Dear Chairman Carper and Ranking Member Capito:
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce supports the nomination of Radhika Fox to be Assistant Administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water, and we urge the Committee to advance her nomination.
Ms. Fox is steeped in the details of water infrastructure policy and the financial resources and technological innovation required to meet America’s significant water needs. The Chamber anticipates that she will continue to be a leader for equity and affordability, including the promotion of access to safe drinking water for disadvantaged communities. We are also encouraged that Ms. Fox has already engaged with a wide range of stakeholders regarding their water priorities and has pledged to keep an open door for continued engagement on these important issues.
In addition, Ms. Fox has worked to ensure that businesses and the groups that represent them are valued stakeholders in water infrastructure conversations. She has created platforms to convene stakeholders from the water sector and industry through her leadership on the steering committee of United for Infrastructure, and throughout her work at the U.S. Water Alliance.
The Chamber and our members look forward to working with you and Ms. Fox in finalizing a national drinking water standard and accelerating the treatment, research and development activities needed to offer additional technologies and tools to clean up PFAS. We also support enhanced regulatory flexibility in meeting water quality limits, the establishment of streamlined permitting processes, and the promotion of public-private partnerships to mobilize the private capital currently sitting on the sidelines but otherwise available to invest in water infrastructure projects across our country.
The Chamber supports the nomination of Ms. Fox to lead EPA’s Office of Water, and we appreciate the committee scheduling the May 12 hearing.
Sincerely,
Neil Bradley
cc: Members of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
