Senate sends back Bush mine safety, air quality nominees

The Senate Thursday night returned several environmental and mine safety nominees to President Bush ahead of the August recess.

Democrats objected to the nominations of Richard Stickler to head the Mine Safety and Health Administration and John Ray Correll to head the Interior Department's Office of Surface Mining over concerns regarding their safety records. The United Mine Workers union also opposed both nominations.

The Senate also sent back to Bush his nomination of William Wehrum to be the Environmental Protection Agency's assistant administrator for air and radiation. Democrats say Wehrum -- who has been acting air and radiation director since last summer, and before then was deputy assistant administrator and chief counsel to the air office director -- has helped write air quality regulations in recent years that they oppose. These include rules regulating mercury pollution and changing the New Source Review permitting rule for refiners and electric utilities.

Other nominations returned Thursday include Tracy Henke to be executive director of the office of state and local government coordination and preparedness at the Homeland Security Department, James O'Gara to be deputy director for supply reduction at the Office of National Drug Control Policy and five judges.

"It's our hope that the president will take the opportunity to come up with more suitable candidates," a spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said. Under Senate rules, nominations are returned to the president before the start of any congressional recess that lasts more than 30 days. But this rule is usually waived by unanimous consent, though exceptions can be made for specific nominations.

Sens. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., challenged Stickler's nomination, while Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., questioned Stickler's record as head of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Deep Mine Safety. GOP leaders had to postpone a cloture vote on his nomination in June because of a lack of support.

Byrd had a hold on Correll's nomination to provide more time to consider his nomination but had not decided whether to oppose him, his spokesman said. Byrd met with Correll this week.

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., had placed a hold on Correll and Mark Myers' nomination to be director of the U.S. Geological Survey to protest the failure of Congress and the administration to reauthorize a rural schools program for logging communities. Myers' nomination also was sent back to Bush Thursday, as was David Bernhardt to be solicitor of the Interior Department.

It is also unclear who objected to Wehrum, though Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., had promised earlier this year to hold up his nomination. Aides to Wyden and Boxer did not return calls. President Bush could renominate the candidates when the Senate returned.

"The president believes these nominees are highly qualified to serve in these positions," a White House spokeswoman said. "The next step will come after the Senate is back in session."