Obama Picks EPA Veteran Jon Cannon for Agency’s Deputy Administrator

Obama named Jon Cannon to be EPA deputy administrator last week. Cannon has served in the agency since the Reagan administration and has garnered support from both Democrats and Republicans.  While serving as general counsel for EPA during the Clinton administration, Cannon wrote a controversial memo on greenhouse gas regulation known as the Cannon memo which prompted a petition that EPA regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. The petition eventually led to the Supreme Court case Massachusetts v. EPA that required the EPA to determine whether GHG emissions pose a threat to public health. Roger Mortella, EPA general counsel under the Bush administration, said the Cannon memo is consistent with the policies the Obama administration intends to pursue and that the selection of Cannon "is further evidence the stars are lining up in the Obama administration to take quick action under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions."  Read more at E&E (sub'd req.)