Gore's Influence on Environmental Policy

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Early in his Administration, President Bill Clinton has shown signs that in fashioning environmental policy, he will rely heavily upon the advice of Vice President Al Gore. Since the election, Gore has spearheaded efforts to make the environment one of the Administration's top priorities. At a White House press briefing recently, Gore said the President has "asked me to oversee" the rulemaking process at EPA.

Under advisement from Gore, Clinton promptly kept a campaign promise and abolished the Council on Competitiveness in late January. The council, which was headed by former Vice President Dan Quayle, frequently was criticized for delaying the implementation of regulations and offering business concerns, in Gore's words, "a back door to hotwire the regulatory process."

William Bode, general counsel of the Environmental Business Assn., said he was disappointed to see the council disbanded, but is "cautiously optimistic" that the Office of Management and Budget (OBM) will continue to review proposed regulations and estimate their overall impact on industry.

Another sign of Gore's influence was evident at a Feb. 8 press conference where he and President Clinton announced they were abolishing the Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ) and creating the Office on Environmental Policy (OEP), which will be headed by a former Gore aide.

Congress had delegated CEQ the responsibility of providing the nation with a comprehensive view of environmental …