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DENVER--Following is a statement by Utah Governor Mike
Leavitt in response to a new rule issued today by the Environmental Protection Agency for
reducing haze in national parks and wilderness areas. Gov. Leavitt serves as lead governor
for the Western Governors' Association air quality initiatives and is the co-chair for the
Western Regional Air Partnership in which 10 Western states are currently members. He also
served as Vice Chairman for the Grand Canyon Visibility Transport Commission. In 1996, the
GCVTC submitted recommendations to EPA for improving visibility in 16 national parks and
wilderness areas on the Colorado Plateau. Those recommendations were developed by a
diverse group of stakeholders, including all levels of government, industry, environmental
and nonprofit groups, and academia. "This rule has great importance for Western
states and tribes, which have been involved in a nine-year effort to craft an effective
and workable regional haze program for our region. We have worked hard with the
Environmental Protection Agency, environmental groups and industry to propose changes that
would allow the Grand Canyon Visibility Transport Commission recommendations to be
implemented. With this rule, Western states will be able to join together with our other
partners in the Western Regional Air Partnership to protect and enhance visibility in more
than 100 national parks and wilderness areas in the West. The WRAP partners - states,
tribes, federal agencies, industry, and environmental groups - will be able to move
forward more rapidly in improving visibility in the West, as a result of today's
announcement.
"The criteria I set for making changes were, first, implementation of the rule
must meet reasonable progress goals defined by the Commission so our region's visibility
is protected and enhanced. Second, the rule must provide incentives sufficient to have
states, including the governors, legislatures and regulators and their stakeholders agree
to be bound by the Commission's aggressive timetable. Third, the burdens upon the states
must be reasonable so that the rule can be administered in a fair, effective and efficient
manner.
"Our proposed changes to the draft rule were based on intense negotiations among
our states and stakeholders. The Western Regional Air Partnership is committed to working
together in a cooperative and committed process that will yield the result we all want - a
reduction in the man-made haze that all too often ruins the spectacular vistas for which
our most treasured parks and wilderness areas are known."
Additional information on the Western Regional Air Partnership, the EPA Haze Rule and
the Commission recommendations is available at www.wrapair.org.
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