Document 5kDnRaEnkxvaaO2RxGVO7gwxJ

BRACE W ELL July 27, 2017 BY E-MAIL AND BY FIRST-CLASS MAIL Chairman John Barrasso United States Senate 307 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Ranking MemberTom Carper United States Senate 513 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Re: Nomination of Bill Wehrum Dear Sirs: I understand that President Trump has announced his intent to nominate Bill Wehrum to serve as the Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). I have known Mr. Wehrum for more than 20 years and have had the chance to work with him and to see his work on a wide variety of Clean Air Act regulatory, policy, and legal issues. I cannot imagine anyone better to lead EPA's Office of Air and Radiation at this critical time in EPA's history. I believe that Bill is the only person ever to have worked on Clean Air Act issues as an environmental engineer at a major chemical plant, a young attorney in private practice, a senior policy maker at EPA, and the head of the environmental group at a major law firm. After he graduated from Purdue University with a degree in chemical engineering in 1986, he started working at a large chemical plant and soon thereafter was put in charge of ensuring that the plant was in compliance with all applicable environmental requirements. After several years at the plant, he started attending law school at night while still working full time. Then, after graduating from law school with honors in 1993, he started working on Clean Air Act issues as a young lawyer at one of Washington's top environmental law firms. I was working at a competing law firm at the time, but after working with him Jeffrey R, Hoim stead[ \sw ibookm ark "F ro m l" ][ \sw ib ookm ark "F ro m l" ][ \sw ib ookm ark "F ro m l" ][ \sw ibookm ark "From l" ] Partnerl \swibcicikroark `VwiCivIYtieS:i H Xsw ibookm ark :-* " SWit&'l 'n t ie S " jf . . , ..... . , . .. <................... : . ____ u >. . :........................................................... ..................... -, . . :................... > "swiCSVITitiei." jf \sw;hook?rark .. .................... . , ........................ ......... ., . . . .................... . , ........................ . . . "swCMTiel" j ..................r .................................................................. .........................................................r .................................................................. " :etf.ho!m stead#bracew eiLconi[ vswibooKmark "sw iCMEma" j[ tewibookm ark "sw iCM Em ail" j[ \.swibookmark A UST IN C O NNECT iCUT DALE AS DUBAI HO UST O N LO N DO N NEW Y O R K SA N A NTONI O S ATTLE W AS H INGT O N, DC Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA Tier 3/4 ED 002061 00156492-00001 BRA C EW E L LBR A CE NX/E LL John Barrasso Thomas Carper [ \swibookmark "ToInHeader" ][ \swibookmark "ToInHeader" ][ \swibookmark "ToInHeader" ][ \swibookmark "ToInHeader" ] [ STYLEREF Date \* MERGEFORMAT ] Page [ PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT ] on a major regulatory project, my partners and I recruited him to our law firm in 1998. After I became the Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation in 2001, I was very happy that Bill agreed to go to EPA to serve as my counsel. He was named acting Assistant Administrator when I left EPA in 2005. Bill is well-respected and well-liked by the career staff at EPA - and by anyone who has ever worked with him. During his almost 6 years at EPA, he worked closely with career staff on a wide range of issues and was known for rolling up his sleeves and getting involved in the details of the Agency's regulations and permitting programs. From his work as an environmental engineer, his time at the Agency, and his many years of counseling clients, he has a comprehensive understanding of EPA's regulatory programs and the many technical issues involved in implementing the Clean Air Act. Bill is committed to the goals of the Clean Air Act and to the rule of law. He is also a person of the highest integrity. I am confident that, within the framework established by Congress, he will work to protect public health and the environment while at the same time pursuing regulatory reforms that will reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens. Truly, there is no better person to serve as the Assistant Administrator of EPA for Air and Radiation. Sincerely, Jeffrey R. Holmstead Partner A U ST I N C O N N E C T I C U T D AL L A S DUBAI H O U ST O N L ON DO N NEW YO RK SAN A N T O N I O S E A T T L E W A S H I N G T O N , DC Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA Tier 3/4 ED 002061 00156492-00002