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TechnoratiSAN FRANCISCO - The vast majority of scientists and other specialists at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have withdrawn from a key labor-management partnership, citing rising distrust of the agency's chief Stephen Johnson.
In a letter to Administrator Johnson, trade unions representing the workers complain that Johnson retaliates against whistle-blowers and union officers, "abuses our good nature and trust," and ignores the agency's Principles of Scientific Integrity.
Johnson has faced mounting criticism from within his own agency and a Congressional investigatory panel for allegedly ignoring scientific findings when they have contradicted the Bush administration's political aims.
The letter, which is signed by 19 union presidents representing 10,000 EPA employees across the country, is the latest fallout from Johnson's December decision to block California and at least 16 other states from implementing tough new restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions on cars and trucks.
"Whatever reservoir of good will and credibility that Stephen Johnson had as a career employee is fast evaporating," said Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility Executive Director Jeff Ruch in a statement. "On a host of critical issues, the nation is looking for EPA to lead, but Johnson cannot be an effective leader from inside a bunker."
In an interview with OneWorld, EPA spokesman Jonathan Shradar said Johnson has no regrets about preventing California's greenhouse gas regulations and has great respect for the agency's workers.
"Certainly he's recognized that climate change is a serious global problem and needs a national solution," Shradar said, arguing California and 16 other states cannot impose pollution controls different from federal law because those states are not suffering uniquely from global warming. "It's a national and global problem that needs to be addressed at the federal level."
The California law would have imposed stronger greenhouse gas restrictions than the federal government has so far imposed. The 16 other states were considering similarly stringent measures, which environmental campaigners welcome and automakers largely oppose.
Responding to the unions' complaint directly, Shradar said: "As a 27-year career EPA scientist, the administrator values the expertise and advice of his staff and will do so through his time in leadership."
But internal agency documents obtained and released last week by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) showed Johnson overrode California's regulations despite the objections of his own scientists.
"It is obvious to me that there is no legal or technical justification for denying this," reads an email memo released by Boxer's office, which was prepared by EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality and appeared to address Johnson directly in its analysis.
"I think there must be a win-win here, and you should find it and seize it...for the sake of the environment and the integrity of the agency," adds the email's sender, whose name has been redacted.
"You have to find a way to get this done," the document concludes. "If you cannot, you will face a pretty big personal decision about whether you are able to stay in the job under those circumstances. This is a choice only you can make, but I ask you to think about the history and the future of the agency in making it. If you are asked to deny this waiver, I fear the credibility of the agency that we both love will be irreparably damaged."
Other documents show EPA staffers made the case that California's global warming problems are "compelling and extraordinary," and include the loss of coastline due to rising sea levels, diminishing water supplies through reduced snowpacks, wildfires, air pollution, insect infestations, and ozone problems.
"These documents paint a picture of an Environmental Protection Agency in crisis," Boxer told reporters when she released the documents. "They show the dedicated professional staff of the EPA working hard to do what they are paid to do by the American people -- protect our health and our environment. At the same time, we see more and more evidence of Administrator Johnson ignoring the science and the facts, and discarding the advice of his professional staff."
The three major presidential candidates, Republican John McCain and Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, have all said they would let California's greenhouse gas restrictions go into effect if elected, meaning Johnson's decision to block the states' regulations will likely expire at the end of the Bush administration in January 2009.
© 2008 One World
23 Comments so far
Show AllMattison,
Damn straight we need TOTAL public financing to make a break with today's corruption. Maybe throw in some percentage for third party candidates to be heard as well (say if they met a % or vote threshold). As long as we're dreaming, the second area that needs attention is FCC rules (reinstate the Fairness Doctrine) and ownership limitations.
As to how long we'll be recovering from Bush and his incompetent cronies, I'm afraid the answer really may be a decade or two. I have friends that work for the EPA and the Justice Department. Things have been so bad the last few years that many mid-level managers (one or two levels removed from the top dufus political appointees) have left: early retirement or gone into private industry. Those were the likely top managers, with experience, that would be runnning the agencies under the next three or four presidents. Their ranks have been severely depleted and will take years to replenish.
BTW, some of my friends who tell me this have been in government agencies since the Carter administration, so they've seen plenty. Bush, by far, is the worst they have seen.
LOL Greatbear!
