Table Of ContentS. HRG. 107–3
NOMINATION OF CHRISTINE TODD WHITMAN
HEARING
BEFORETHE
COMMITTEE ON
ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED SEVENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
ON
THE NOMINATION OF HON. CHRISTINE TODD WHITMAN TO BE
ADMINISTRATOR, U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
JANUARY 17, 2001
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COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS
ONE HUNDRED SEVENTH CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
HARRY REID, Nevada, Chairman
BOB SMITH, New Hampshire, Ranking Republican Member
MAX BAUCUS, Montana JOHN W. WARNER, Virginia
BOB GRAHAM, Florida JAMES M. INHOFE, Oklahoma
JOSEPH I. LIEBERMAN, Connecticut CHRISTOPHER S. BOND, Missouri
BARBARA BOXER, California GEORGE V. VOINOVICH, Ohio
RON WYDEN, Oregon MICHAEL D. CRAPO, Idaho
THOMAS R. CARPER, Delaware LINCOLN CHAFEE, Rhode Island
HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, New York ROBERT F. BENNETT, Utah
JON S. CORZINE, New Jersey BEN NIGHTHORSE CAMPBELL, Colorado
ERIC WASHBURN, Democratic Staff Director
DAVE CONOVER, Republican Staff Director
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C O N T E N T S
Page
JANUARY 17, 2001
OPENING STATEMENTS
Baucus, Hon. Max, U.S. Senator from the State of Montana .............................. 73
Bond, Hon. Christopher S., U.S. Senator from the State of Missouri ................. 25
Boxer, Hon. Barbara, U.S. Senator from the State of California ........................ 11
Carper, Hon. Thomas R., U.S. Senator from the State of Delaware ................... 15
Chafee, Hon. Lincoln, U.S. Senator from the State of Rhode Island .................. 17
Clinton, Hon. Hillary Rodham, U.S. Senator from the State of New York ........ 24
Graham, Hon. Bob, U.S. Senator from the State of Florida ................................ 28
Inhofe, Hon. James M., U.S. Senator from the State of Oklahoma .................... 14
Lieberman, Hon. Joseph I., U.S. Senator from the State of Connecticut ........... 17
Reid, Hon. Harry, U.S. Senator from the State of Nevada .................................. 1
Smith, Hon. Bob, U.S. Senator from the State of New Hampshire..................... 3
Vonovich, Hon. George V., U.S. Senator from the State of Ohio ......................... 19
Warner, Hon. John W., U.S. Senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia ....... 4
WITNESSES
Corzine, Hon. Jon S., U.S. Senator from the State of New Jersey ...................... 8
Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 73
Frelinghuysen, Hon. Rodney P., U.S. Representative from the State of New
Jersey .................................................................................................................... 9
Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 75
Torricelli, Hon. Robert G., U.S. Senator from the State of New Jersey.............. 5
Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 74
Whitman, Hon. Christine Todd, Governor of of the State of New Jersey
and nominee to be Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency .... 29
Biographical sketch .......................................................................................... 88
Committee questionnaire ................................................................................. 78
List, Accomplishments of Governor Whitman for the Environment ............ 155
Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 75
Responses to additional questions from:
Senator Baucus.......................................................................................... 101
Senator Bennett ........................................................................................ 116
Senator Bond ............................................................................................. 107
Senator Boxer ............................................................................................ 102
Senator Carper .......................................................................................... 104
Senator Chafee .......................................................................................... 115
Senator Clinton ......................................................................................... 115
Senator Corzine ......................................................................................... 104
Senator Crapo ............................................................................................ 113
Senator Inhofe ........................................................................................... 105
Senator Lieberman .................................................................................... 101
Senator Reid .............................................................................................. 90
Senator Smith ............................................................................................ 99
Senator Voinovich ..................................................................................... 108
Responses to questions from Sierra Club...................................132–139, 141–152
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL
Articles:
Bush-Whitman Agenda Will Hurt Environment ........................................... 124
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Page
Articles—Continued
Whitman Appointment Is Cause for Concern ................................................ 125
Letters:
American Civil Rights Coalition...................................................................... 158
City of Hoboken, NJ, Mayor Anthony J. Russo ............................................. 163
City of Newark, NJ, Mayor Sharpe James..................................................... 158
Clean Ocean Action .......................................................................................... 154
National Association of Realtors ..................................................................... 157
New Jersey Institute of Technology ................................................................ 154
New Jersey Sierra Club and Audubon Society...........................................120, 128
Ogden, Maureen ............................................................................................... 156
Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility ..................................... 152
Several New Jersey State Senators ................................................................ 123
Memoranda, New Jersey environmental regulations........................................126, 127
Statements:
Atlantic City Branch of the NAACP ............................................................... 159
Communications Workers of America Local 1033, Trenton, NJ................... 161
Gale Warnings, New Jersey Sierra Club ........................................................ 117
Whitman Sampler, New Jersey Sierra Club .................................................. 139
NOMINATION OF HON. CHRISTINE TODD
WHITMAN
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2001
U.S. SENATE,
COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS,
Washington, DC.
