Leavitt jumps in with both feet

WASHINGTON — New Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Mike Leavitt enjoyed his first — and second — private meetings with President Bush Wednesday as a new member of his Cabinet.

"The first was with my family. It was a very rewarding and nice gesture on his part. We all took pictures. He gave us a history lesson on the Oval Office and the presidency," Leavitt said in a conference call with Utah news media.

In the second meeting, "we spent a considerable amount of time talking about what I have learned so far and what I hope to accomplish over time," Leavitt said.

Leavitt said he is just formulating his goals for EPA as he continues meetings with its offices and staff.

"It's just emerging, and I wanted to get his (Bush's) views," he said. "It is intended to help us both to formulate an agenda."

Leavitt said more will be coming about that agenda in the future, but it is too early to discuss it now.

While many Cabinet members are sworn in with lavish ceremonies at the White House, Leavitt chose to forgo that last week so he could instead start quickly at the EPA. He was sworn in simply by the EPA's outgoing acting administrator the morning after he resigned as governor of Utah.

So, the meetings at the White House Wednesday were his first there as a member of the Cabinet.

"It was a nice interaction on a personal basis," he said of the meetings.

The only advice he shared that came from the president was, "He told my son, 'You might not like it (coming to Washington), but it is going to be a great experience and you will be glad you came.' "

Leavitt brought his family to Washington over the past week, but his wife and children are returning to Utah until the end of the school year. Leavitt plans to commute to Utah on the weekends until then, when he hopes to move the entire family to Washington.

"I have taken an apartment, not too far from the EPA," he said, adding that helps because he is putting in long hours.

He said he arrives at the office — after handling e-mails at home — about 8 a.m.

"Then a series of appointments take me through the day, with the last concluding about 6:30 p.m.," he said. "Then I have a session with my close staff to evaluate the day. Then they send me home with a reading file and correspondence."

Leavitt added that starting now at EPA reminds him of when he first became governor.

"I have very fond recollections of my first days of governor. It was invigorating, and everything was new, and all was intriguing," he said. "The same is true of my first days at EPA. . . . There is a long series of complicated issues coming at me faster than I would normally anticipate, but I'm surrounded by good people and so far I'd say things are working very well."

Leavitt had his first lengthy diplomatic meeting Wednesday — with the environmental minister of Mexico. He also had lunch with Secretary of State Colin Powell to discuss U.S.-Mexico environmental issues.

When reporters asked Leavitt if he still prefers to be called "governor" or "administrator," he said, "It's an ongoing discussion. Call me Mike, call me administrator, call me governor — call me anything you like, just don't call me late for dinner," he joked.

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E-mail: leed@dgsys.com

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