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Enron Mail |
Here's what's happening to Jeff Holmstead, the nominee for the EPA Air AA job
who was the alternative suggestion to Whitman's choice Chris Hessler, who we were backing: EPA Air Nominee on Hold The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee yesterday delayed its vote on another controversial nominee: Jeffrey Holmstead, Bush's pick to be the Environmental Protection Agency's assistant administrator for air and radiation. EPW Chairman Bob Smith (R-N.H.) "reluctantly" removed Holmstead from the committee's agenda Wednesday morning in response to Democrats concerns about his service during the pervious Bush administration. Committee ranking Democrat and Minority Whip Harry Reid (Nev.) has placed a hold on Holmstead's nomination until he receives copies of notes and memos related to the Clean Air Act and radiation Holmstead wrote while working as associate counsel to former President Bush from 1989 until 1993. Holmstead advised White House officials on 1990 revisions to the Clean Air Act. The hold has agitated Smith. "Throughout my service on this committee, I have never played politics with a nomination," he said. "Rather than focusing on notes that were taken a decade ago, my hope is that my colleagues would focus on the nominee," Smith said, noting that Holmstead has answered all of the committee's questions and has said he would provide the documents Reid seeks if he could. David Cherry, a spokesman for Reid, has said the request is reasonable. "We didn't make the request because we think there's information out there that could torpedo the guy. There's no smoking gun that I know of," Cherry said. "We just want a better sense of what his views are regarding clean air policy, and we've limited our request to documents containing information on issues he would have jurisdiction over." The committee Wednesday supported by voice vote confirmation of Linda Fisher as EPA deputy administrator, Stephen Johnson as EPA assistant administrator for toxic substances, and James Connaughton as the director of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. However, Reid has said he will hold floor consideration of Johnson's and Connaughton's confirmations until EPA publishes a rule establishing radiation standards for the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository (see the 5/18 edition of Environment and Energy Daily). Jeffrey Keeler Director, Environmental Strategies Enron Washington DC office - (202) 466-9157 Cell Phone (203) 464-1541
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