The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 9:30 a.m. in room 406,
Dirksen Senate Building, Hon. Bob Smith (chairman of the com-
mittee) presiding.
Present: Senators Smith, Warner, Inhofe, Bond, Voinovich,
Chafee, Graham, Lieberman, Boxer, Carper, Clinton and Corzine.
Senator SMITH. Good morning, everyone.
I have the distinction and the pleasure of presenting this gavel
to the chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee.
I would just say I have a tracking device on this and it looks like
it’s going to bounce back here in 3 or 4 days but I’m pleased and
honored to present you this gavel and look forward to working with
you in both capacities over the next few years.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. HARRY REID,
U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF NEVADA
Senator REID. (assuming the chair). Senator Smith, thank you
very much.
Bob Smith and I have worked very closely together for many
years in capacities we would rather not have worked. We were the
lead Democrat and lead Republican on the Ethics Committee for a
number of years where we worked to try to bring peace and quiet
to the Senate. We also worked together on the MIA/POW Select
Committee.
I want to welcome President-elect Bush’s nominee for Adminis-
trator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
I want to do this with kind of an outline of what we are going
to do here. I’m going to give a brief statement; Senator Smith will
give a statement. We are going to then have Governor Whitman in-
troduced by Senators Torricelli and Corzine and Representative
Frelinghuysen. After that, we will have statements from members
of the committee. After that, the reason we are all here is to see
how well Governor Whitman responds to all these questions.
We look forward to this hearing. As you can see, there is tremen-
dous interest—this is a very important position for our country.
I want to welcome your family. I had the pleasure this morning,
Governor Whitman, of meeting your husband. It’s obvious that ev-
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erything that has been indicated about how supportive he has been
of you and you of him is certainly valid from our conversation.
I can’t begin this hearing without saying how great it is sitting
here as chairman of this committee for a couple more days. This
is a committee that I’ve served on since I came to Washington as
a member of the U.S. Senate. It is with fond memory that I reflect
back on the days of Chairmen Stafford, Burdick, Moynihan,
Chafee, Reid and the great work of Senator Baucus.
The record should reflect that my short tenure has nothing to do
with my ability. I’m really happy to have my first hearing as chair-
man of this committee to be the consideration of the nominee for
the head of the Environmental Protection Agency. This agency has
great responsibility. My reason for being on this committee are
multitudinal but I was born and raised in a little community in
southern Nevada and one of the things we did once in a while was
go to a place about 30 miles from Searchlight called Paiute
Springs. It was truly an oasis in the desert.
It was in this very dark desert that out of the side of a mountain
gushed a spring, a place that was so interesting that there was an
Army fort there to protect the mail in the 1860’s. It had things I’d
never seen before—water lilies, cattails, things that didn’t grow in
Searchlight.
During my childhood I went there probably eight or nine times.
It was hard to get there—it was a dirt road—but after I married
and got my education, I always told my wife about what a great
place this was. She, recognizing what was in Searchlight, I don’t
think believed me.
After I got out of school and settled down a bit, I took my wife
to Paiute Springs. What a disappointment. Over the years, it had
been ruined. The fort was torn down, it was just an absolute mess.
The places where you could throw a rock down this canyon and the
birds would take off and it sounded like an airplane taking off,
they were gone and it was really a mess from people that had
trashed this natural treasure.
So, Governor Whitman, always think if Paiute Springs in your
job because we need the environment protected and there is no bet-
ter example of that than near the place of my birth, Paiute
Springs.
The EPA has had a great record over the years of improving the
quality of our air and our water.
I want to also welcome Senator Carper. We have two other new
members—Senator Corzine who we will hear from in a minute and
of course, Senator Clinton, new members on the democratic side.
We welcome you.
Senator Carper, you and I came to Washington together in 1982
with Senator Boxer, who is quiet and whom we rarely hear from,
but she was in our class. I always say about our service on the For-
eign Affairs Committee, it was like going to school and not having
to take the test.
During the last 8 years under the Clinton Administration, I
think we have made some significant progress. The recent diesel
sulfur rule, for example, will greatly improve air quality. Governor
Whitman, if confirmed, I am confident you will be committed to
taking us forward in environmental protection and not roll back
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the important gains we have made. I hope the hearing does noth-
ing to discourage my vision of the EPA that’s directed and guided
by Governor Whitman.
