Word: epa
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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WHEN Labor Secretary Raymond Denovan, EPA Chief Anne Gersuch Burford, and Secretary James Watt each embarrassed the Reagan Administration with immoral acts and statements, the immediate impulse of the chief executive and his sides was to rush to the defense of the offender. Martin S. Feldstein '61, chairman of the council of economic advisors, has made no grating gaffes and has taken no illegal actions. But he has publicly disagreed with the incredible claims of his boss, and independent thought appears to be the one crime the Administration cannot stand...
...receives so much publicity and merits front-page status at all. In fact this particular case possesses a double irony--firstly that the asbestos problem is miniscule compared to the overall national catastrophe of toxic substances, and secondly that it was solved by the Labor Department instead of the EPA, where the true mandate lies for cleaning up America...
...bureaucrats have been greeted with the level of near-euphoria accorded to new EPA Administrator William Ruckelshaus earlier this year, who has been characterized variously as "Mr. Clean," "Mr. Integrity," and "Mr. Fairness." After his appointment, even environmental groups remained silent for a time, appearing almost too scared to combine their shared criticism and hoping against hope for a change in the bureau's policies. For here again one can see an irony of contrast because William Ruckelshaus looked wonderful compared to Anne Burford, his predecessor. So far he has done little to deserve this praise...
...look at his actions thus far tells the story. In the past few months, the EPA has focused on image and cosmetics, which logically follows the large amount of political gloss placed on Mr. Ruckelshaus' appointment. Since taking office, he has spent a great deal of his time visiting regional offices--doubtless a good way to rebuild morale, but not worth the effort if the visits lack substance. And apparently they have, to some extent. So far this year these same regional offices, the backbone of the EPA, have sent 35 percent fewer cases than last year to Washington...
...real need for EPA action lies in the area of toxic wastes. In deed Mr. Ruckelhaus owes his current job to a failure to meet this need. Such problems as are and, to a lesser extent, water pollution have been addressed in the last decade, and great progress has been made. But Congress realized three years ago that contamination of our world by deadly chemicals could dwarf all previous environmental problems combined. To battle this growing disaster, they created the so-called "Superfund," a $1.6 billion appropriation to the EPA for locating toxic waste, prosecuting law-breakers, and enforcing clean...