U.S. Senate Committee on
Environment and Public Works

OPENING STATEMENT

U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer

“Hearing on Pending Nominations”

October 2, 2007

(Remarks as prepared for delivery)

This morning the Committee meets to consider the nominations of 6 individuals.

We will first hear from Mr. Andrew Cochran of Virginia, who is nominated to be the Inspector General of the Environmental Protection Agency.

On the second panel, we will hear from Mr. John Bresland of New Jersey, who is nominated to be both a member of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board and its Chairperson. Mr. C. Russell H. Shearer is also nominated to be a member of that Board.

The second panel also includes Mr. Thomas Gilliland to be a member of the board of directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority. Two other reappointment nominations for the board of TVA, Susan Williams and William Graves, are not present today, but have submitted the required paperwork.

Mr. Cochran, I intend to carefully review your qualifications for the position. The EPA Inspector General must be an individual that is committed to protection of the environment, as well as an effective investigator. You must also be willing to maintain an adequately sized staff of qualified individuals to help you succeed in your job.

Congress and the American public rely upon the IG to be thorough, objective, and determined to ensure the Environmental Protection Agency fulfills its mission.

Mr. Bresland and Mr. Shearer, it is critical that the Chemical Safety Board maintain itself as an independent Federal agency that investigates industrial chemical accidents. This is highly technical work that is important to providing a safe workplace and protecting the public and the economy.

If confirmed, I would expect you both to be aggressive in reviewing the effectiveness of regulations and regulatory enforcement that both avoid accidents and mitigate their impacts.

We also have before us Mr. Thomas Gilliland of Georgia. Mr. Gilliland, your senator, Senator Isakson, speaks highly of you. I look forward to discussing with you your commitment to making sure that TVA demonstrates a commitment to environmental leadership, including reducing green house gasses and addressing global warming.

# # #