Graham blocking Fish and Wildlife nominee

The Florida senator has put a hold on Bush's selection after an Everglades Restoration office was closed.

By JOHN BALZ

© St. Petersburg Times,
published November 9, 2001

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Bob Graham has moved to block President Bush's nominee for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service director after federal officials announced the closing of a West Palm Beach Everglades Restoration office earlier this week.

On Tuesday, Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton approved a plan to shut down the office as a way of streamlining bureaucracy and freeing $1.3-million over three years for other activities.

To show his displeasure, Graham, D-Fla., used a maneuver called a hold, which prevents the Senate from considering the nomination of Steven Williams to head the Fish and Wildlife Service. Now the director of Kansas' Department of Wildlife and Parks, Williams was nominated by Bush in the summer.

Graham aides have been in contact with Interior officials throughout the week, but the senator and the secretary have not spoken. Graham's displeasure seems to be aimed more at Norton's silence than at Williams' political leanings or past actions.

"I look forward to speaking directly with Secretary Norton about the administration's commitment to the Everglades in light of the decision to close the office in West Palm Beach," he said.

Environmentalists have criticized the shutdown of the office, which is just 11 months old. They say the federal government is backing away from its commitment to Everglades restoration.

Mark Pfeifle, a spokesman for the Interior Deparment, said the secretary is committed to the restoration project and to speaking with Graham. He said restoration funding for 2002 has been increased by 37 percent over this year.

Of the $1.3-million saved by closing the office, the department wants to spend $300,000 to protect endangered deer in the Florida Keys, and the remaining $1-million to kill weeds in Palm Beach County.

Williams and the Fish and Wildlife Service could not be reached for comment. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., supports the hold.

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