BRIGID RflPP
HEflDQUfiRTERS LIBRfiKr
10019853
STATEMENT OF U.S. EPA Headquarters Library
I=EE M, THOMAS Mail code 3201
ACTING ADMINISTRATOR 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
IKS, ENVIRONMENTAL"PROTECTION AGENc^ashin9ton DC 2046°
BEFORE ¥KE
SENATE COMMITTEE
ON ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS
Mr« Ghalrns&ki aivi sKatA.:-:;.,^ of thfe Committee, I am pleased
to appear before j/oti •tliie morning a& President Reagan's
nominee for Admliilsx.^atoi or the D/iii-ed States Environmental
Protection Agency, 1 ,2.10 hoiio-i-cd to aave the opportunity to
head this vital agency and pledge my firm commitment to the
goals of protecting !muabtle j,!6.ii6.i*d8 „
To a certain estcir:,,, i'c i& .ironic that some of today's
envli'oiimei'ital p^obleme reflect ou'i* successes with earlier
prioritiesc For example, aiassivc air and water cleanup
programs implemented during the 1970s created unexpected new
challenges iiwoj vin& 'tih^ Bars v^iidliirig of toxic substances
and hazardous 'creates..
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Our efforts over the past decade also fostered quantum
leaps In the technology used to detect and measure pollution.
That technology has made us realize just how extensively
minute concentrations of many hazardous substances are
distributed throughout our environment.
To Illustrate this point, we need only look back to the
early 1970s, when we could not accurately measure substances
beyond the parts-per-mllllon range. Today, we fear that our
groundwater may contain exotic chemicals In levels of parts
per trillion or even parts per quadrillion. I note this to
accentuate a point. We do not live In a risk-free environment.
We are an Industrialized society, and we will always be
faced with risks. It Is simply one of the prices we pay for
the overall quality of life we enjoy. Thus, we must learn
to manage the risks we face.
This has been the thrust of EPA during the past year
and one half under Bill Ruckelshaus, and It will continue to
be the basis for many of our regulatory decisions.
Some would argue our task Is impossible. During a public
meeting I attended recently in Boston, a citizen confronted
me with a revealing question. He asked me why I would be
willing to take on the Job of EPA Administrator when I could
not possibly succeed. The laws are complex and unworkable,
he insisted. The problems are insurmountable.
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Although I agreed with him that the challenges before us
are dem&ndiftg, 1 assured hS?o they are not insurmountable.
Our envlrtfrnaentfil laws are largely on track to address the
spectrum of hazards threatening America. It will be a top
priority of mine to carry out these laws the way Congress
intfcw€te<1. Whim's we f'-5a -siusqu.iDl^s in our statutory
foundation, ^e will work with you to remedy them,,
I aa a proffe-asional Manager, Throughout ray career, I
have managed complex,, people-oriented programs, I am dedicated
to fulfilling the realistic expectations °f the American
people,, I respect our environmental statutes, and I will
carry them out to the best of my ability.
I bring to the job of Administrator experience at
every level of government* And I br-lng a sense of reality
with respect to EPA that is the product of two years directing
some of this agency-« saost challenging programs -- the hazardous
waste regulatory effort, under the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act and the cleanup program under the Superfund.
I am proud of the results we have achieved under these
two statutes sJnce early 1983, As Administrator, I will
work to build the same record of progress under all of EPA's
basic environmental laws*
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Before turning to your questions, I want to share with
you several management goals I have set for my term as EPA
Administrator. I would be happy to discuss them with you at
length In this forum, and In future ones.
Firstly, I will emphasize continued Implementation of
the basic programs EPA Is responsible for. EPA will do the
best possible Job with the statutes given us by Congress. 1
will manage the agency the same way 1 managed Its hazardous
waste programs — for results.
To assist In setting goals and achieving them, we will
maintain and enhance the management systems developed in
recent years to identify problems, monitor progress and
measure success. Where necessary, we will develop new ones
to fill management gaps as we identify them. 1 will also
work with state officials to assist in the development of
similar systems at the state level. For I believe that
commitment at all levels of government must be to measurable
progress in all areas of environmental protection.
A second goal will be to ensure a strong enforcement
presence in all agency programs. It is extremely important
that our enforcement efforts be fully integrated into each
program. Enforcement need not dominate our implementation
of environmental laws. But the regulated community must
know that we will not accept recalcitrance when it comes to
compliance. We will be ready to take aggressive enforcement
steps wherever necessary as part of our commitment to protecting
human health and the environment.
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Thirdly, I believe In decentralizing the management
process where It makes sense. Much of my government experience
has been at the state and local levels. 1 have a natural
bias toward managing programs close to the source of the
problem. In Superfund, I have worked to decentralize
declslonmaklng to the regions and the states. That process
will continue, and I will explore opportunities to further
decentralize other EPA programs.
It Is Important to recognize that, properly Implemented,
decentralization does not diminish the federal role. Rather,
it enhances that role. Effective decentralization allows for
a clear definition of the roles to be played by federal and
state authorities. It promotes efficiency and a system of
mutual support.
A fourth goal that I will pursue will be to ensure that
EPA has the strong scientific and technical base it needs to
support program decisions. This is a key component in
assessing risks and managing them. A solid technical
capability must be at the heart of our Judgment. It will be
a critical element of all public health decisions we at EPA
will make under my administration.
A fifth goal will be public accessablllty to EPA
through an effective community relations/public Involvement
program. This agency will continue to operate in a fishbowl.
Openness will be a hallmark of our agency as long as I am here.
I welcome varied opinions and viewpoints. I see them as useful
contributions to the decisions we must make.
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The American people have made It clear6 they want to be
Involved In critical environmental debates;, especially those
that affect their health and their property. The challenge
before us Is to provide citizens with access to our deliberations
and a meaningful role In our decisions. I have found that
the community relations program we Instituted under Superfund
helped people to understand our decisions and helped as to
understand their concerns.
Finally, I will work hard to make EPA the kind of agency
that attracts and retains quality people. We have a fine
professional staff now, and I am committed to maintaining it.
I believe very strongly In government work and government
workers. EPA employees are professionals and I respect them.
I will do all I can to Improve and enhance individual growth
and career opportunities for those who serve EPA through
commitments to professional development, individual mobility^
and opportunities to participate in the decisionmaklng process.
In closing, let me point out something I have learned
first-hand during the last two years working with Bill
Ruckelshaus. As federal agencies go, EPA is B. rather small
one. But In terms of Its impact on our societys EPA is
truly profound. For we literally touch the lives of all
Americans every day in the rules we promulgates the policies
we formulate, and the decisions we make.
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Because the citizens of our nation feel the Impact of
our work so directly, It Is essential that we keep In close
contact with those citizens and their representatives In
Congress. And that, too, Is why I am here today. To let you
know that I am concerned about our air, our water and our
land. I am committed to a continuation of strong environmental
leadership. And, above all else, I am aware that I am working
for the health and welfare of all Americans.
Thank you very much for this opportunity to appear before
you. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.
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