From the Wonk Room.
The scheduled Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing today on
White House interference with ozone
standards has been the
hearing has been
postponed
because EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson
refused to appear:
EPA officials say Johnson had a “recurrence of ongoing back issues
stemming from a car accident years ago.”
Below is the current status of a number of EPA
scandals Congress is expecting Administrator Johnson to answer for:
| The
denial of the California waiver petition. |
- January
8: California and 15 other states sue to overturn denial.
- April 9:
Waxman issues latest subpoena for documents involving White House.
- April
22: NHTSA issues fuel-economy standards
that it claims preempts state global warming standards; states warn of
lawsuit.
|
| Failure to obey Supreme Court mandate to make a global
warming pollution endangerment finding. |
- March
27: EPA announces it will ask for a new
round of comments.
- April 2:
Officials of 18 states sue to require the EPA
to act within 60 days
- April
2: EPA documents are subpoenaed by House
Global Warming Committee; the documents have not been turned over.
- April
18: Court orders EPA to file its response
to the state suit by May 8.
|
| White
House interference in ozone standards. |
- April 16:
Waxman subpoenas White House documents.
- May
8: Date of scheduled Oversight Committee hearing with Administrator
Johnson; postponed when Johnson refuses to appear.
|
| Mary Gade
firing. |
- May
1: EPA 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.
- May 7:
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington file two Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) requests with the EPA
regarding Gade’s resignation.
|
| Politicization
of the EPA. |
- April
23: Union of Concerned Scientists issues survey of 1600 staff
scientists describing mass politicization and political
interference.
- April
29: Sen. Boxer (D-CA) releases Goverment Accountability Office
report detailing politicization of toxic regulation.
- May
7: Senate Environment and Public Works Oversight Subcommittee holds
hearing into politicization of EPA.
|