The Hill
Monday 14 January 2008
Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) is strongly criticizing the EPA's failure to produce documents regarding its decision to reject California's effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
The lawmaker, who chairs the Committee on Oversight and Government Affairs, had asked EPA for the documents in December and requested that their delivery begin on Jan. 10.
"I appreciate the efforts EPA is taking to collect responsive documents, but I am concerned about the failure of the agency to meet the Committee's January 10 deadline," Waxman said in a letter Monday to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson. "I am also concerned that no schedules for document production are proposed in your letters."
The lawmaker is calling on the agency to develop a release schedule with his staff.
Waxman also informed the EPA that he wants to conduct transcribed interviews or depositions with seven agency officials regarding agency deliberations that led to the controversial decision.
The California rule would have regulated emissions from cars, trucks and SUVs but was rejected by the EPA, which said that a patchwork of state laws would not help reduce greenhouse gasses.
California has sued over the EPA's decision.
EPA Yet to Issue Written Decision of California Waiver Denial
By David Shepardson
The Detroit News
Monday 14 January 2008
Detroit - A senior career Environmental Protection Agency official said a formal written decision denying California and 16 other states the right to impose their own tailpipe emissions is still being written and likely won't be completed until next month.
On Dec. 19, EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson denied the request by California and 16 others states for a waiver under the Clean Air Act to impose a 30 percent reduction in tailpipe emissions by 2016 - a move that would require automakers to average 43 mpg for passenger cars by then.
Margo T. Oge, director of EPA's office of Transportation and Air Quality, said it was "very unlikely" that the written decision would be completed this month.
"The decision was made by Administrator Johnson and we just have to write the decision and then move forward," Oge said an in interview here today at the North American International Auto Show as she toured the expo. "We're in the process of drafting the decision."
Oge said it is "very unlikely" the decision will be finished this month. She said Johnson was fully informed on the issue before making the decision.
"These decisions are made based on the best information that the administrator receives from the staff but it is the administrator's decision and we respect that," Oge said.
The decision was a major victory for automakers who argue that the energy passed and signed into law last month the best way to go - setting a national industry fleet-wide standard of 35 mpg by 2020, a 40 percent increase over current requirements.
Asked if the White House told Johnson ordered Johnson to deny the waiver, Oge said she couldn't comment. But she said Johnson was within his discretion to deny the waiver request.
Johnson will testify on Jan. 24 in front of a Senate Environment and Public Works committee chaired by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., who has sharply criticized the decision. Two congressional committees have asked the EPA to turn over documents and emails surrounding the decision, while California and more than a dozen of the states have filed suit to overturn the decision in the U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco.
Rep. Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, sent a letter today to the EPA asking to question seven EPA officials, including Oge, behind closed doors. Waxman asked that a schedule for interviews be set by Wednesday.
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