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Great Lakes
Article:
DEQ
nomination wins applause from environmentalists
Chad Selweski
The Macomb Daily
12/27/2002
Gov.-elect Jennifer Granholm is winning high marks for
her choice of Steven Chester to head the Department of
Environmental Quality.
Chester's background as former deputy director of criminal
enforcement for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
appeals to environmental groups that have sharply criticized
the DEQ's enforcement efforts.
"We're very enthusiastic that Chester comes with a record
of being fair and consistent about environmental enforcement,"
said Cyndi Roper, Michigan director of Clean Water Action.
"Enforcement has been lax, and we need someone who will
make it clear to the business community that ... they
cannot push the envelope."
Chester, 48, of Williamston, is an attorney for Miller,
Canfield, Paddock and Stone. He served in the EPA from
1992 to 1995, and worked for six years before that for
the Environmental Protection Division of the state Attorney
General's Office under Frank Kelley.
Chester also worked in environmental enforcement for Wayne
County from 1982 to 1986, and served as legal counsel
to the Michigan Air Pollution Control Commission.
That's a resume that impresses environmentalists who have
relentlessly dogged the Engler administration, even in
the face of DEQ complaints that the "enviros" advocate
an extremist agenda. Under Engler, they say, the DEQ often
worked out settlements and "arrangements" with municipal
and industrial polluters rather than prosecuting and fining
them.
"He (Chester) has done a lot of criminal enforcement,"
said James Clift, policy director of the Michigan Environmental
Council. "It's nice to have someone in there who knows
when it's time to close someone down."
Though much of his background is in enforcement, Chester
has spent the past seven years on the other side of the
fence, representing the auto industry and other corporations
in cases involving environmental laws and regulations.
His clients have included automakers, auto suppliers,
paper and food production companies, and municipalities.
If his appointment is confirmed by the state Senate, Chester
could eventually oversee a combined department consisting
of the DEQ and the Department of Natural Resources, though
the consolidation might not take place until 2004.
Dough Martz, chairman of the Macomb County Water Quality
Board, said he hopes that one of Granholm's next appointments
will be to name outgoing county board Chairman John Hertel
to head the DEQ's Office of the Great Lakes.
Hertel, a Lenox Township Democrat, has earned praise for
his role in reducing Lake St. Clair pollution. During
the 2002 election campaign, Granholm vowed to go a step
beyond maintaining an Office of the Great Lakes and appoint
someone to oversee Lake St. Clair.
Martz said the Granholm administration will struggle early
on with DEQ budget cuts, but he believes the department
will play a more aggressive role in prosecuting polluters.
"I think she's going to enforce the law better than John
Engler did," said Martz, who endorsed Granholm in the
November election. "Under the Engler administration, the
only way anybody got caught was if they turned themselves
in, or if something was super-obvious."
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