Document qwKeL3n3qra9xXg32MEZV7pn

BRACEWELL BY E-MAIL AMD BY FIRST-CLASS MAIL Chairman John Barrasso United States Senate 307 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Ranking Member Torn Carper United States Senate 513 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Re: Nomination of Bill Welirum 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 taw 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 ail 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 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 2001,1was very happy that Bill agreed to go to EPA to serve as my counsel. He was named acting Assistant Administrator when 1left EPA in 2005. Bill is well-respected and well-iiked 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 Jeffrey R. Hoirostead Partner T: j -"g >. F. -i,goo.404.3970 2001 VI Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20035-3310 jeffUtolmste9d@braceweif.com hracewefi.com AUSTI N C ON N EC T I C UT DALLAS D U B a ! HOUSTON LONDON NEW YOR N A NT O N 10 SEATTLE WA S HI NGT ON, DC Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA Tier 3/4 ED 002061 00156525-00001 BRCEWELl John Barrasso Thomas Carper Page 2 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 ERA for Air and Radiation. Sincerely, Jeffrey R. Hoimstead Partner AUSTIN CONNECTICUT DALLAS DUBAI HOUSTON LONDON W Y C R K SAN ANTONIO S EA T T L E WASHING DC Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA Tier 3/4 ED 002061 00156525-00002