[PAA-Discuss] FW: Give the EPA the "communication and transparency" they're asking for!

[zappa2004]

Give the EPA the "Communication and Transparency" They're Asking For!
-----Original Message-----
From: action at ucsusa.org [mailto:action at ucsusa.org]
Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2008 4:37 PM
To: Kathryn Melton
Subject: Give the EPA the "communication and transparency" they're asking
for!






                              Give the EPA the "Communication and
Transparency" They're Asking For!

                              Dear Kathryn,

                              Over the last five years, the number of states
that have adopted clean car standards to reduce global warming pollution
from vehicles has risen to thirteen, but Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) Administrator Stephen Johnson has blocked their legal right to
implement these important standards. A January 24 Senate hearing produced
yet more conclusive evidence that, in rejecting the waiver these states
needed to implement their laws, Administrator Johnson ignored both his own
scientists' and lawyers' recommendations.

                              While Johnson censors documents and silences
scientists at the EPA, his deputy administrator, Marcus Peacock, is trying
to improve "communication and transparency in government" through the use of
an EPA blog.  In his Washington Post column last week, "Enough About
Pollution Regulations; Here's a Riff on Amy Winehouse," Al Kamen takes
Peacock to task for glossing over the key issues such as the clean car
standards.

                              Peacock responded opaquely, noting that his
blog is itself a risk, then added:

                                I'm pretty senior and will be gone in a
year. A good question is how do we encourage, rather than discourage, the
rank and file in government to take risks and test innovative ideas?

                              Please head over to the EPA's blog and explain
to Deputy Administrator Peacock that ignoring EPA scientists and analysts on
an issue as central as global warming pollution from vehicles is not a way
to "encourage risks and test innovative ideas."

                              By clicking Take Action below, you'll be taken
directly to the EPA's blog, where you can voice your opinion directly to
Peacock.

                              After you've commented on the EPA blog, click
on the Report Back button below and send a copy of your comment to us. By
giving us copies of your comments, we can make sure that the EPA is allowing
open online debate, and we can post any great comments that get rejected by
the EPA on UCS's own HybridBlog.org!

                              The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s
blog is one of the few channels currently open for citizens to express
themselves directly, and openly, to high-ranking EPA officials. Please take
advantage of this opportunity to keep the pressure on the EPA for their
dubious decision on cleaner cars.



                              Sincerely,

                              Scott Nathanson
                              National Field Organizer
                              Clean Vehicles Program



                       Take Action!
                              Instructions:
                              Click here to take action on this issue. When
you've commented, click here to send us a copy.

                              Tell-A-Friend:
                              Visit the web address below to tell your
friends about this.
                               Tell-a-Friend!

                              Quick Tips on creating a personalized blog
comment:

                                a.. It's easy: All you'll need to do is put
in your name and email address (and your email address won't be shown with
your comment). Then write away.
                                b.. Keep it clean: Angry and frustrated?
That's fine, but please resist use of profanity or name-calling. No need to
give the blog moderators an excuse for not posting your comment.
                                c.. Personalize it: Whether you are a
scientist or lawyer angry at Johnson's ignoring of his own staff, a parent
in a state that has adopted the clean car standards looking to do your part
to tackle global warming pollution, or a state employee concerned with what
Johnson's actions could mean for states' rights under the Clean Air Act, try
and note why this means so much to you.
                                d.. Copy and paste: Remember to copy the
comment you write, then paste it back into our action response form so we
can keep record of what you've written and post some of them on our own
HybridBlog.org.
                              More . . .



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