Hill Heat: Overview of EPA InvestigationsScience Policy Legislation Actiontag:hillheat.com,2005:TypoTypo2008-05-08T17:13:42-04:00Wonk Roomurn:uuid:7f4965af-a833-4faf-bcf8-2010151489b72008-05-08T17:10:00-04:002008-05-08T17:13:42-04:00Overview of EPA Investigations<p><em>From the <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/wonkroom/2008/05/07/johnson-back-pain/">Wonk Room</a>.</em></p>
The scheduled Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing today on <a href="/events/2008/05/08/epas-new-ozone-standards">White House interference with ozone standards</a> has been <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/06/AR2008050602698_2.html">the hearing has been postponed</a> because <span class="caps">EPA</span> Administrator Stephen Johnson refused to appear:
<blockquote><strong><span class="caps">EPA</span> officials say Johnson had a “recurrence of ongoing back issues stemming from a car accident years ago.”</strong></blockquote>
<p>Below is the current status of a number of <span class="caps">EPA</span> scandals Congress is expecting Administrator Johnson to answer for:</p><p><em>From the <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/wonkroom/2008/05/07/johnson-back-pain/">Wonk Room</a>.</em></p>
The scheduled Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing today on <a href="/events/2008/05/08/epas-new-ozone-standards">White House interference with ozone standards</a> has been <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/06/AR2008050602698_2.html">the hearing has been postponed</a> because <span class="caps">EPA</span> Administrator Stephen Johnson refused to appear:
<blockquote><strong><span class="caps">EPA</span> officials say Johnson had a “recurrence of ongoing back issues stemming from a car accident years ago.”</strong></blockquote>
<p>Below is the current status of a number of <span class="caps">EPA</span> scandals Congress is expecting Administrator Johnson to answer for:</p>
<p><a name="scandalchart"></a><table border=1 style='vertical-align:top'><tr><th><span class="caps">EPA SCANDAL</span></th><th><span class="caps">CURRENT STATUS</span></th></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/03/AR2008020302353.html">The denial of the California waiver petition</a>.</td><td><ul><li><a href="http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23002244-23109,00.html">January 8</a>: California and 15 other states sue to overturn denial.
</li><li><a href="http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1851">April 9</a>: Waxman issues latest subpoena for documents involving White House.</li>
<li><a href="http://warminglaw.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/04/for-earth-day-b.html">April 22</a>: <span class="caps">NHTSA</span> issues fuel-economy standards that it claims preempts state global warming standards; states warn of <a href="http://warminglaw.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/04/arnold-to-bush.html">lawsuit</a>.</li></ul></td></tr>
<tr><td>Failure to obey Supreme Court mandate to make a <a href="/articles/2008/04/02/on-mass-vs-epa-anniversary-stephen-johnson-delays-and-hides/">global warming pollution endangerment finding</a>.</td><td><ul><li><a href="http://www.ombwatch.org/article/blogs/entry/4782/24">March 27</a>: <span class="caps">EPA</span> announces it will ask for a new round of comments.
</li><li><a href="http://www.wtop.com/?nid=111&sid=1378769">April 2</a>: Officials of 18 states sue to require the <span class="caps">EPA</span> to act within 60 days
</li><li><a href="http://globalwarming.house.gov/mediacenter/pressreleases?id=0197">April 2</a>: <span class="caps">EPA</span> documents are subpoenaed by House Global Warming Committee; the documents have not been turned over.</li>
<li><a href="http://warminglaw.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/04/dc-circuit-tell.html">April 18</a>: Court orders <span class="caps">EPA</span> to file its response to the state suit by May 8.</li></ul></td></tr></p>
<tr><td><a href="/articles/2008/03/14/epa-fully-embroiled-in-scandal">White House interference in ozone standards</a>.</td><td><ul><li><a href="http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1877">April 16</a>: Waxman subpoenas White House documents.
</li><li><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/06/AR2008050602698_3.html">May 8</a>: Date of scheduled Oversight Committee hearing with Administrator Johnson; postponed when Johnson refuses to appear.</li></ul></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="/articles/2008/05/06/who-fired-mary-gade">Mary Gade firing</a>.</td><td><ul><li><a href="/articles/2008/05/02/sen-whitehouse-compares-epa-firing-to-u-s-attorney-scandal-d-eacute-j-agrave-vu-all-over-again">May 1</a>: <span class="caps">EPA</span> Region V Administrator Mary Gade resigns, saying “There’s no question this is about Dow.” Sen. Whitehouse (D-RI) and Rep. Dingell (D-MI) announce intent to investigate.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.citizensforethics.org/node/31586">May 7</a>: Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington file two Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests with the <span class="caps">EPA</span> regarding Gade’s resignation.</li></ul></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="/articles/2008/04/24/stephen-johnson-the-environments-alberto-gonzales">Politicization of the <span class="caps">EPA</span></a>.</td><td><ul><li><a href="http://ucsusa.org/news/press_release/hundreds-of-epa-scientists-0112.html">April 23</a>: Union of Concerned Scientists issues survey of 1600 staff scientists describing mass politicization and political interference.</li><li><a href="http://www./wonkroom/2008/04/30/epa-toxic-influence/">April 29</a>: Sen. Boxer (D-CA) releases Goverment Accountability Office report detailing politicization of toxic regulation.</li>
<li><a href="http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=a1954f70-802a-23ad-4192-fc2995dda7f4">May 7</a>: Senate Environment and Public Works Oversight Subcommittee holds hearing into politicization of <span class="caps">EPA</span>.</li></ul></td></tr>
</table>