Public Reacts To Environmental Commissioner's Long List of Recusals

When Dan Esty was nominated to be the state’s environmental commissioner, many were pleased the state would benefit from his insight into the way businesses think about the environment. But now Esty has recused himself from *26 firms and two environmental groups that he has worked with in the past. WNPR’s Nancy Cohen reports some are concerned this could reduce the agency’s effectiveness.

Some companies on Dan Esty’s recusal list had contracts with his consulting firm, including Nestle Waters. Others, such as the President of the Nature Conservancy and the CEO of General Electric wrote blurbs for his book jackets. G.E. also made donations to support Esty’s projects at Yale. But the company and Connecticut have a legal agreement regarding the clean up of PCBs from the Housatonic River. Dan McGuinness of the Northwestern Connecticut Council of Governments says he appreciates the effort to avoid a conflict of interest, but he says any statements by Esty’s subordinates won’t have as much influence.

“When a chief of staff makes a comment and weighs in about the PCBs in the Housatonic or the clean up of the Housatonic it’s not going to have the same weight as if the Commissioner weighed in on the issue.”

But others aren’t concerned. Senator Ed Meyer, co-chair of the state’s Environment Committee, says Esty did the right thing.

“He is a very ethical person with high standards in business and high standards in the environment. And I don’t think it will hamper the work of the agency at all, particularly because of the good deputies that he has retained.”

Julie Belaga has served with Dan Esty on the Board of the Connecticut Fund for the Environment, one of the groups he’s recusing himself from working with. She says Esty is doing what people in public positions often do: avoiding even the thought of a conflict of interest.

“His insights into the whole world of environment as it relates to the business and the environmental community far outweighs the down side of him having to recuse himself with certain companies.”

Margaret Minor of the Rivers Alliance of Connecticut also appreciates the transparency. But she wonders if Esty will bow out of decisions on permits, for example, if one of the environmental groups on his recusal list has weighed in.

“I believe it would be appropriate for him to, as Commissioner,  participate in decisions and give the benefit of his wisdom on items of business that come to the agency that involve General Electric or The Nature Conservancy. Those are major stakeholders and players in this state.”

The D.E.E.P. says Esty will not enforce laws or make decisions about permits for any of the companies on his list. But he will still discuss broader policy issues with the environmental groups and businesses.

For WNPR I’m Nancy Cohen

Alcoa

BP

CH2M Hill  

Coca-Cola Enterprises

Connecticut Fund for the Environment

Disney

ESPN

Dow Chemical

FedEx

General Electric

IBM

Ingersoll-Rand

Johnson & Johnson

Motorola

Naya Waters

Nestle Waters

Nokia

Procter & Gamble

Personal Care Products Council

SC Johnson

Scotts Miracle-Gro

The Nature Conservancy

Timex

Unilever

Walmart

Waste Management

Yale University

 Xerox