EPA Tells Staff Don't Talk

July 28, 2008

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EPA Tells Staff Don't Talk
The Environmental Protection Agency is telling its pollution enforcement officials not to talk with congressional investigators, reporters, and even the agency's own inspector general, according to an internal email. The June 16 email 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. . . . please do not respond to questions or make any statements."

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17 Comments

Great Sommelier 4 years

Thanks guys!

Great Sommelier 4 years

Of course I knew he was being sarcastic. Everything he types here is sarcasm. Steph just gets her kicks from arguing and apparently her superiority complex is at its peak this week. Calling people stupid does nothing Steph.

tiff58 4 years

I'm not really sure how someone is less intelligent because they don't believe the same liberal agenda that you do.

lilkimbo 4 years

I'm sure GS knew rac was being sarcastic, but it was out of left field because at that point in the discussion no one was saying anything about Bush or Cheney. Being snarky doesn't make one more intelligent.

Great Sommelier 4 years

You going to pull my hair next? Wow, calling people stupid now. Great Steph.

stephley 4 years

Oh, then maybe living and breathing a liberal agenda makes one smarter. I knew you didn't, And I knew Raci was being sarcastic and on topic.

Great Sommelier 4 years

No I didn't know that because I don't live and breathe a liberal agenda. But you knew that, didn't you?

stephley 4 years

"I'm sure Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney have our best interests at heart. Now please put your seats in an upright position, turn your brain off and enjoy the landing." It's sarcastic, urging people to revert to their usual 'Bush means well' robotic mode that we've seen and heard so often during the last seven year. Let's all shrug off the possibility that there's a sinister reason behind the warning to EPA personnel. But really, you knew that, didn't you?

Great Sommelier 4 years

:? How? Please explain where the comment has any relevance to the thread or comment on the thread.

stephley 4 years

Makes perfect sense to me.

UnDave35 4 years

That's so far left, it's from the bleachers. ;)

Great Sommelier 4 years

That's from left field rac.

raciccarone 4 years

I'm sure Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney have our best interests at heart. Now please put your seats in an upright position, turn your brain off and enjoy the landing.

Great Sommelier 4 years

Seems fishy. Although, I've thought the EPA was fishy for awhile now.

stephley 4 years

I'm sure that there is standard policy regarding talking to outsiders, but I think the EPA is having bigger issues. This is from an AP story: "The e-mail, according to EPA, was a response to a May 2007 audit by the IG's Office that found the agency had not responded to earlier reports on problems with water enforcement and other matters... the Office of Inspector General said it did not approve of the language in the e-mail and was engaged in discussions with enforcement officials to ensure the electronic dispatch would not hinder its access to information... "All EPA officials and employees are required to cooperate with OIG," the statement said. The EPA is currently under pressure from several congressional committees to disclose documents relating to its position on global warming and its denial of a petition by California to control greenhouse gases from motor vehicles... Sen. Barbara Boxer said the administrator had turned "the EPA into a secretive, dangerous ally of polluters, instead of a leader in the effort to protect the health and safety of the American people." Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., asked for a probe into President Bush's claims of executive privilege over the California documents and other "White House interference" into decisions by the agency. On Monday, Leahy said, "I hope this e-mail is not akin to the wide range of tactics this administration has used to thwart accountability."

MartiniLush 4 years

That's just common practice, it doesn't indicate that anyone is trying to hide anything. I worked for DOJ and once a year or so, we would get the same type of e-mail. It is designed so that all requests for information go through one channel in the organization (even internal requests). It helps to drive the point home to employees that what you are working on could be highly sensitive and you aren't supposed to have loose lips.

stephley 4 years

I can see telling employees to refer the press to the proper people in the Agency, but the inspector general? What are they afraid of?

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