Utah Insurance

The White House opened Monday Dir Utah Mike Leavitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency, a step immediately denounced nature.

Environmental groups said the three-term Republican governor supports the destruction of wetlands and wildlife.

But his supporters insisted on its work to try to reduce air pollution over the Grand Canyon and business groups, said Leavitt would have more control over environmental policy.

“In Utah and beyond, it is far from respect for handling environmental issues in a spirit of openness and bipartisanship,” said President Bush. “These qualities and his experience as Mike Leavitt is a complement I for management

Leavitt, 52, must still be confirmed by the Senate, which is bitter, broken down in most major environmental issues.

If confirmed, it would be to replace former New Jersey Dir Christie Whitman, a moderate, left the post in May in frequent clashes with conservatives of the Bush administration.

Sierra Club Leavitt said the head of negotiation on two controversial deals with the Department of the Interior, to open millions of hectares of desert of Utah and development of roads.

Leavitt occurs Heritage Highway, Utah’s destroyed arable land and wetlands along the Great Salt Lake, said Carl Pope, the club executive director. The Federal Court has stopped the project of the highway.

“With a history of cutting closed the door, to the detriment of the environment, there is reason to be concerned that the Governor Leavitt can reasonably play the role of champion of the environment within the Bush administration,” the pope said.

But supporters of Leavitt said he has a strong record on improving air quality in Utah and the West as co-chairman of the Western Regional Air Partnership.

“It is high ecological progress, if we work together in the centre of production,” said Leavitt.

The governor has long been advocated increased cooperation between the Confederation environment, countries and local officials, said Jeffrey Marks of the National Association of Manufacturers. “His approach is really federalist home of responsibility for environmental law and the implementation of new to each country, know their own needs and realities of Washington better,” said Marks.

Utility spokesman for industry François Maisano, said: “I think the governor has a solid record of education and consensus is important once again, what happens is a very difficult task . ”

Leavitt first rejected, the work of journalists say Utah, in June, he intends to run for a fourth term as governor.

Before joining as governor, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Leavitt Group, an insurance company regionally. He led the National Governors’ Association from 1999 to 2000.

Idaho, Dirk Kempthorne Dir as front-runner for the job. Kempthorne said the chief of General Staff of the White House Andrew Card told him Sunday night, it was a close call of the president.

The new administrator of the EPA are battles with Congress on air pollution regulations, drinking water and protection mechanisms Fund clearance.

A priority for President Bush is the passage of his “Clear Skies” law, with the aim to reduce smog, Russia and mercury, that spews smokestacks and premature deaths caused. However, most Senate Democrats and some moderate Republicans say Bush bill would reduce pollution does not go far enough or fast enough. It has also been criticized, does nothing to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, which leads to the warming of the planet.

It is also the potential for a bad quarrel around the Clean Water Act, the administration decided that, as the interpretation of a recent court decision that could lead to reduced protection of wetlands and small streams.

The new head of the EPO also find clamoring states and municipalities for more federal funds for the cleanup of toxic waste. A super tax reference, with polluting industries in 1995, has expired, so that the EPA from competition with other agencies for tax dollars to finance the costly cleanup.