U.S. EPA Administrator Christie Whitman handed President Bush her letter of resignation yesterday, citing the desire to spend more time with her family. Whitman, who was frequently at odds with the Bush administration and constantly under fire from conservationists and industry leaders alike, did not mention political differences as a factor in her decision to step down from her post. Her resignation — which will be effective June 27 — comes shortly after the White House called on Cabinet members and senior staff to leave now or commit through the 2004 election. In her letter to Bush, Whitman defended the EPA’s policies, which environmentalists have characterized as a series of attacks on air, water, and land protections. Enviros have been predicting Whitman’s resignation since last year, with some calling on her to step down on principle to protest the Bush administration’s anti-environmentalism.
