Congress has a smoking gun proving the Bush Administration meddled in the Environmental Protection Agency ruling that denied California the authority to strictly regulate the amount of C02 and other auto emissions.
When he denied the state's request earlier this year, EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson claimed the ruling was his and his alone. Yet a House investigation that has examined more than 27,000 pages of records and the sworn testimony of eight EPA officials revealed that Johnson faced intense pressure from the Bush White House to reject the state's request, which would have required automakers to cut emissions of C02 and other pollutants by 30 percent by 2016.
"It appears that the White House played a significant role in the reversal of the EPA decision," says Rep. Henry A. Waxman, D-Beverly
Hills, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
Waxman's comments drew a sharp rebuke from the panel's top Republican,
Rep. Thomas M. Davis III of Virginia, who called the chairman's allegation "a knee-jerk conclusion of nefarious intent by the White
House derived from a manifestly incomplete investigation."
Who's right?
“With regard to the White House, for virtually every statute I am bound to oversee, I am the decision-maker, whether it be the NAAQS [ozone]
standard or any other decision, is my decision — the California
[waiver] decision— it is my decision and my decision alone,” Johnson told reporters at the Platts Energy Podium.
But the documents and interviews, many of which came under subpoena, show the EPA's career bureaucrats unanimously supported granting California's request. They considered it the only legally defensible option, given California's authority under the federal Clean Air Act to implement its own controls.
As recently as last fall Johnson supported granting, at least in part, the petition — that is, until he heard from the White House.
In a meeting attended by more than 20 staff members, there was unanimous agreement that
California's request should not be denied, five of the participants told congressional investigators. In one deposition, EPA Associate
Deputy Administrator Jason Burnett told congressional investigators that Johnson in August and September was "very interested in a full grant of the waiver," then said he thought a partial grant of the waiver "was the best course of action."
Ooops. Despite the overwhelming evidence, a White House spokesperson simply denied that there had been any interference.
The fight over California's emissions regulations, which 13 other states hope to adopt - has become a major environmental fight in the waning months of the Bush Adminsitration. California has sued to reverse the EPA ruling, and the Senate Environment Committee on Wednesday will consider a bill by California Sen. Barbara Boxer that would allow the states to enact their own emissions standards.
Each of the three presidential candidates - Hillary Clinton, John McCain and Barack Obama - have said they would grant the waiver.
*Photo of L.A. gridlock by Flickr user Nitro101.
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