I couldn't agree more.
Edward Johnson is a dunce and will go down in history as an evil stupid man.
I swear, if a political conservative hasn't broken the law-it's just because he hasn't been caught yet!
John Perkins wrote that the same people rotate between corporate management and government. One hand washes the other. And the illusion of democracy continues with the obsessive coverage of the big candidates with their big connections.
Stephen Johnson is a political hack that is loyal to the republican party first. Almost every department is run by political hacks...surprised?
The problem lies with our electoral system that appoints the same representatives over and over again to do the same old thing....may be it is we the people that has to change from the bottom up....
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ENVIORMENT AND EVERYTHING TO DO WITH TRYING TO DESTROY THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS, BECAUSE ACCORDING TO THE REPUBS SMALL GOV. IS GOOD, AND LARGE AGENCIES GO AGAINST THAT DOCTRIM.
Welcome to the redux of the "Spoils system," where government jobs were handed out to supporters of the dominant party of the day on the basis of loyalty, not competence. Said EPA chief is an example of this.
The EPA was chartertered by Richard Nixon as a non political agency to protect and improve our environment. It functioned as was intended (even during the Regan years) until this administration converted it to another tool for the special interests.
Blame for the recent blockage of California's pollution and effeciency standards, as well as other outrages, by this administration falls on: The moran voters who helped this administration steal the elections; The five Supreme Court justices who betrayed principal for politics and planted this unfit person in office; and Our legislators for tolerating these unprecedented abuses.
I agree with the overhwelming sentiments expressed here.
SRD
http://www.bccmeteorites.com/misconduct-planetary.html
What should we expect from the EXXON Protection Agency?
Another fine example of a honest appointed politician - once on the job, do as he's told no matter what - no explanations needed. Or check his bank account & stock holdings.
The corporate oligarchy rules!!!
And Science is just as corrupt as this political hack. What other government agency plays, bad cop/bad cop with america's environmental protection. Ugh!
Department Chiefs have long ignored scientists; witness the Departments of Interior and Agriculture for the past 40 years.
Science is no longer relevant in the administration of Emperor King Dumb F GWB. All of the important minds have been replaced with grads from Regent University. These are the ~20% who still salute the chimp. They believe that The Flintstones was a documentary and that the surge is working.
The next year is going to be a sad one on all fronts for the good old USA.
Fuddgate:
What makes you think its going to be sad only for the next year? decades-yes, year-no.
It is a serious shame that the fire under this chief has no heat,
nor color of his blood red hands of death.
Namaste
curmudgeon99:
I was just riffing on Dubyuh's recent comment that "2008 gonna be a Great year!". I don't have any illusions as to the magnitude of the Bush disaster.
The Bush crime family have ignored and threatened any scientist that did not back up their preconceived conclusions on just about everything. If Bush said that the earth was flat, he would execute anyone that said otherwise. These guys in the Bush so called administration are evil money grubbing pigs.
The answer? Unseat most Republican members of Congress along with Bush in November, then get rid of Johnson and all his ilk in agencies. And never again elect anyone even remotely resembling Bush, including McCain.
If it's good for people but bad for business, you can count on the US Government to prevent it. If it's good for business but bad for people, you can count on the US Government to embrace it. The people have no voice. This isn't a new phenomena... it's been that way for a very long time, ever since the corporations became 'persons' under the law.
Johnson and Shradar are just doing their jobs - using up their credibility fronting for the neocons. Just like Colin Powell and countless others. The truth coming in second behind politics is nothing new in DC, but the radicals running this administration have no limits. Hopefully its over in 10 months.
How naive can we be to think that the best politicians money can buy on either side of the aisle will protect the common person or the environment when their bread is buttered by the polluters. Total, and I mean total public financing of federal campaigns is the only thing that will get the powerful money out of the policy-making in Washington. Lacking that, anyone fighting for truth and justice through elected or appointed officials in Washington is just barking at the moon
bbr-001 said: "Hopefully its over in 10 months"
Don't count on it friend. Regardless of who 'controls' the government, it'll be the same old rape, pillage and murder that we are seeing now. There's no way in hell that anyone who would seriously challenge the status quo will 'win' the election. Hope and pray all you want, but it just isn't going to happen until corporations and lobbyists are prohibited from peddling influence withing the halls of power.