Senate confirms new EPA head; agency faces lawsuits

WASHINGTON (Oct. 28)—The Senate confirmed Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt 88-8 as the new administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency just as the agency faced one of its biggest challenges of the Bush administration. Thirteen states and more than 20 cities sued the EPA, claiming its changes to the equipment replacement provisions of the New Source Review permitting program would increase emissions from utilities, refineries and industrial facilities. The new rules—which sets forth guidelines when facilities may be exempt from going through the entire New Source permitting process when installing new equipment—bring certainty to an uncertain process, the Rubber Manufacturers Association said when the rules were issued Aug. 27.