By Jennifer Kalish, Crain News Service
WASHINGTON (July 1, 2013) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been without a permanent administrator for 137 days, breaking a 40-year-old record for the longest period of time between permanent administrators, a group supporting Gina McCarthy's nomination said.
Ms. McCarthy has waited a record 119 days since her nomination on March 4 a record delay for a nominee to head the EPA, the site StandwithGina.com said.
The Senate could confirm Ms. McCarthy as early as July if she wins enough support from Republicans who have traditionally opposed filibustering presidential nominees, Politico reported.
"We need 51 votes. So this is really about whether or not people would filibuster," Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., told Politico. "I just think that filibustering a presidential nominee is not going to go well with the people."
Most of the 52 Democrats and independents Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, will either support Ms. McCarthy completely or support their party leadership on a procedural move to overcome a filibuster, according to the report.
There are also concerns that President Barack Obama's new climate agenda could torpedo her nomination.
"You have to have a head of EPA regardless of the president's views on climate change," Ms. Boxer said. "You can't have a leaderless EPA."
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This report appeared on the website of Waste & Recycling News, a Detroit-based sister publication of Tire Business.
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