Former EPA Chiefs Call for Action on Climate Change

Six former administrators of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), including five Republicans, called on the Bush administration to impose limits on greenhouse gas emissions, which are contributing to global climate change. “This is a major disaster for the world,” said Russell Train, who served under Presidents Nixon and Ford from 1973 to 1977. William Ruckelshaus, who served as the first EPA administrator, under President Nixon from 1970 to 1973, and again under President Reagan from 1983 to 1985, agreed, noting, “Why argue about things you can’t prove? . . . There are all kinds of things we can do right now, and we ought to be taking those steps.” According to Lee Thomas, who served under President Reagan from 1985 to 1989, “We’ve got to start on this action. We can’t wait.” The U.S. Department of Energy anticipates a 37% increase in U.S. carbon emissions by 2030.