WTC security and emergency response newspaper article

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

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E.P.A. Enforcement Nominee Withdraws By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE effort into it in the first place. WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 - The ; “He saw the handwriting on the Ohio environmental regulator nomi­ wall,” one Congressional aide said. nated by President Bush to be the top Mr. Schregardus is the 16th of Mr. law enforcement official of the Envi­ Bush’s nominations to be withdrawn. ronmental Protection Agency, with- j As of last Friday, 235 people had drew jHS name from consideration today. fa- been confirmed and 15 had with­ drawn. including Linda Chavez as In a letter to Mr. Bush, the nomi­ secretary of labor and Mel Sembler nee, Donald Schregardus, said he as president of the Export-Importj was withdrawing because it was clear that his nomination “will not be S' Baiik, according to a tabulation byj the Brookings Institution. Only one considered in a timely manner.” nominee, Mary GaU, whom Mr. Bush The terrorist attacks have halted wanted as head of the Consumer virtually all other Congressional Product Safety Commission, has business, but even before the attacks been rejected by the Senate. last Tuesday the nomination had be­ In late Augu^ Christie Whit come highly controversial and was the administrator of the Era stalled as a result mental Protection Agency, Several Democratic senators and fl senators a letter asking them environmental groups said Mr. nore the reports of problems Schr^ardus had been lax in enforc­ ■flfllHflK^ia Mr. Schregardus’s tenure and to ing pollution laws in Ohio. The Demo­ Ngq] C. L>suTGn/l%G COhUBbos cus on his successes. But After crats placed a “hold” on his nomina­ Donald Schregardus was criticized Senate reconvened this month, Se«i tion, effectively blocking it from for his clean-air efforts in Ohio. tor George V. Voinovich, the GHK reaching the full Senate for a vote. Republican who as governor had K The nomination ran into new trou- , . pointed Mr.Schregardus, blamed^^S ble when the agency itself released a that the committee was not gomg report on Sept 4 criticizing Mr. Jo move the nomination forward administration for not doing enoafei Schregardus’s efforts to enforce While the committee had approved to promote his nomination’ S clean-air laws in Ohio. That report Mr. Schregardus’s nomination in Au- Environmental groups,: eager^® prompted Senator James M. Jef- gust, a procedural snag sent it back support the administration in fords, tile Vermont independent who to committee this month. wake of last week’s terrorism, h^^J is chairman of the Senate Environ- Mr. Schregardus declined to com- low-key response. ment and- PubUc Works Committee, ment today. “We commend Mr. Schregardus} to order an extensive investigation of Officials said that he recognized for his decision to wtthdraw,” stiidf Mr: Sdhregardus’s tenure. that his nomination was in trouble Maria Weidener of the Earthjustice The senator, who had earler sup- before last Tuesday’s attacks on the Legal Defense Fund. "It, is the ii^ ported Mr. Schregardus’s nomina- World Trade Center and the Penta- decision. We hopefhat the next per-^ tion because he believed that the gon but that the attacks had made it son nominated to thls position by tiie president should have the team he less likely that the White House administration has a record of vigor- wanted, said the review would take a would expend any political capital on ousfy enforcing environmental very long time, sending a clear sig- the matter, when it had not put much laws?’

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