Deputy EPA administrator nominee is out
March 25th, 2009 | Agencies Environmental Protection Agency Transition | Posted by Rebecca Neal
Jon Cannon, President Barack Obama’s nominee for deputy administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, withdrew his name from consideration Wednesday afternoon.
And in case you’re wondering, it’s not over unpaid taxes, an issue which has befallen a handful of Obama’s other nominees.
Cannon, an environmental law professor at the University of Virginia, said he withdrew because he once served on the board of a nonprofit group currently under investigation.
It has come to my attention that America’s Clean Water Foundation, where I once served on the board of directors, has become the subject of scrutiny. While my service on the board of that now-dissolved organization is not the subject of the scrutiny, I believe the energy and environmental challenges facing our nation are too great to delay confirmation for this position, and I do not wish to present any distraction to the agency.”
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee had scheduled a confirmation hearing for Cannon for Thursday.
Tags: EPA, Transition
Update: EPA confirmation back on track
January 22nd, 2009 | Agency Management Environmental Protection Agency Transition | Posted by Elise Castelli
Update: Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., has lifted his objection to allowing a vote on Lisa Jackson’s nomination for Environmental Protection Agency Administrator by unanimous consent, Greg Keeley, Barrasso’s spokesman said. This means the vote could come as soon as this evening.
Barrasso’s change of heart came after he spoke with Carol Browner, Obama’s energy and environment czar. The pair will meet next week to discuss Barrasso’s concerns about her new role and how it may affect the  independence of EPA.
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Original Post: EPA Confirmation Delayed
The Environmental Protection Agency may have to wait a while to see the changes Lisa Jackson, Obama’s nominee for agency administrator, promised at a hearing last week.
That’s because Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., has requested more time to review her nomination, CQ reported today (subscription may be required). Barrasso is not concerned so much about Jackson’s qualifications for the post, as he is about whether the new White House environmental czar, Carol Browner, would diminish or usurp Jackson’s authorities, according to CQ.
At last week’s hearing Barrasso expressed concern that Browner and Jackson would clash over how to implement environmental regulations.
“Who will ultimately make final EPA decisions?†Barasso asked. “If the two of you disagree on an environmental issue how does that work?â€
Jackson replied that regardless of Browner’s White House role, EPA decisions will still fall to the administrator, and she will uphold and enforce the law if confirmed, Jackson said. She also downplayed the possibility of a turf war.
“I’m sure advisers can agree or disagree on any number of issues and her advice and counsel is something I will certainly seek,†Jackson said.
Tags: confirmations, EPA, Lisa Jackson, Sen. Barrasso
Midnight rulemaking watch
November 19th, 2008 | Regulation | Posted by Gregg Carlstrom
We reported earlier this month on the expected wave of “midnight regulation” at the end of the Bush administration. Agencies were supposed to issue all final regulations by Nov. 1, according to OMB, except in “extraordinary circumstances.”
But experts predicted dozens of new rules would miss the deadline and slip out the door before Jan. 20 (as happens during every transition).
Sure enough, there are more than a dozen new rules in today’s Federal Register, including at least two proposed rules (which agencies were supposed to stop creating by July 1). A few examples:
- A final rule from the EPA sets limits on a pesticide called ipconazole used by agricultural companies;
- The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration finalized a rule on the number of hours truck and bus drivers can work;
- A final Commerce Department rule allows fishermen to use “trawl gear” to catch halibut in Alaska; environmental groups say this is an extremely damaging method of fishing.
None of these rules appear driven by “extraordinary circumstances,” do they?
Tags: Commerce Department, EPA, rulemaking