47 



new department's performance in important areas and we support 

 them. 



In closing, Mr. Chairman, let me commend you once again for 

 this important initiative. The quality of life of our citizens and the 

 strength of our economy depend upon a healthy environment, and 

 a Department of Environment will be one way of ensuring that at 

 the highest levels of government. 



Thank you, sir. 



Chairman Glenn. Thank you, Jay. Thank you very much. 



Dr. Stephen Gage, President, Cleveland Advance Manufacturing 

 Program, I have had the pleasure of visiting that facility in the 

 past up there. 



Dr. Gage, we welcome you to our hearing. 



TESTIMONY OF DR. STEPHEN J. GAGE,i PRESIDENT, CLEVELAND 

 ADVANCED MANUFACTURING PROGRAM 



Dr. Gage. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



To begin, I would like to point out that, from 1974 to 1980, I was 

 with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency here in Washing- 

 ton. During the Carter Administration, I served as Assistant Ad- 

 ministrator for Research and Development under Administrator 

 Doug Costle, and I am delighted to join him here this morning. 



I am pleased to have the opportunity to comment on S. 171 and 

 on several related matters. With your permission, I would like to 

 submit a more detailed statement for the record. 



Chairman Glenn. It will be included in the record. Thank you. 



Dr. Gage. The summary this morning will just touch on a few of 

 the points. First, I would like to add my support to your efforts to 

 elevate the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to Cabinet 

 status. Each passing year makes it more essential to have a Secre- 

 tary of the Environment in the President's Cabinet. 



I understand the politics is the art of the possible, that we should 

 move deliberately and that a clean bill at this time may be the best 

 environmental strategy. I hope, though, that elevation of EPA to 

 Cabinet status is just the first step of a general reorganization of 

 environmental programs within the Federal Government. 



If the Department of Environment is to serve the best interests 

 of Americans, it must be driven by more than just regulation. Oth- 

 erwise, we should leave it as an independent regulatory agency. 

 One thing that the department should do is maintain a better bal- 

 ance between its regulatory efforts and its commitment to good sci- 

 ence and technology as a basis for understanding the environment 

 and dealing with threats to it. The department should have cogni- 

 zance over monitoring the quality of U.S. and global environment 

 and promptly reporting positive and negative trends. Finally, the 

 department should have the Federal lead on environmental issues 

 from cleaning up past abuses at home to stemming environmental 

 devastation globally. 



It should be recognized that EPA has recently made progress in 

 stabilizing its science and technology efforts, after a decade of con- 

 siderable turmoil. Its Office of Research and Development has over 



The prepared statement of Dr. Gage appears on page 253. 



