Former EPA administrator offers views on agency under Trump

A recent article posted on the Morning Consult website offered the perspective of former Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christine Todd Whitman, who served under President George W. Bush, on what the Trump administration could have in store for the EPA.

“He (Donald Trump) can’t (eliminate the EPA) by fiat,” Whitman said. “The agency is established by law, and even he has to respect the law. What he can do is starve it. He can encourage them to cut back on enforcement, which I would presume is another step he’d want to take. It’s one of the easier targets, in my mind, simply because of the regulations. Everybody hates regulations.”

Whitman also commented on a Jeff Holmstead, a leading contender for EPA administrator in Trump’s emerging administration. While Whitman disagrees with the former EPA assistant administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation on issues related to climate change, she thinks his familiarity with the agency could be beneficial.

“We’re not on the same page,” Whitman said. “I believe we should be part of the Paris accord. I believe climate change is greatly influenced by human behavior. We’re probably not on the same page, but he is someone who at least understands the agency.”