The White House lamented a decision by former Ohio official Donald Schregardus to withdraw his name from consideration for one of the administrations top environmental jobs after he encountered opposition from Democrats.
Schregardus asked President Bush in a letter to withdraw his name from consideration to the EPA's enforcement office after the nomination ran into opposition from several powerful Democratic senators. Senate Democrats rallied to oppose the nomination of Schregardus, citing what they described as his pro-industry acts while he headed the Ohio EPA.
Senate Democrats already angry about the Bush administrations plans to call off a U.S. Justice Department case against eight power plant operators in the South, Northeast and Midwest, said they feared Schregardus would further weaken enforcement of U.S. environmental laws.
In addition to his role at the Ohio EPA, Schregardus served in the federal EPA under former President George Bush.
