USDA's Veneman Names Environment Undersecretary
Copyright 2001 Reuters
June 21, 2001
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman on Thursday named a former top official with the American Forest and Paper Association to head all of the department's conservation and environmental programs including oversight of the nation's 190 million acres of national forests.
During the early 1990s, Mark Rey was vice president with the national trade group representing forest, paper and wood products industry.
If confirmed, Rey will leave his position as a staff member on the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Environmentalists said they were skeptical of Rey's nomination.
``This is indicative of a pattern of nominees from the (Bush) administration of putting those people who are in favor of resource extraction...in charge of our public lands,'' said Sean Cosgrove, Sierra Club (news - web sites)'s national forest policy specialist.
Cosgrove said the environmental group had not yet taken a position for or against Rey's nomination.
However, industry officials and Forest Service employees praised Veneman's choice.
``He has done some good things for the forest sector,'' said Art Johnston, legislative chairperson for the union representing Forest Service employees. ``We look forward to working with him.''