Congressman John Dingell has writen to the Enviornmental Protection Agency's Acting Inspector General, Bill Roderick asking him to explain himself.
Not exactly in the Ricky Ricardo 'splain yourself Lucy' style, but the point is hammered home none the less.
Congressman Dingell writes "We request that you cite the specific authority that allows you to make the early buyout offers at this time and indicate when you first requested this authority for the OIG." Office of Inspector General.
He further states in his letter of March 22, "...you notified all OIG employees that it was 'very likely we will have to close facilities and/or conduct a reduction in force to meet our '08 budget target and prepare for operating at a continually reducing level over the long term.' Dingell writes, "You already appear to have begun a buyout initiative that would require staff to leave as early as April 30, 2007.
Congressman Dinglee requested that Roderick give his assurance that no plans
will be initiated, or put in place to close any OIG field offices without providing his committee with 60 day advance notice.
In a letter dated April 13, 2007 to Stephen Johnson, Administrator of the EPA
from the Committee on Energy and
Commerce we get some insight into why the OIG may be running out of money.
An unknown policy by most Americans known as "performance Track", now in its 5th year, companies in voluntary compliance with a commitment to environmental improvements that exceed regulatory requirements receive some nice benefits and incentives from the EPA.
The first problematic benefit is placing these 'preformance track' memeber
companies at low priority states for inspections:
- Reduced monitoring and reporting under several Federal environmental laws.
Perhaps most troubling: - 'Special Access' to EPA decision makers.
- Longer periods for storage of hazardous wastes.
- Priority status for certain permit reviews.
Sweet! What a deal for these 'performance track' members. Of course any
company that meets and exceeds EPA standards should be commended. Laud
them in public, give them a place, hold them up as examples of good business.
Why should they be rewarded for simply doing the right thing?
These Performance Track facilities also get the slick multi-media packages.
Flags, event and conference planning, videos the list goes on and on. Any
business would have to pay ad agencys and PR firms a pretty penny for these
services.
The EPA has been spending tax payer dollars to give to these
Performance Track facilities. Sadly, by the EPA's Inspector General, only a meager 7 % of the members sampled of this lucky group were meeting their commitments to receive these lovely benefits.
Closing EPA field offices will only add to the benefits of the facilities to continue putting off compliance with Federal EPA laws.
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