EPA Nominee Held Up in Battle Over Agency's Vast Powers

It reaches into every area of life

As Republican senators delay confirmation votes on several of President Barack Obama's nominees, one of those stuck in the waiting queue is Gina McCarthy, his choice to head the Environmental Protection Agency.

There's more here than just the normal Washington tactical maneuvering – it reflects Senate Republicans' strategy to use McCarthy's nomination as leverage in forcing changes in the way the EPA operates.

And the power struggle affects Americans far beyond Washington, D.C. – whether the water they drink is clean or dirty, whether the company that employs them must comply with costly environmental regulations, or not.