Another "Heck of a Job, Brownie" story further degrades Bush's Legacy...

Three senators call for EPA chief to resign

By Deborah Zabarenko, Environment Correspondent
Tue Jul 29, 6:48 PM ET


Democratic senators called on Tuesday for the resignation of Stephen
Johnson, head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, saying he
sided with polluters instead of fighting global warming and other
ecological problems.

The three senators, all active in the climate change debate, also
asked the U.S. attorney general to investigate whether Johnson has
made false or misleading statements in sworn testimony before the
Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee.

"Mr. Johnson has consistently chosen special interests over the
American people's interests in protecting health and safety," Sen.
Barbara Boxer of California told reporters. "He has become a secretive
and dangerous ally of polluters and we cannot stand by and allow more
damage to be done."

Boxer, who heads the environment committee, said Johnson had made
damaging decisions on mercury, lead, toxic chemicals, drinking water
standards, ozone air pollution and global warming.

She said these decisions were "harmful to the American people."

Boxer noted that last year, Johnson denied California's request for
federal permission -- known as a waiver -- to impose tough new limits
on climate-warming carbon dioxide emissions from cars and light
trucks. That decision effectively blocked as many as 18 other states
from doing the same.

Boxer, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Sen. Amy Klobuchar
of Minnesota wrote to Attorney General Michael Mukasey, asking him to
investigate Johnson, specifically noting the California waiver
decision.

"False testimony by any witness is serious and undermines our ability
to fulfill our constitutional duties on behalf of the American
people," the senators wrote. "Our concern is heightened because this
decision by the EPA administrator affects the health and well-being of
the American people."

White House spokesman Tony Fratto dismissed the allegations against
Johnson, saying Boxer has "no standing" to question Johnson's
integrity.

"Administrator Johnson is an honorable, experienced, career scientist
and everything he has done at the EPA has been with the interests of
protecting the American people and our environment," Fratto said.
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