on Cannon, a former top EPA lawyer and a professor at the University of Virginia, yesterday withdrew his name as nominee for Deputy U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, the second-highest job at the agency.

Cannon issued the following statement:

“Today I am voluntarily removing my name from consideration to be Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. It has come to my attention that America’s Clean Water Foundation, where I once served on the board of directors, has become the subject of scrutiny. While my service on the board of that now-dissolved organization is not the subject of the scrutiny, I believe the energy and environmental challenges facing our nation are too great to delay confirmation for this position, and I do not wish to present any distraction to the agency.”

EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson said in a prepared statement: “I’m disappointed that Jon Cannon will be unable to serve as Deputy Administrator, and I thank him for his many years of dedication to the EPA. The administration will move quickly to identify a new candidate who can help us carry out our mission to preserve environmental sustainability and create green jobs as we transition the nation to a clean energy economy.”

Jon Cannon, a former top EPA lawyer and a professor at the University of Virginia, yesterday withdrew his name as nominee for Deputy U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, the second-highest job at the agency.

Cannon issued the following statement:

“Today I am voluntarily removing my name from consideration to be Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. It has come to my attention that America’s Clean Water Foundation, where I once served on the board of directors, has become the subject of scrutiny. While my service on the board of that now-dissolved organization is not the subject of the scrutiny, I believe the energy and environmental challenges facing our nation are too great to delay confirmation for this position, and I do not wish to present any distraction to the agency.”

EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson said in a prepared statement: “I’m disappointed that Jon Cannon will be unable to serve as Deputy Administrator, and I thank him for his many years of dedication to the EPA. The administration will move quickly to identify a new candidate who can help us carry out our mission to preserve environmental sustainability and create green jobs as we transition the nation to a clean energy economy.”