The fourth and final installment of the Washington Post series on the Cheney Vice Presidency focuses on the role of the Vice President's office in the formulation and implementation of environmental policy. As portrayed by the Post, Cheney repeatedly intervened directly in specific environmental policy matters, such as the Klamath River Basin controversy, Yucca Mountain, and snowmobiling in Yellowstone National Park, but typically "left no tracks" of his involvement.

By combining unwavering ideological positions -- such as the priority of economic interests over protected fish -- with a deep practical knowledge of the federal bureaucracy, Cheney has made an indelible mark on the administration's approach to everything from air and water quality to the preservation of national parks and forests.

He is also blamed for inducing then-EPA Administrator Christie Todd Whitman to resign. ["Blamed"? Isn't this something for which he should get credit?] This article may not have as much for ConLaw junkies as the series prior installments, but for those who want to see the insides of our outdoors policies, it is a must read.