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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7 – 11201 Renner Blvd., Lenexa, KS 66219
Serving Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations
What They Are Saying: 50 Years of Environmental Partnerships
(Lenexa, Kan., July 1, 2020) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency closed out its month-long celebration of the key international, state, local, tribal, and non-governmental organization partnerships as part of its EPA at 50 series. The Agency highlighted some of the thoughtful and inspiring messages received from partners over the month:
Virginia LeClere, Environmental Manager for the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation in Kansas: “The Prairie Band has been sitting at the table with the EPA since 1995. Our journey started with our very first GAP grant. We took the textbook approach and utilized that initial GAP grant to start building all our programs over the course of 25 years. Our Clean Water Act 106, 319, Wetlands, Air Quality 103, and 105, lead based paint, radon, 128A tribal response, solid and hazardous waste, and wastewater. Since 1995 the Prairie Band experienced a lot of really rapid growth and development and all that development brought a host of new and different social, cultural, and environmental challenges. So naturally, and fortunately, our work with EPA had to evolve and mature through all those changes too. It’s been an educational, sometimes challenging, but overall a really rewarding and fruitful partnership.”
Clarence E. Anthony, CEO and Executive Director, National League of Cities: “As we celebrated the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in April, we are also celebrating the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The environmental movement led to cleaner air, water and land in our communities. The partnership between local leaders and the EPA has made this progress possible. Local leaders know there is more work to do to ensure all residents have access to clean and safe drinking water and improved air quality to protect health, and to revitalize our cities, towns and villages. We look forward to a continued partnership with the EPA as we advance environmental protection while growing our economies, which go hand in hand.”
Matthew Chase, Executive Director, National Association of Counties: “As both regulators and regulated entities, county governments play a key role in environmental stewardship, infrastructure and other essential functions that serve our residents. Meaningful consultation and partnerships among federal, state, tribal and local officials result in more common-sense, practical regulations while reducing unfunded mandates on local governments. The EPA’s Federalism Consultation Program helps us achieve our shared environmental and community development goals.”
David Adkins, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, The Council of State Governments: “Throughout our nation’s history, the states have served as the laboratories of democracy, able to develop and execute policy innovations to address the priority challenges facing our states and nation. Establishing a process that ensures states maintain their roles as true partners in our federal system, and not just another stakeholder, is critical not only for the future of our states, but for the future of our nation as a whole. Whether you agree or disagree with the proposed policy, the EPA continues to engage state and local governments early in the rulemaking process, ensuring their voices and concerns are being considered as part of the federalism consultation process.”
J. Alan Roberson, P.E., Executive Director, Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA): “The members of the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA), the co-regulators with EPA for drinking water, have worked closely with the Agency to ensure that Americans have safe drinking water. EPA’s federalism consultation process under E.O. 13132 has allowed the states to partner in rule development by helping to ensure that federal regulations provide states with the tools they need to optimize public health protection.”
Dania E. Rodriguez, Executive Director, Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials: “The Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials (ASTSWMO) values our partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA’s federalism process allows our members, the 50 States, 5 Territories and the District of Columbia (States), the opportunity to improve our regulations that address remediation, revitalization and reuse of the numerous sites and properties we work together on in the Brownfields, Federal Facilities, Hazardous Waste, Materials Management, Superfund and Tanks programs. As co-regulators, with our federal partners, we strive to protect and improve public health and the environment and look forward to continuing and strengthening our partnership the next 50 years and beyond.”
Michael Griffin, Executive Director, County of Executives of America: “The federal rulemaking arena can be perilous territory for state and local governments. EPA’s “gold standard” Federalism consultation program stands alone among federal agencies and demonstrates a clear commitment to the principles of E.O. 13132 by ensuring that local governments are both heard and heeded as environmental and public health-protecting regulations are crafted.”
Michael Keegan, Policy Analyst, National Rural Water Association: “The National Rural Water Association, the nation’s largest water utility association and the largest community-based environmental organization, holds as sacrosanct the principles of federalism and local community governance within the 50 state laboratories of democracy. As such, NRWA and its members commend EPA for its conscientious implementation of E.O. 13132, Federalism, and look forward to strengthening this partnership in the coming years.”
For more on EPA’s 50th Anniversary and how the agency is protecting America’s public health and the environment, visit: https://www.epa.gov/50.
Follow EPA’s 50th Anniversary celebration on social media using #EPAat50.
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