by Daniel J. Weiss

On Monday, President Obama surprisingly announced that Chief of Staff Bill Daley would depart the White House at the end of January. Office of Management and Budget Director Jack Lew would replace him as chief of staff – one of the most powerful positions in government.

Some environmentalists were jubilant over Daley’s parting.  He was chief of staff during a tumultuous year when the Administration finalized and proposed many critical public health and environmental protection measures that will benefit Americans for years to come.

The derision directed towards Daley is primarily due to President Obama’s decision to reject the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to follow scientists’ recommendation to modernize the ozone smog health standard.  Daley immersed himself in this decision, meeting with both industry opponents of a more protective standard as well as public health and environmental proponents.  Press reports indicate that he played a major role in blocking this vital safeguard. Relying on the existing standard instead would allow 12,000 deaths annually.

The day of the decision, I told the New York Times that:

“Today’s announcement from the White House that they will retreat from implementing the much-needed — and long-overdue — ozone pollution standard is deeply disappointing and grants an item on Big Oil’s wish list at the expense of the health of children, seniors and the infirm.”

There is, however, a lot more to the Administration’s public health and environmental record under Bill Daley than this bad decision.  In fact, the Administration finalized or proposed many critical safeguards over the past year.  This is just a partial of list of the public health and environmental protection accomplishments on his watch.

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News of White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley’s resignation yesterday comes as good news for many environmentalists. Daley — a former bank executive and Commerce Secretary for the Clinton administration — drew major criticism from environmental activists last year after a White House decision to delay new Environmental Protection Agency smog standards.

In the weeks leading up to the reversal siding with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and American Petroleum Institute, Daley took several meetings with business leaders. At one meeting in August, Daley met with several CEOs and business lobbyists hours before entertaining public health and environmental groups:

Mr. Daley listened politely, then asked, “What are the health impacts of unemployment?” It was a question straight out of the industry playbook.

Another member of the group introduced polling data showing strong public support for tougher air rules. Mr. Daley cut him off with an expletive, saying he was not interested in polls.

Daniel J. Weiss of the Center for American Progress presented data showing little difference in employment and economic growth in areas required to adopt stricter ozone standards than those that did not. Mr. Daley nodded but said nothing.

As the meeting was breaking up, Mr. Daley said, “As you know, it’s a very difficult economic time.”

A Center for American Progress analysis found the economic concerns Daley raised to be unsubstantiated, finding “the standard unlikely to have much negative economic impact, but will save thousands of lives and billions of dollars in lower health care costs.” Daley’s role, presumably in support of big business, chafed many environmentalists, who labeled the delay “a major blow to public health.” President of Clean Air Watch Frank O’Donnell said “good riddance” to Daley, and he “hopes that EPA will be permitted to do its job without Daley-style political interference on behalf of big business.”

-Fatima Najiy