Southern California Official Named To Head Agency's Office of Water
Environmental Protection Agency
04/06/2009
President Obama announced his intention April 3 to nominate Peter S. Silva, senior policy adviser for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, as the Environmental Protection Agency assistant administrator for water.
Silva is a civil engineer with nearly 32 years of experience in the water and wastewater fields, the White House said in announcing Silva's selection for the EPA post.If confirmed by the Senate as head of EPA's Office of Water, Silva would be in charge of the agency's programs implementing the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Among the issues likely to confront the Office of Water is the question of which waters are protected by the Clean Water Act. Members of Congress, industry and environmental groups, and the agency itself have indicated that there has been much confusion over the issue since a divided U.S. Supreme Court in 2006 failed to agree on the extent of federal jurisdiction over wetlands under the act in Rapanos v. United States (126 S. Ct. 2208, 62 ERC 1481 (2006)). Legislation pending in Congress would attempt to clarify the jurisdictional issue (62 DEN A-19, 4/3/09).
Prior to his position with the Southern California water district, Silva was the vice chairman of the California Water Resources Control Board for six years, according to the White House. He has served in various public sector positions specializing in water resources policy with extensive experience in U.S.-Mexico border issues, the White House said. Silva was appointed by President Clinton to serve for three years on the board of the Border Environment Cooperation Commission, established under the North American Free Trade Agreement to protect and enhance the environment in the U.S.-Mexico border region. He also served as the commission's deputy general manager for three years in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.
His other experience includes 10 years with the city of San Diego and four years in charge of the San Diego office of the International Boundary & Water Commission, a joint U.S.-Mexican organization that helps implement the boundary and water treaties of the two countries. He also spent five years with the California Regional Water Quality Control Board in San Diego, the White House said.
