Governor Mike Leavitt�s environmental track record, which includes working behind closed doors with Interior Secretary Gale Norton to open up Utah�s wildlands to polluting industries, suggests that he will be a good fit for the Bush administration but a disappointing choice for Americans concerned with environmental protection.
As Governor, Mike Leavitt secretly negotiated two controversial deals with the Department of Interior to open up millions of acres of Utah wilderness to roadbuilding and development. As EPA Administrator, Governor Leavitt would not alleviate concerns that the Bush Administration is prone to making shady deals at the expense of a safe and healthy environment.
Governor Leavitt also championed the notorious Legacy Highway, which would have destroyed Utah�s world renowned wetlands and fertile farmlands along the Great Salt Lake. His appointment does not inspire confidence in a Bush Administration that removed federal oversight for 20 percent of America�s waterways.
CommonDreams August 11 2003
