Former Utah governor Mike Leavitt was sworn in as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at approximately 8:45 a.m. this morning by Acting EPA Administrator Marianne Horinko.
"I am honored to serve as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency," said Leavitt. "My immediate priority will be to visit EPA's administrative and program offices and meet as many members of our dedicated staff as quickly as I can. I want to hear from them what's important to the agency and for the public health and environment of our country as I prepare to outline a more detailed vision for the Agency."
In his first message to the agency, Leavitt explained that his approach to environmental management can be captured in one word: balance. "We need to balance the needs of the environment and the needs of humanity … balance the needs of this generation and the next."
"I also believe that environmental protection needs to be more than just an agency," he said. "It needs to be an ethic."
On October 28th, Leavitt was confirmed by an overwhelming majority of the U.S. Senate (88 - 8) to serve at the helm of the EPA.
During the confirmation process, Leavitt emphasized his strengths of collaborative environmental management, his commitment to air and water quality, land conservation and his dedication to ensuring effective stewardship of our natural resources.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
