Volume 150, No. 139 covering the 2nd Session of the 108th Congress (2003 - 2004) 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.
“THANKING BOB KENNEY AND WISHING HIM WELL” mentioning the Environmental Protection Agency was published in the Senate section on pages S12050-S12051 on Dec. 8, 2004.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
THANKING BOB KENNEY AND WISHING HIM WELL
Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I rise today to thank Robert (``Bob'') Kenney, a lawyer with the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, for his significant contributions to my office this year as a Brookings Legislative fellow. We will miss his contributions, experience land knowledge, but it is heartening to know that EPA's rank and file includes dedicated and capable civil servants like Bob.
Bob has worked at EPA for over 30 years implementing our clean air, clean water, and toxics laws. This is Bob's second year as a fellow in the Senate. In 1990, he helped draft parts of the Clean Air Act Amendments, the Oil Pollution Act, and Clean Water Act. He ill return later this month to his role as senior counsel at EPA, and I hope his experience in the Senate this year proves helpful to him in his future endeavors.
I would like to mention some of the specific contributions Bob made to my office and to our country. Bob took the lead in developing legislation I am introducing today to amend the Oil Pollution Act. Two weeks ago, my home State of New Jersey suffered a devastating oil spill in the Delaware River. The consequences for our natural resources and economy will take some time to assess, but it is clear they will be substantial. In response to that s Dill and to provide incentives to shippers to shift to safer double-hull vessels faster, the Oil Spill Liability Act of 2004 would phase out the liability cap for single-hull tankers. The bill would double the liability limits for double-hull vessels and facilities since those limits have not changed since they were established 14 years ago. I thank Bob for his hard work on this important bill.
Bob also took the lead on the brownfields tax provision that was successfully added to the JOBS bill which became law this year, Public Law 108-357. We all have so-called brownfields in our States--the long-
abandoned manufacturing facilities--and we know how important it is to get these properties cleaned up and put back productive use. My amendment provides developers interested in brownfields with greater access to capital--alleviating what developers say is their number one problem when it comes to investing in these properties and sites. It does this by exempting funds which originate with tax-exempt entities, such as pension funds and university endowments, from being subject to the ``unrelated business income tax'' or UBIT, when those funds are used to clean up and re-sell large brownfield properties. This provision will give developers access to up to $7 trillion in assets. It represents a tremendous opportunity, potentially, for new jobs and a cleaner environment.
Based on Bob's research and recommendation, I worked to ensure that fiscal year 2005 funding to control the Asian longhorned beetle, ALB, ended up being more than triple the President's budget request. The ALB is a wood-boring insect native to China and Korea that has invaded New York, Illinois, and New Jersey via shipping containers. The beetle kills a wide variety of hardwood trees, but has a preference for sugar maples. In New Jersey, this insect's lethal damage to our forests is spreading, and these extra funds will help to combat that destruction.
I also thank Bob for his work on the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail, a Coastal Restoration bill, a bill to protect captive exotic animals, and many other projects. It has not been an easy year to promote, what I believe, are common sense environmental protections and initiatives, so we did not achieve all the successes we had hoped for during the year. But Bob's impact will last far beyond his stay here in the Senate.
It has become fashionable in some quarters to bash Government employees. This is unfortunate and unfair. I have to say that since I became a United States Senator, I have been impressed by the hard work and professionalism of the public servants I have encountered. Bob is no exception. He has tremendous expertise, he is diligent, and he obviously cares for our country. I appreciate his service during the past year he has been a member of my staff, more importantly, I appreciate an entire career spent in selfless service to our Nation. I extend my best wishes to Bob as he returns to EPA and resumes his career there.
____________________
Alerts Sign-up