[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 21, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E649]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           RECOGNIZING DR. JOHN WITHERS OF IRVINE, CALIFORNIA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. KATIE PORTER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 21, 2022

  Ms. PORTER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. John Withers 
of Irvine, California. Mr. Withers served as Chairman of the Orange 
County Sanitation District Board of Directors from June 2021 to June 
2022.
  During his tenure, Mr. Withers led the work of the Orange County 
Sanitation District's Board of Directors, providing high quality water 
treatment services for over two million Orange County residents and 
protecting our fragile coastal ecosystems from wastewater pollution. 
Under his watch, the Orange County Sanitation District has served as a 
model for other communities throughout the Nation that are facing 
climate resiliency challenges.
  Despite the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. 
Withers oversaw the implementation and initiation of multiple public 
works projects. One of the most impressive projects was the 
construction of a new headworks facility, which serves as the nervous 
system of a well-functioning wastewater treatment process. These 
efforts will improve the service capabilities of the wastewater 
treatment plant and the resiliency of the facility's electrical system, 
resulting in fewer power disruptions and better safeguards. This 
ambitious project will provide Orange County with the necessary 
infrastructure to better manage the harms brought on by climate change 
and create good paying jobs.
  PFAS, a group of man-made chemicals that are harmful to human health, 
are a serious threat to our drinking water. I am thankful for the 
Orange County Sanitation District's commitment to developing solutions 
to address this issue and help protect families. Mr. Withers understood 
the need to protect public health through the development of innovative 
technologies that keep our water safe by treating and removing these 
chemicals. His work has served as a catalyst to promote accessible and 
cost-efficient PFAS treatment.
  I am proud to honor Mr. Withers and thank him for his years of 
service on the Orange County Sanitation District's Board of Directors 
and for his successful work as the board's Chairman.

                          ____________________