PROFILE: REP. RICHARD POMBO - California

PROFILE: REP. RICHARD POMBO
Lawmaker's agenda just part of his nature
Congressman finds fault with federal environmental rules

Zachary Coile, Chronicle Washington Bureau
Monday, May 3, 2004

Rep. Richard Pombo, sitting in a sunny conference room at his district office in San Ramon, listens to Danville officials plead their case for more federal money for transportation projects and a new veterans memorial.

Pombo, a Republican from Tracy who's served in the House since 1993, hears dozens of similar requests every time he's back in his district. He is polite and says he'll lean on his GOP allies to help Danville, but can't guarantee every request will be met.

But when Danville mayor Newell Arnerich complains that his city and other Bay Area communities could face millions of dollars in costs to meet stringent federal environmental rules for storm water runoff, Pombo springs into action.

"If it needs a change in federal law," he said during the meeting earlier this year, "we'll have to take a look at how we can make that happen."

more... http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/05/03/MNGAF6ELOT1.DTL

I wish the Democrats hadn't strengthened his seat for Republicans in '02. I do think that a strong Democrat could defeat him as Contra Costa tacks left. San Joaquin is home for him, but Latinos could work against him. Any opponent would have to be independently wealthy and willing to self-fund and willing to go very hard after him as an ultra-rightist.