Statement of Jon S. Corzine
Senate
Committee on Environment and Public Works
Tuesday,
May 7, 2002
Thank
you, Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to
introduce New Jerseyan John Peter Suarez to the committee. Mr. Suarez has been nominated by President
Bush to be the Assistant Administrator for EPA's Office of Enforcement and
Compliance Assurance. I also want to
welcome his wife Natalie and their three young children, daughters Chloe and
Laina, and their seven-week old son Maxwell.
Mr.
Chairman, J.P. Suarez has served with distinction as a public servant in several
capacities in New Jersey. He worked as
an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Newark.
He later served Governor Whitman as an Assistant Counsel and as a Special
Assistant to the Director of the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice. And most recently, Mr. Suarez served as the
Director of New Jersey's Division of Gaming Enforcement. He has received awards throughout his
career, and I believe would bring a strong enforcement ethic to the EPA.
Mr.
Chairman, the laws that EPA implements are designed to protect public health and
the environment. Strong enforcement of
these laws is critical to the people of New Jersey. My state has more Superfund sites than any other state. And we have continuing problems with air and
water pollution that impact the health of New Jerseyans. So the top enforcement position at EPA is a
critical one for my constituents.
I have
met with Mr. Suarez, and he has assured me that he will work to vigorously
enforce these laws. I take him at his
word, Mr. Chairman, and am supporting his nomination. I look forward to working closely with him to ensure that EPA
enforcement is carried out in a way that protects the health of New Jerseyans
and all Americans.
I want
to close by congratulating Mr. Suarez on his nomination, and I look forward to
the balance of today's hearing.