EPA staff documents say boss should OK California's emissions waiver

[Kadie]

EPA staff documents say boss should OK California's emissions waiver
Zachary Coile, Chronicle Washington Bureau

Wednesday, January 23, 2008


(01-23) 10:49 PST Washington - --

Top Environmental Protection Agency officials withheld documents from Congress showing that the agency's staff sought to convince EPA administrator Stephen Johnson not to reject California's efforts to enforce the nation's strongest greenhouse gas rules for cars and trucks.

California Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer, who chairs the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, requested the documents last month, when Johnson denied California's request, but EPA officials had stonewalled. On Friday, EPA officials gave Boxer copies of heavily redacted documents in which most key sections were whited out.

But on Monday, EPA officials allowed Boxer's staff to review - but not photocopy - a highly sensitive PowerPoint presentation in which EPA staffers told Johnson that he would likely lose in court if he refused the state's request for a waiver.

Most of the sensitive portions were covered in white tape, Boxer said. EPA officials would not allow the documents to be taken out of the room, and Senate staffers had to hand copy them under the eye of EPA lawyers, who claimed they were protected by executive confidentiality.

"This information belongs to the American people," Boxer said, who released excerpts of the documents to reporters Tuesday. "It's shameful that we've had to go through such a tortuous process to get it."

more...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/23/BAE6UKCQI.DTL&tsp=1

[MountainLaurel]

1. Over the summer

I attended a presentation on how science policy in the federal government is actually being blocked by politics (the speaker was Dr. Susan Wood of the FDA). Mark this one down as another example.

:puke:

[dbackjon]

2. This alone should be an impeachable offense

Who the FUCK does the Bush Admin think they are?? Kings?