Earth Equity News

Ex-EPA Official Says White House Pulled Rank. By Juliet Eilperin, WashPost, July 23, 2008. A former EPA official yesterday contradicted EPA administrator Stephen L. Johnson's congressional testimony on [a] key global warming [decision], saying the White House ordered Johnson to block California's bid to regulate vehicles' tailpipe emissions. On Jan. 24, Johnson told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee under oath that he had made the decision on his own after determining there was no compelling evidence to justify California's plans. 'The responsibility for making the decision for California rests with me and solely with me, Johnson said at the time. 'I made the decision. It was my decision. It was the right decision.' Yesterday, however, former EPA deputy associate administrator Jason K. Burnett -- who resigned last month and has since divulged key details about how President Bush and his deputies have influenced the agency's decisions on climate policy -- testified before the committee that Johnson had concluded that California's request was legally justified -- until White House officials ordered him to reverse the decision... Burnett told the panel that Johnson had concluded that California had met the legal requirement for a waiver... adding that Johnson had initially agreed to grant California a 'partial waiver' lasting several years. Johnson reversed course after consulting with the White House, Burnett recalled... [Committee Chairwoman Barbara] Boxer's staff is reviewing the discrepancies between Johnson's and Burnett's testimony to determine if false statements were made, an aide said."