Statement by CEQ Chair Nancy Sutley on the Passing of Russell E. Train

It was with great sadness that I learned of the passing of Russell E. Train, a leader who devoted his life to serving the American people and protecting the environment for current and future generations. As the first Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality and the second Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, he was a serious and widely respected voice on environmental issues at a time when Americans first became broadly aware of the dangers posed by pollution to our air, waters, and soils. On his watch, the United States stood up many of our landmark safeguards for public health and the environment, from implementing the National Environmental Policy Act to achieving early reductions in air pollution from automobiles. In the process, he helped to cement a bipartisan tradition of American environmental stewardship and shaped the direction of the Environmental Protection Agency during its formative years. After leaving government service, he remained a leader in the fields of conservation and environmental health with numerous organizations, including as President and Chairman of the World Wildlife Fund-U.S. He will be sorely missed and long honored for his commitment to public service and his leadership on the most important environmental issues of his time.

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