William Ruckelshaus to the WSJ: Your Report of My Burial Is Exaggerated

Your Report of My Burial Is Exaggerated

by William Ruckelshaus, Wall Street Journal, letter to editor, March 31, 2011

In your March 28 editorial "The Senate's EPA Showdown," in favor of shackling the Environmental Protection Agency, you refer to me and Christie Whitman as "disinterred." I had to check that morning to ensure that you were not right. As I am nearing the end of my eighth decade on earth, I make it a practice to check my status every day. As Mark Twain pointed out, "The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated."

The continuation of my breathing at this late date may be due to the protections afforded by the 1970 Clean Air Act and the EPA's diligence in enforcing the act's mandates.

William D. Ruckelshaus

Washington

Mr. Ruckelshaus was EPA administrator from 1970-1973 and from 1983-1985.