Statement by Senator Jon S. Corzine
Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
Confirmation Hearing of Governor Christine Todd Whitman as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
Wednesday, January 17, 2001

Thank you, Chairman Reid. It is an honor to appear before you today, and to have been selected for membership on this Committee. I am excited and enthusiastic about the prospect of working with you, with Chairman-to-be Smith, and with all the members of the Committee. Today I am pleased to join my distinguished senior colleague from New Jersey, Senator Torricelli, in introducing Governor Christine Todd Whitman to the Committee. And let me begin by publicly congratulating Governor Whitman on her nomination to head the Environmental Protection Agency. It is a great honor and a truly vital role. The Garden State is proud. As Senator Torricelli has explained, Governor Whitman has a long and distinguished record of public service, and has made many important contributions to our State.

As you will see, Mr. Chairman, Governor Whitman is highly articulate and persuasive. She genuinely cares about the issues. And she knows how to make an impact.

She has been a leader in protecting New Jersey's 127-mile shoreline and in fighting for cleaner air - guarding against the kind of pollution that knows no state boundaries. And as an individual and a Governor, she has demonstrated a strong commitment to preserving open space. Given the Governor's record on matters of conservation, I'm not sure I would not have preferred to see her nominated for Secretary of the Interior.

As you well know, Mr. Chairman, the Administrator of EPA has the primary responsibility for ensuring that our air and water is clean, our natural resources are preserved, and our public health protected. It is a difficult job. It often requires a careful evaluation of highly complex scientific data, and an ability to translate that data into detailed policies. It needs someone who will fight internal battles to make environmental protection a budget priority. It needs someone who will work with local communities and businesses to find mutually acceptable solutions to environmental problems. And it needs someone who, when necessary, will be tough on polluters and force them to do the right thing.

Mr. Chairman, I believe Governor Whitman has the background, the experience and the skills necessary to do the job.

Of course, Mr. Chairman, these are not the only requirements for an EPA Administrator. These qualities must be matched by a determination to stand firm for the environment, to fully enforce our environmental laws and to fight for justice and equity for all. I know that you and other members of the Committee will want to ask the Governor for details about her views on specific environmental policies. And, once I get up on the other side of the dais, I will have questions of my own.

But having spoken privately with the Governor, I believe that she will be able to effectively articulate her positions on specific issues and establish a real commitment to environmental protection. And, without rushing to a conclusion before the hearing even starts, I fully expect that she will convince the Committee not only that she deserves to be confirmed, but that she has the tools to be an effective Administrator.

With that, Mr. Chairman, I would simply congratulate the Governor on her nomination and thank you for the opportunity to introduce her.