental groups oppose such programs, arguing

> that companies can't be trusted to police

> themselves.

>

> Separately, Suarez said he would work closely with

> EPA regional offices and states to enforce

> environmental regulations, but would not abdicate

> federal enforcement authority. " I believe that a

> good enforcement official has the stick and is not

> afraid to use it, " he said.

>

> Green groups claim state enforcement is too weak and

> the tough hand of the federal government is needed

> to protect the nation's land, air and water.

>

> Suarez also promised to prosecute companies that

> violate the EPA's so-called " new source review "

> regulations. The rule requires power plants,

> refineries and other industrial sites to install

> expensive pollution control equipment when new

> facilities are built or existing plants are

> modified.

>

> The rules are currently being re-written by the Bush

> administration, and are expected to be weakened.

>

> A coalition of environmental groups, including the

> Sierra Club, American Rivers and Friends of the

> Earth, said Suarez was the least qualified person to

> be considered to head EPA's enforcement office in

> the last 15 years.

>

> " There is no evidence that Mr. Suarez has ever dealt

> in any aspect of the enforcement of state or federal

> environmental laws, " the groups said in a letter to

> Jeffords.

>

> Jeffords said he did not think Suarez's lack of

> environmental enforcement experience meant his

> nomination was in trouble.

>

> The chairman said he plans to schedule a committee

> vote on Suarez's nomination soon. The full Senate

> would have to approve him for the EPA post.

>

>

>

> Story by Tom Doggett

>

>

> REUTERS NEWS SERVICE

>

>

 

 

 

 

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