Greens denounce Utah governor, Bush's pick to run EPA

[Nambe]

Gannett News Service

The White House yesterday tapped Utah Protection Agency, a move conservationists immediately denounced.

Environmental groups said the three-term Republican governor supported the destruction of wetlands and wilderness. -

Sierra Club leaders said Leavitt negotiated two controversial deals with the Department of Interior to open up millions of acres of Utah wilderness to road building and development.

Leavitt also championed the Legacy Highway, which would have destroyed Utah's wetlands and farmland along the Great Salt Lake, said Carl Pope, the club's executive director. A federal court stopped the highway project.

"With a history of cutting closed-door deals at the expense of the environment, there is reason to be concerned that Gov.Leavitt can adequately play the role of environmental champion within the Bush administration," Pope said. -

[StClone]

1. Will we always complain about W appointees?

NO! Try nominating the head of the Sierra Club and see what happens!

[alfredo]

2. This is typical of neo cons

appoint the worst possible person to an agency you want to kill or subvert.

[displacedvermoter]

3. Well, this is certainly the kind of EPA choice Al Gore would have madeL

right?