EPA Criticized by Senate

Stephen Johnson, the Administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency, denied allegations that six policy changes made late last year are working more for the polluters than the public interest and well-being. Johnson spoke before the Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee in Washington, DC to answer charges that changes made at the EPA are detrimental to the environment and the public's right to information regarding toxic releases.

Barbara Boxer, a democrat from California and head of the Senate Committee, according to the Committee's website and press release, said that "EPA rollbacks...benefit the polluter's bottom line and hurt our communities by allowing more pollution and reducing the amount of information about pollution to the public." She continued, surmising that the EPA has gone "too long without meaningful oversight."

The hearing, part of a series to scrutinize the EPA in the coming months, focused on six policy changes made at the EPA. These include five changes from December 2006 that undermine and eliminate the role of scientists in EPA decisions in setting standards for pollution levels, as well as reversing a decision to monitor drinking water for perchlorate. Another decision reduces the amount of reporting of toxic releases required by companies. Also under attack is the EPA's recent closing of five libraries.

The head of the Natural Resources division of the General Accountability Office (GAO) also testified against the EPA's policy changes, according to the Environmental News Service. The GAO is the investigative arm of Congress, and has just published a report charging that the EPA is not following their own rules regarding Toxic Release Inventories (TRI), and that the changes have allowed some companies to stop reporting their TRI's altogether. Twenty states have filed complaints against the EPA for the lack of these TRI's, as they rely on them to regulate pollution.

Johnson defended the changes, claiming they will "save companies money" without limiting the information available to the public. Senator James Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, testified in favor of the EPA's changes, citing evidence that "many plants would reduce their emissions of air pollution to avoid the expensive paperwork and other compliance costs." Senator Inhofe is well-known for receiving large campaign contributions from the oil and gas industries and electric utilities (more than $500,000 from 2001 to 2006, figures from opensecrets.org).

Johnson also supported the EPA's decision to close libraries in Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, and two in Washington, DC, claiming that no one went to these facilities. Boxer then presented internal emails from EPA personnel that said that they were asked to destroy a quantity of science journals from these now-closed libraries. Johnson claimed to have no knowledge of the emails, and said that material was destroyed due to mold from a flood. Johnson also said that the library materials were being digitized which reduce the need for physical library facilities.