Gina McCarthy Confirmed by U.S. Senate For EPA Post
And, here is the third one of the day from Lee Hoffman.....
On June 2, 2009, the U.S. Senate confirmed former Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Gina McCarthy as the Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. McCarthy's resignation from DEP became effective upon her confirmation by the Senate.
McCarthy was nominated for the post based in large part on her work with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a auction-based initiative in ten states designed to reduce emissions from power plants throughout the Northeast. Citing her work in RGGI and the importance of climate change regulation to his administration, President Obama appointed McCarthy to the EPA post in March. Her appointment stalled in the Senate where several Republican Senators took issue with the administration's proposals to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.
Senator John Barrasso, a Republican from Wyoming, had been leading the opposition to McCarthy's nomination, citing his concerns as to how EPA would regulate greenhouse gas emissions from small businesses, schools and hospitals. Senator James Inhofe, an Oklahoma Republican and ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, discussed the issue with EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. According to a statement released by Inhofe, “In a letter to me, Administrator Jackson agreed that the Clean Air Act is a flawed mechanism for addressing global warming. She also agreed that the act lacks statutory flexibility in important areas, which could be problematic for small businesses, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and other small sources.”
Based on that letter, Inhofe and Barrasso agreed to removed their hold on McCarthy's appointment, and McCarthy was approved by the Senate by a voice vote. It is anticipated that McCarthy will assume her duties at EPA immediately.
From a personal perspective, we will miss Commissioner McCarthy's leadership here in Connecticut and we wish her well in her new endeavor.
