Volume 167, No. 9 covering the 1st Session of the 117th Congress (2021 - 2022) was published by the Congressional Record.
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“HONORING PETE LOPEZ” mentioning the Environmental Protection Agency was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E43 on Jan. 15.
More than half of the Agency's employees are engineers, scientists and protection specialists. The Climate Reality Project, a global climate activist organization, accused Agency leadership in the last five years of undermining its main mission.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING PETE LOPEZ
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HON. JENNIFFER GONZALEZ-COLON
of puerto rico
in the house of representatives
Friday, January 15, 2021
Miss GONZALEZ-COLON. Madam Speaker I rise today in recognition of the service of Pete Lopez, who is ending his term as Regional Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency for Region 2.
Region 2 includes New York, New Jersey, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, and having someone with Puerto Rico roots in charge of this Region was especially important in these last 4 years.
Puerto Rico was already facing important challenges in the areas of solid waste management, brownfields, power plant emissions and Superfund sites, in a territory with very limited extension of lands and waters. Pete Lopez made a great effort to work together with the Island government, the municipalities, and my office, to move through bureaucratic hurdles, review prior decisions, and inform the stakeholders, in order to perform the necessary work to protect the environment and empower the economic recovery of our communities.
But it was the devastation created by Hurricanes Irma and Maria that resulted in the biggest challenge with damage to environmental control facilities, drinking and wastewater processing infrastructure, and the generation of prodigious amounts of debris that our overstretched solid waste management systems were in no position to handle. Puerto Rico found in Pete Lopez a tireless supporter committed to our recovery and to have our rebuilding proceed the right way. Prior to joining EPA Mr. Lopez served as a Member of the New York State Assembly for over 10 years and 6 terms. During this time, Mr. Lopez successfully addressed flood recovery issues; helped create jobs; and both supported and advocated for children, families, teachers, schools, businesses, family farms and more. This definitely prepared him for what he had to face during his tenure at EPA. He knows what constituents need and what are their concerns, and what local and state governments need from the federal agencies.
As he completes this stage in his career, I congratulate him on his achievements, recognize his great efforts and wish him every possible success on the road ahead. Thank you, gracias, Pete, for your collaboration and for being there for us.
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