As leader of the State of New Jersey for 7 years, you have many
advocates for you based on how well you have done your job as
Governor. We have letters and they will be placed in the record at
a subsequent time, but conversely, there are some who have ex-
pressed concern. This information has been supplied to us—the
good and not so good—and we will have you answer either orally
or in writing.
This committee, on confirmation, doesn’t allow separate panels
as in some other committees unless something extraordinary is de-
veloped by this hearing or the work of our investigative staff.
You have had a distinguished career as Governor of the State of
New Jersey and I am pleased you are willing to take on the chal-
lenge of protecting both the health of our citizens and our environ-
ment, two things that are interchangeable.
It is also my hope that we can work closely together, not only on
national environmental issues, but from a very parochial perspec-
tive in problems unique to the State of Nevada as well as unique
to the West. There are a number of members of the committee from
my part of the country. We have big States, not many people but
still have many, many environmental problems that are not all
rural in nature. Many are urban in nature as we discussed when
you came to my office.
I know you’ve visited the West, I know you know how beautiful
it is and how important it is to protect the resources we have. I
do hope as soon as you get your feet on the ground and do some
traveling around the country, that you’ll come to Nevada, and ac-
cept my invitation to not only see the beauty but some of the chal-
lenges we face.
I look forward to hearing from you.
We will now hear from my colleague, Senator Bob Smith of New
Hampshire.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. BOB SMITH,
U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
Senator SMITH. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Good morning, Governor.
Chairman Reid, I want to thank you and your staff for the cour-
tesies you have extended in the last several weeks. We have
worked well together, as you indicated, on other committees, spe-
cifically Ethics and POW/MIA.
I also would like to welcome back into the fold Senator
Lieberman. I can’t tell you how good it is to see you back here.
Senator LIEBERMAN. I am warmed by your welcome.
Senator SMITH. I also would like to welcome Senator Campbell,
who is not here yet. There still is one possible addition to the com-
mittee on our side. Certainly, Senator Carper, Senator Corzine and
Senator Clinton, welcome and we’re glad to have you on the com-
mittee.
We’ve had a lot of bipartisan results in the last few months since
I’ve been the chairman and I think we will continue to do that in
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the future because with a 50–50 Senate, unless it’s bipartisan, ob-
viously we are not going to pass very much.
Again, Governor, a warm welcome to you. Perhaps there is some
irony in the fact that a guy born in Trenton, New Jersey gets a
chance to be both the Ranking Member and the chairman during
your confirmation hearings. I think that’s kind of nice. My grand-
father’s family was Elderidges and they were the Elderidge Park
and all that area around Trenton which I’m sure the two Senators
are also familiar with.
I look forward to hearing from you not only today but often after
you take the reins at EPA. Since you’ve served your State well, we
will focus specifically on your environmental record. It has been a
top priority for you. During 7 years as Governor, more open spaces
and farmland has been preserved than in the previous 32 years. So
that’s a tribute to you.
With the establishment of the Garden State Preservation Fund
and providing tax incentives for land and conservation donations,
your conservation legacy will continue long after you leave. Of par-
ticular interest to me is shoreline protection. As one who for many
years as a young guy at Seaside Heights and Long Beach Island,
I remember not too man years ago when we heard the stories of
the hypodermic needles and syringes and in a bipartisan way,
many of you have been involved in that cleanup which is certainly
appreciated by many of my family who still live in New Jersey.
You’ve also made great strides in the redevelopment of
brownfields which will be a top priority of this committee this year.
We look forward to working with you on that.
I also appreciate the ideas that you put forth in terms of looking
at these environmental problems in a holistic manner, an entire
ecosystem, an entire river, looking at all the sources of pollution as
opposed to end-of-pipe regulation without really any end to it. We
will work together on that.
The air, water and land are cleaner in New Jersey because of
your efforts and I congratulate you. I know you’ll bring that same
type of enthusiasm and results to the EPA.
I would ask unanimous consent that my statement with more de-
tail regarding Governor Whitman be inserted in the record.
Senator REID. Without objection.
Senator SMITH. I’ll stop there, Mr. Chairman, and look forward
to moving forward with the witnesses.
Senator REID. If I could have everyone’s indulgence, Senator
Warner is going to have to conduct a hearing regarding General
Powell in just a few minutes and he has asked to be able to say
a few words at this time. Senator Warner?
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN W. WARNER,
U.S. SENATOR FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
Senator WARNER. Thank you very much and thank you, Senator
Smith.
I join in welcoming our distinguished nominee. I commend the
President and most of all, I commend you for your willingness, to-
gether with that of your family, to continue in public service.
Mr. Chairman, we welcome your chairmanship here today. I re-
member when you were chairman of a subcommittee and you and
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I dealt together. I was ranking on the subcommittee and I know
your record for fairness and thoroughness.
