WSP07982

• File Number: 8021
• Description: Section D General Correspondence - Western States Water Council
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 1/8/1993
• Author: Western States Water
• Title: Western States Water 1993 - Issues 973-1024
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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April 30, 1993
Issue No. 989

TIIE WEEKLY NEWSLETfER OF THE WESTERN STATES WA:

Creekview Plaza, Suite A-20l/942 East 7145 So. 1 Midvale, Utah 84047 1 [phone] 1 FAX (801) 255-%42

editor - Tony Willardson
typist - Carrie Curvin

ADMINISTRATlON UPDATE

Environmental Protection Agency

.

In a March 31 hearing before the Senate
Environment and Public Works Committee. EPA
Administrator Carol Browner testffied that EPA's
relationships with state, tribal, and local governments
'will make or break national environmental efforts.' As
the former director of a state environmental regulatory
agency, she said that at times EPA has been reluctant
to delegate authority to states, and that federal
oversight has focused too much on assuring
compliance with specffic requirements and not enough
on improving environmental quality. She stated that
EPNstate relations historically merit a 'B-minus grade,'
but the situation is improving as environmental
protection is seen as more important at all levels of
government. 'I feel strongly,' she said, 'that we cannot
reach national environmental objectives until we
acknowledge the value of, and support the building of,
strong state and local capacity to manage
environmental programs.'

.

Ms. Browner said that EPA personnel at
headquarters and in the regions are more aware than
in the past of the need for coordination with local,
tribal, and state governments. She offered as
examples the State-EPA Operations Committee, which
focuses on issues relating to state-managed EPA
programs, and the Local Dialogue Group, which has
met with local governments and their national
associations in Washington D.C. She also said EPA's
Office of Regional Operations and State-Local
Relations provides an important link between EPA
Headquarters, EPA regions, states, localities and
tribes, and noted that one of her priorities is to see
that the office has the resources and status it needs to
do its job effectively.

chairman - Dave Kennedy
executive director - Craig Bell

Regarding EPNtribal relations, Ms. Browner said
that 'building sound environmental management
programs in Indian Country is a major goal of the
agency.' She noted that EPA is committed to
'promoting Indian self-government and working with
tribes on a government-to-government basis.' She
added, 'As tribal governments continue to develop
their infrastructure and capacity, we look forward to
their implementation and management of
environmental programs including delegation and
enforcement activities.' She also recommended that
states and Indian tribes be involved early in the
process of reauthorizing federal environmental
statutes, and promised to produce an analysis of
options for achieving greater flexibility in the
expenditure of funds for environmental protection.

Ms. Browner concluded, 'We will establish as one
of EPA's primary missions the building of a national
environmental partnership with the states, tribes and
local governments.... I ask you to assist EPA in not
only improving EP A and state, tribal and local
government relations, but in reinventing environmental
protection as a critical endeavor in which state and
local governments are equal partners.'

ADMINISTRATlON UPDA~NERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Earlier this month the White House announced its
intention to nominate four new members to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The
White House also named Elizabeth Moler as Chair, a
position she has held in the interim since the
departure of Martin Allday. The new members are
Vicky Bailey, James Hoecker, William Massey, and
Donald Santa Santa and Moler served as Counsel to
the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee,