WASHINGTON, July 28, 2008
EPA Put Gag Order On Staff, E-Mail Shows
Agency Tells Personnel Not To Talk With Investigators, According To Internal Memo Given To AP
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(AP / CBS)
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The June 16 e-mail tells 11 managers in the EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, the branch of the agency charged with making sure environmental laws are followed, to remind staff to keep quiet.
"If you are contacted directly by the IG's office or GAO requesting information of any kind ... please do not respond to questions or make any statements," reads the e-mail sent by Robbi Farrell, the division's chief of staff. Instead, staff should forward inquires to a designated representative.
Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility obtained the e-mail and provided it to the AP. The group is a nonprofit alliance of local, state and federal professionals dedicated to upholding environmental laws and values.
Jeff Ruch, its executive director, said Monday that the e-mail reinforces the "bunker mentality" within EPA under the Bush administration.
"The clear intention behind this move is to chill the cubicles by suppressing any uncontrolled information," said Ruch.
The EPA, in an official statement, said Monday that the e-mail was aimed at making responses to the press, GAO and Inspector General more efficient, consistent and coordinated. The EPA said officials would still be allowed to talk after they checked in with representatives.
"There is nothing...that restricts conversation between enforcement staff, the press, GAO and the IG and the procedure is consistent with existing agency policies," the statement said.
© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Perhaps the agency has forgotten its own history.
It was EPA deception about the safety of ground zero for rescue workers that put Christie Whitman and agency integrity on the spot.
Whitman argued later this is what she was told. Those in the field, however, insisted no "all clear" was issued about ground zero conditions.
For example, here in northwest Florda a private company decided it wanted to build a toll bridge across a large bay linking two fragile, low-lying areas.
There was much public sentiment against it. Many dollars and hours of environmental studies, etc. And an EPA agent told me some years later that he had recommended the project not be approved, but the skids were well greased in Tallahassee already.
The Speaker of one of the Houses in Tallahassee just co-incidentally owned the land at BOTH ends of the proposed bridge !!! Which he would "donate" to the project if approved. It was approved. Suddenly the Speaker needed to be paid hansomely for the land-fall properties !!
When the toll bridge earnings fell short, it was propsed that the State of Florida bail out the investors ... with -- you got it -- taxpayers money !!
How do you define "the right information" ? What you get -- and only what you get -- is the official version desired to be released by those holding the information and the power to control it.
Great reference point --- Dubya and the WMD and Saddam !!! This is so the status-quo can continue unabated, and uninformed ... in fact, deluded. Shut up, sign up and send money !!!
Clean Water Act of 1974 (CWA 1974)was very effective for a while, but has lost its teeth. Polluters are still at it -- do you have rivers, streams, lakes near you that you cannot swim or eat fish from ? We do. Where is EPA and the Clean Water Act ? Being ignored by multi-billion dollar interests that can afford to bribe politicans at all levels.
The person who mentioned the Ohio river burning is correct. When I worked in water pquality in the late 1970''s, we met 2 old fisherman on the Wisconsin River who remebered times before the CWA 1974 wehn they had to paddle thru a foot of floating sludge before the oar hit water and the odor was nauseous.
These days, who of us are willing to fish or swim down-stream of our sewage treatment plants ?
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Posted by DaVicar2 at 03:00 PM : Jul 28, 2008
Hello! Come out of the good old says of the 60''s and 70''s when rivers caught fire due to the pollution in them. Today''s world needs the EPA. Deal with it.
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Posted by netadmin1 at 03:12 PM : Jul 28, 2008
Very true for press releases, but if you read the article they are advising this in regards to investigators. Most definitely not policy in most government offices. This is obstruction of justice. No surprise though. This is the Bush administration.
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HUM
Posted by netadmin1 at 03:12 PM : Jul 28, 2008
There is a different between law enforcement and the EPA. It can actually be viewed as contempt and obstruction of justice to not talk to an investigator---this is not a bunker mentality, it borders on anarchism and traitorous behavior. The government should, cooperate in any investigation--like so many of you say about wire tapping--"those who have nothing to hide should not fear cooperating with the government"
This is policy almost anywhere you go - Police Depts. - Fire Depts all have a PSO (Public Service Officer) that does press releases. They do it to get the right information out - The news media needs to give it a rest.
Hmmmmmmm, I think we can start trimming the budget with this department...
Posted by jtdev1 at 01:29 PM : Jul 28, 2008
That was the Republican intension all along...
The Justice Dept illegally fires or refuses to hire anyone not "for" Bush and the EPA has been hiding the facts for 8 years of their mismanagment and incompetence. The Republican Hole just gets deeper, sort of like a huge sink hole with no bottom now.
- by jtdev1 July 28, 2008 4:29 PM EDT
- And who pays for the EPA???
- Reply to this comment
See all 20 CommentsHmmmmmmm, I think we can start trimming the budget with this department...