If I may say just one word and that is balance. I’ve served on
this committee for many years now and it is the balance between
the 50 States and the Federal Government. Our environmental
laws, in large part, are in place because pollution knows no bounds,
for example. Air transits many States. Water originates in one and
flows through many States. Therefore, it is essential we have a
framework of the Federal laws that cross the State boundaries and
affect all States.
We have got to remember that the States are very proud of their
own environmental programs. You bring to this office the experi-
ence of a chief executive of a very important State, one that has
complex environmental problems and you have worked through
many of those with great expertise.
Now the other 49 States will be looking to you to have that same
leadership as they struggle to do their very best with regard to the
environment.
In conclusion, one of the main problems you are going to have
is the Department of Defense which I’m not sure but has a reputa-
tion of being a very significant polluter. I have a small hand in that
responsibility here in the Senate as chairman of the Senate Armed
Services Committee.
I want to work with you, I want to make greater strides with the
Department. I know the Secretary of Defense-designee very well.
We’ve been together in public life together for many, many years.
I know in his heart is the desire to have that department’s image
and that department’s record improved.
I’m going to hold up here an agreement between the Department
of Defense, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the Environmental
Protection Agency, the first in history. It was just executed. It
reads as follows: ‘‘The pollution prevention partnership between the
Commonwealth of Virginia and the U.S. Department of Defense
shall be a State/Federal partnership that exists to identify opportu-
nities, develop solutions and promote success in pollution preven-
tion. The partnership will help enhance the pollution prevention
missions of participants, conserve resources and improve the qual-
ity of Virginia’s environment.’’
I comment that to you. I hope you can have many more like it.
I thank the Chair, the Ranking Member and my colleagues. I
have the privilege of introducing Colin Powell in a few minutes be-
fore the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Senator REID. We are now going to hear an introduction of Gov-
ernor Whitman from Senators Torricelli and Corzine and Rep-
resentative Frelinghuysen.
Senator Torricelli?
STATEMENT OF HON. ROBERT G. TORRICELLI, A UNITED
STATES SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY
Senator TORRICELLI. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Before Senator Warner leaves, I also want to extend thanks on
behalf of all my colleagues. Last year, Senator Warner provided
leadership on an issue that was very important to the people of
southern New Jersey. That was a generation-long fight to have the
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battleship New Jersey returned to our shores. Senator Warner sin-
gularly is responsible for that judgment. For that, we are very
grateful.
I also want to say in keeping with your comments about military
facilities, indeed, Senator Warner, we have several that have envi-
ronmental problems and more than that, the ocean terminal in the
harbor of New York and New Jersey with enormous economic po-
tential which also has environmental difficulties and your leader-
ship in that is equally appreciated.
Mr. Chairman, I’d like to congratulate your on your rein as
chairman of the committee and predict that in the long environ-
mental history of this Nation, in these 48 hours, you will be the
only chairman probably to serve without any serious environmental
controversy or degradation. For that, you are to be congratulated.
I would congratulate the members of the committee on their re-
turn and our two neighbors from New Jersey, the Governor of
Delaware, who now serves on this committee and so ably will rep-
resent the southern shores of New Jersey; and Senator Clinton who
will serve with distinction representing those areas to the east of
Jersey City and Newark.
[Laughter.]
Senator TORRICELLI. Mr. Chairman and Senator Smith, I can
only imagine pride that Christine Todd Whitman, her husband,
John, and children, Kate and Taylor must feel at this new stage
of what has been a brilliant career of public service. It is a great
honor for me to introduce to you the Governor of the State of New
Jersey, Christine Todd Whitman, the President-elect’s designate for
the Environmental Protection Agency.
During her years as Governor, we have waged many fights to-
gether on important issues from her leadership in preserving open
space to the ending of ocean dumping, so vital to preserve both our
economy and the environment, critical not only to our State, but as
Senator Warner has pointed out, to the beaches that range all the
way from Virginia to Delaware and New York.
President Bush has made a very wise selection. The EPA and the
country will be getting an Administrator who is qualified, tested
and ready to tackle the challenges that lie ahead for this agency.
With this nominee, there will be absolutely no learning curve.
There are few training grounds that could better prepare someone
for this position that the Governorship of New Jersey.
As chief executive of our State, Governor Whitman has had the
managerial and administrative experience of running an agency as
large as the EPA but more importantly, no State has had a better
sampling of the issues facing the incoming Administrator of the
EPA than New Jersey. With 127 miles of shoreline, Governor Whit-
man has dealt extensively with issues of clean water and nonpoint
source pollution. She knows firsthand the threats to the economy
and the environment from ocean dumping.
Indeed, Governor Whitman has increased funding for beach
cleanups and under her administration, beach closings have
dropped from 800 in 1989 when many families in our State were
denied the simple pleasure of an afternoon at the shore with their
children, to just 11 in 1999.
