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Friday, August 15, 2003

Environmentalist are poring over Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt's record as he prepares to undergo Senate confirmation as head of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Leavitt isn't commenting on his goals at the agency but says he has tried to forge partnerships between tribes, states and other parties. He serves as co-chair of the Western Regional Air Partnership, a tribal-state group formed to address air quality issues.

Critics say Leavitt's approach gives more power to states while reducing federal oversight. One example cited is his push to build a highway around the Great Salt Lake. He was told by Bill Yellowtail, a former EPA administrator who a member of the Crow Tribe, that hte project was unsound. The 10th Circuit ruled that environmental studies were incomplete.

Get the Story:
Leavitt to face grilling in EPA quest (The Denver Post 8/15)
Nominee for E.P.A. Defends His Job as Utah Governor (The New York Times 8/15)

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Opponent to tribe's waste plans headed to D.C. (8/12)

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