LEGISLATIVE DAY: A New Set Of Solutions

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Christie Todd Whitman encouraged pest management professionals to expand their roles as environmental stewards during her speech at the National Pest Management Association’s (NPMA) Legislative Day on Feb. 26. Whitman, the nation’s top environmental official, became the first EPA Administrator to make an appearance at an NPMA meeting.

“In her U.S. Senate confirmation hearings, (U.S. EPA Administrator Christie Todd Whitman) said that she ‘believed that environmental and economic goals go hand in hand’ and that she would continue her record of working to forge strong partnerships with businesses to produce measurable environmental results,” said Bob Rosenberg, director of government affairs for NPMA. “She and other members of her leadership team have been true to that vision for which we are appreciative. I hope that the pest management industry is known for its proactive and responsible approach to environmental stewardship and looks forward to being a full partner in (her) efforts.”

The following is a transcript of Whitman’s comments regarding the pest management industry at NPMA Legislative Day. In addition to the comments here, Whitman also spoke about other new EPA initiatives including legislation to improve air quality, water quality and legislation to encourage the development of “brownfields.” Brown-fields are abandoned, idled, or under-used industrial and commercial facilities where expansion, redevelopment, or reuse is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination.

TRANSCRIPT. “It’s a pleasure to be with you this afternoon, especially when I understand that I am the first administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to actually be here to address this group. That’s one of the things I don’t really understand because as head of the EPA you find out very very quickly there are a host of pests to manage. And I would think that since you all have the expertise that this is the place administrators would come and say, ‘Help, how do I deal with it?’ Of course, some of those that we designate as pests, not everybody would say the same thing and they might object to some of what you might recommend…

“I am very pleased to be here today to talk with you about some of the priorities that this administration has for the Environmental Protection Agency and the efforts that we are undertaking to transform the EPA so that it’s ready to help America achieve the next generation of environmental success.

“My goal is really very simple at EPA. It’s to leave our air cleaner, our water purer and our land better protected than we found it. But while on the surface this goal sounds very simple, it is in fact extremely difficult to achieve and involves a change in the way that the Agency looks on its mission and seeks to carry out its mission. To begin with, it really suggests that we should stop measuring environmental progress by quantifying how much process we’ve engaged in, but actually start to measure and ask the questions about our progress. Is our air really cleaner? Are we truly making our water purer? Is our land better protected because of the regulations that we have implemented or the tasks that we have undertaken?

“If you’re like most Americans I think you’d be surprised to learn that in fact the condition of the environment has improved over the last 30 years. It’s much better today than it was when the Environmental Protection Agency was first established and it continues to get better. The actions the government has taken over the last 32-some-odd years has, in some cases, eliminated and in many cases, greatly enhanced and improved upon some of the most challenging environmental issues that we have faced. Clearly we have to do a better job of educating people about how much things have improved over 30 years of environmental protection and we need to let them know exactly what kind of steps we need to take to achieve the next generation of environmental progress.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that the challenges of the 21st century for the environment are going to require a new set of solutions. Organizations, such as this one, are going to have to play a role — more of a role than you have in the past — in helping us to reach the kinds of solutions that we are seeking. A key part of how we proceed on this new regulatory environment is going to be one that puts less of an emphasis on racking up fines and penalties and, in fact, puts more focus on promoting compliance and results. Because that’s really what we’re after: results. And we feel that we can get at those better if we have everybody working together in the same direction. We want to replace an obsession with process with a commitment to progress. And that is where this administration wants to take this Agency. 

“Somebody once said that EPA’s regulations are a little like cockroaches — for every one you see there are 12 that you don’t. A part of our commitment is to make sure that we are not doing our regulatory work in the dark and that we are not doing it away from the view of those impacted by the regulatory process.

“Fortunately, your organization and the 4,600 businesses it represents have had a constructive partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency for some time now. And I truly appreciate the work that you have done, and it’s a relationship that I look forward to building upon in the coming months and years as we move forward.

“I encourage the National Pest Management Association’s efforts to become engaged and responsible environmental stewards. You are going to be extremely important partners as we move forward on this next generation of environmental challenges that we face.

“Your work helps make peoples’ homes and workplaces and schools cleaner and healthier. And that’s something that we all want. That’s what we’re involved with at the Environmental Protection Agency. That’s what we want too. In many ways, that means our missions really are very very similar. We both are working to improve the quality of life enjoyed by our fellow citizens.”