KAT1 RAI HI Mi! K( Is AND THE I : NVIR( >\ Ml \ I |^j 



NEW MEMBERS OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES SUBCOMMITTEE 



At the start of 1979, the following were members of the Natural 

 Resources and Environment Subcommittee: 



Democrats Rep:. 



Jerome A. Ambro, New York, < bairman Robert S. Walker, Pennsylvania 



George E. Brown, Jr., California Donald Lawrence Rioter, Pennsylvania 



James J. Blanchard, Michigan I dwin B. Forsythe, New Jersey 

 Stanley X. Lundine, N'ew York 



Ambro, a big, balding, friendly man with an explosive sense of 

 humor, a colorful speaker, and a master politician from a traditionally 

 Republican area, was first elected to the House of Representatives with 

 the Watergate Class of 1974. He had served as the tow r n supervisor 

 of Huntington, N'.Y ., and was an aspirant for the lieutenant governor- 

 ship nomination in 1970. In 1974, Ambro upset an incumbent Republi- 

 can Congressman who had been indicted for conspiracy and although 

 acquitted still carried scars of the trial. Ambro has successfully sur- 

 vived through hard political work, delivering projects, and good con- 

 stituent service as well as a vigorously independent attitude which has 

 kept his popularity at the polls over the 50-percent mark. In Presi- 

 dential elections his district goes Republican at the same time it is sup- 

 porting Ambro. As a subcommittee chairman, Ambro is more of an 

 activist who looks for the main chance. 



Ambro chose as his subcommittee staff director Australian-born 

 Dr. Ian W. Marceau, who had served for a year as Ambro's director 

 of environmental protection at the time Ambro was town supervisor 

 of Huntington, N. Y. For nearly two years before joining the committee 

 staff, Marceau had been director of the New York State Assembly 

 science and technology staff. With two degrees in agricultural eco- 

 nomics from the University of Sydney, he was awarded a Ph. D. degree 

 at the University of Illinois with a major in resource economics. 



The first order of business facing the Ambro subcommittee was the 

 new authorization on R. & D. for EPA in 1979. Following February 

 hearings, the subcommittee reported to the full committee on March 15 

 One of the points which Ambro made to the full committee was this: 



A major subcommittee concern has to do with the nature and content of the 

 health effects research. The subcommittee is concerned that too much emphasis has 

 been placed on identifying new potential hazards and not enough emphasis on 

 removing the uncertainties. * * * The subcommittee does also recognize the serious 

 public concern over the large number of hazardous waste sites being identified across 

 our Nation. For that reason, the subcommittee has directed that funds be made 

 available for a special study of the hazardous waste disposal. This will be conducted 

 by the National Academy of Sciences. 



