The EPA administers and enforces a complex set of laws and regulations protecting public health and the environment. Although I understand you support cooperative efforts with industry to improve compliance with pollution and similar regulations, it is critical that EPA continue to enforce the law and hold violators responsible for their actions. My state has several Superfund sites that continue to require intensive monitoring and massive clean-up efforts. EPA must play a prominent role in preventing these environmental disasters from occurring again, either in my state or anywhere else in the country. Effective and fair enforcement can be used as a powerful tool to achieve this goal.
With that in mind, I think we all agree that the most important tasks of the EPA are to ensure that already contaminated sites are cleaned up and that public health is protected. I hope that you, Governor Whitman, will support creative efforts to ensure that these important priorities are achieved. Based upon your record as Governor of New Jersey, especially your support of Brownfields legislation, I believe that you will.
I look forward to working with you if you are confirmed on the many issues that will come before the Committee in the future and those issues that are unique to Montana. I also hope that you will accept my invitation to visit Montana. We have a few good trout streams.