Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt (R) is President George W. Bushs choice to head the Environmental Protection Agency. Bush announced the nomination Aug. 11 in Colorado while visiting Western states to boost his environmental image.
The announcement was a surprise to agency watchers. Leavitt had not been mentioned as a possible candidate to succeed former N.J. Gov. Christine Todd Whitman (R) when she resigned her post as EPA administrator effective June 27. Marianne L. Horinko, who heads the EPA office that oversees the Superfund program, has been acting administrator since July 11.