[CPEO-MEF] Special treatment

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

Apparently someone in influence at U.S. EPA is suggesting that the Defense 
Department should get special treatment when it comes to environmental 
enforcement. The following is excerpted from an internal memo: "By the way, 
the language in this guidance, like 'There is no policy reason to treat 
Federal agencies differently from any other entity with respect to the 
application of penalties for delayed or avoided compliance with 
environmental requirements' is high-handed, arrogant, and wrong. Sure there 
is; honest, thoughtful Americans can reasonably reach different conclusions 
about the wisdom, value and utility of this approach; that's why there is 
no consensus of opinion on this. To state that ''There is no policy 
reason...' is inflammatory, myopic and arrogant."

Reportedly, this memo is associated with an internal effort to get EPA to 
drop its ongoing proceedings against Ft. Wainwright (Alaska) for Clean Air 
Act violations.

Lenny

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