Democrats Suggest Blocking EPA Nominees

[rogue emissary]

By ERICA WERNER,
Associated Press Writer
Thu Jul 14, 9:01 PM ET
WASHINGTON -

Two Democratic senators suggested Thursday they may block one or more of President Bush's nominees to key Environmental Protection Agency posts unless they get answers they want from the agency.

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., said he wanted to know when the EPA would issue regulations for lead paint exposure from house remodeling. . .

Obama told reporters after the hearing that he wanted a definite date from EPA officials about when they would issue the regulations, which by law were supposed to have come out in 1996. If that's not forthcoming, he said, he would use "whatever mechanisms I have available to get their attention."

Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., indicated she might block one of the nominees unless she gets details on an EPA list of 103 Superfund sites where the agency has suggested human exposure is possible. She said she wants the sites listed in order of health hazard, along with details on cleanup costs and how many children live nearby.

"All I've gotten from EPA is incomplete information," Boxer told Susan Bodine, the nominee for assistant administrator for the office of solid waste and emergency response, which includes the Superfund program.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story=/ap/20050715/ap_on_go_ot/epa_nominees_1