John Sununu on Boyden Gray’s Legal Legacy

Yesterday’s WSJ options an article by former New Hampshire governor and White Home Chief of Workers John Sununu on the late C. Boyden Grey, with whom he served within the George H. W. Bush Administration.

C. Boyden Grey, White Home counsel to President George H.W. Bush, died Sunday at 80—an unsung hero whose management was outlined by his quiet, considerate dedication. A key member of the Bush crew, he deftly navigated the complicated intersections of legislation, coverage and politics. Greater than a lawyer, he was a talented tactician and diplomat, bringing collectively various factions to create consensus round tough points.

Grey’s legacy is maybe most evident in his work on the Clear Air Act Amendments of 1990, a visionary legislation that pioneered the usage of market incentives to curb acid rain, city air air pollution and poisonous emissions. His negotiation expertise satisfied business leaders and lawmakers of each events. The legislation handed 401-21 within the Home and 89-11 within the Senate, and it has guided environmental coverage since.

As Sununu recounts, Grey was additionally closely concerned within the improvement and enactment of the Individuals with Disabilities Act.

Because it occurred, one in every of my first environmental legislation analysis initiatives centered on the 1990 CAA Amendments, and the choice fuels provisions specifically–provisions that have been of specific curiosity to Grey. He had a specific curiosity in methanol, and helped be certain that different fuels provisions ended up within the closing invoice. (My analysis leads to a chapter within the e book Environmental Politics: Public Prices, Non-public Rewards, a model of which was revealed in The Public Curiosity).

It was solely later that I obtained to know him–and have become snug calling him Boyden. After he had returned to non-public observe I had the chance to work and work together with him on a variety of environmental and administrative legislation issues and questions. We didn’t at all times agree, however I used to be at all times struck by his perception, information and wit.

Boyden was a real large within the fields of administrative and environmental legislation (and never simply because he was so tall!). He demonstrated that one might take environmental safety critically whereas sustaining a wholesome skepticism of centralized federal energy and adminsitrative regulation. His affect and presence in these fields shall be missed.