Facing an uphill battle, Donald Schregardus, President Bush’s choice to head the U.S. EPA’s enforcement division, withdrew his name from consideration yesterday. Schregardus told Bush in a letter that it was clear that his “nomination will not be considered by the U.S. Senate in a timely manner.” He was right to think so. Earlier this month, the EPA released a report that was critical of environment enforcement efforts in Ohio, where Schregardus used to head the environmental agency. Since then, Sen. James Jeffords (I-Vt.), head of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, has made clear that he wouldn’t move quickly on the nomination, and some Democrats have vowed to block it. Schregardus is the first Bush nominee for an environmental post not to make the grade.
