Letter to President-Elect Bush

Jan 12, 2001

The Honorable George W. Bush

Bush-Cheney Presidential Transition Headquarters

1800 G Street, NW

Washington, DC 20405

Dear President-Elect Bush:

Our organizations are writing to express dismay and alarm at the Environmental Protection Agency's recent treatment of its National Hazardous Waste and Superfund Ombudsman Office. The removal of that Office's sole investigator without the knowledge or consent from the Ombudsman; the current bar on the National Ombudsman to supervise any personnel or other resources; and the newly released draft Ombudsman guidance restricting investigations, demonstrate the lack of discretion and independence allowed that important office.

The very essence of an Ombudsman is to stand apart from the entrenched bureaucracy and to perform independent investigations at the request of elected officials and the public and private sector. Discretion over which cases an Ombudsman looks into is essential for the effectiveness of that office. Should the Ombudsman become subservient to the agency whose work he is meant to investigate, any of his decisions would become suspect thus compromising the legitimacy and integrity of the office.

We ask you to direct the next Administrator to provide a level of resources which the EPA National Ombudsman deems necessary to do his work, including but not limited to the reinstatement of staff, and to ensure that the Office is truly independent from manipulation by EPA management. We trust that, in the name of good government, you will let EPA Administrator-designate Whitman know of your support for this vital office.

Sincerely,

20/20 Vision James Wyerman, Executive Director	Alaska Waveriders Mike Macy, Director of Public Policy
Alberton Community Coalition for Environmental Health Lucinda Hodges, Director	Alliance for Nuclear Accountability Susan Gordon, Director
American Friends Service Committee Northeast Ohio Office Greg Coleridge, Director, Economic Justice & Empowerment Program	American Lands Alliance Steve Holmer, Campaign Coordinator
Arrest the Incinerator Remediation (AIR) Vicki Smedley, Chair	Brio Superfund Site Community Group Marie Flickinger, Chair
Chemical Weapons Working Group Craig Williams, Director	Citizens Advisory Group Mary Mosley, Acting Chair
Clean Air Council Jeff Tober, Board Member	Clean Air Hotline Dr. Richard H. Osborne, Barbara T. Osborne
Clean-It! Jack Unruh, President	Cold Mountain, Cold Rivers Darrell Geist, Executive Director
Common Ground Naomi Schultz, Steering Committee	Concerned Citizens of Lake Township Christine Borello, President
Cook Inlet Keeper Bob Shavelson	Don't Waste Arizona Stephen M. Brittle, President
Environmental Association for Great Lakes Education (EAGLE) Craig Minowa, Projects Cooridinator	Friends of the Earth Gawain Kripke, Director, Economic Campaigns
Glynn Environmental Coalition Bob Drury, President	Government Accountabilty Project Tom Devine, Legal Director
Grand Canyon Trust Bill Hedden, Utah Conservation Director	Greenpeace Rick Hind, Legislative Director, Greenpeace Toxics Campaign
GreenWatch USA Bill Smedley, President	Kentucky Environmental Foundation Peter Hille, Chair
Legal Environmental Assistance Foundation, Inc. Aliki Moncrief, Staff Attorney	Marin Breast Cancer Watch Francine Levien, Founder and Executive Director
Montana-CHEER Tony Tweedale, Project Director	Mothers Organized to Stop Environmental Sins (M.O.S.E.S.) Phyllis Glazer, President and Founder
Non-Stockpile Chemical Weapons Coalition Elizabeth Crowe, Director	Ohio Citizen Action Jennifer O'Donnell, Akron Area Director
Olympic Environmental Council Darlene Schanfald, Rayonier Hazardous Waste Project Director	Overland Neighborhood Environmental Watch Catherine Sandy, President
Pennsylvania Environmental Network Vicki Smedley, President	PiPaTAG Rose Mary Ammons, Vice President
Political Ecology Group Sara Zimmerman, Board Member	Project On Government Oversight Danielle Brian, Executive Director
Protect the Peninsula's Future Eloise Kailin, President	Public Citizen Joan Claybrook, President
Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) Jeff Ruch, Executive Director	Safe Food and Fertilizer Patricia Anne Martin, Executive Director
Shenandoah County Alliance Against Toxic Sludge, LLC Charlotte Hughes, Secretary	Silver Valley People's Action Coalition Barbara Miller, Director
Site Specific Advisory Board Rocky Mountain Arsenal Sandra Jaquith, Spokesperson	Take Off Unknowns in Communities (TOXIC) Inese Holte, Director of Communications
Trans Alaska Gas System Environmental Review Committee Mike Macy, Coordinator	Tri-State Environmental Council Terri Swearingen, Executive Director
United Parents Against Lead of North Carolina, Inc. Kristin Joyner, Director	Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) Sarah O'Brien, Environmental Health Advocate
Washington Toxics Coalition Laurie Valeriano, Policy Director	Waste Action Project Greg Wingard, Executive Director
Waste Not Ellen & Paul Connett, Editors	Working Group on Community Right to Know Lisa Mosca, Coordinator
Alaska Forum For Environmental Responsibility Ross Coen, Executive Director	Healing Our Mother Earth Marta Salinas
The West County Toxics Coalition Dr. Henry Clark

CC: EPW Committee

POGO Staff

POGO Staff
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