[Texgreen] Fw: EPA Closes Its Libraries, Destroys Documents

[Steve Rossignol]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <moderator@PORTSIDE.ORG>
To: <PORTSIDE@LISTS.PORTSIDE.ORG>
Sent: Friday, December 01, 2006 7:23 PM
Subject: EPA Closes Its Libraries, Destroys Documents


> [An action alert from the Scientific Integrity Program
> of the Union of Concerned Scientists
> ucsaction.org/campaign/12_1_06_EPA_Library_Closures
> -- moderator]
> 
> December 1, 2006
> 
> The EPA Closes Its Libraries, Destroys Documents
> 
> The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has begun
> closing its nationwide network of scientific libraries,
> effectively preventing EPA scientists and the public
> from accessing vast amounts of data and information on
> issues from toxicology to pollution. Several libraries
> have already been dismantled, with their contents either
> destroyed or shipped to repositories where they are
> uncataloged and inaccessible.
> 
> The scientific information contained in the EPA
> libraries is essential to the agency's ability to make
> fully informed decisions that carry out its mission of
> protecting human health and the environment. Members of
> Congress have asked the EPA to cease and desist. Please
> call EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson at (202) 564-4700
> either today, December 1, or Monday, December 4, and
> tell him how much scientists rely on data and
> literature. Urge him to immediately halt the dismantling
> of the library system until Congress approves the EPA
> budget and all materials are readily available online.
> 
> Update, 12:40p.m. EST 12/1:
> 
> A few of hours ago, we told you that the Environmental
> Protection Agency has begun closing its scientific
> libraries. Several libraries have already been
> dismantled, with their contents either destroyed or
> shipped to repositories where they are uncataloged and
> inaccessible.
> 
> Calls are already flooding in and we're having an
> effect. Please keep those calls coming! Call EPA
> Administrator Stephen Johnson at (202) 564-4700 either
> today or Monday and tell him how much scientists rely on
> data and literature. Urge him to immediately halt the
> dismantling of the library system until Congress
> approves the EPA budget and all materials are readily
> available online. Click here to tell us the results of
> your call.
> 
> Unfortunately, we're receiving reports that the EPA is
> claiming that the Union of Concerned Scientists has
> false information and that none of the libraries have
> been closed. Significant evidence proves otherwise.
> 
> The Evidence
> 
> On the EPA's own library website, the five libraries
> that have been closed to date have been removed from the
> list and had their websites partially or completely shut
> down:
> 
> the Headquarters Library
> http://www.epa.gov/natlibra/hqirc/
> 
> Region 5
> http://ucsaction.org/ct/ld_rfsY1QmhD/
> 
> Region 6
> http://ucsaction.org/ct/o1_rfsY1QmhH/
> 
> Region 7
> http://www.epa.gov/region7/citizens/irc/index.htm
> 
> and the Office of Prevention, Pollution, and Toxic
> Substances (OPPTS)
> http://ucsaction.org/ct/l1_rfsY1QmhJ/.
> 
> The EPA libraries website links to a plan of action
> (http://ucsaction.org/ct/od_rfsY1QmhG/) for closing many
> libraries and dispersing or disposing of materials. We
> also have first-hand accounts from EPA employees that
> the libraries have been closed.
> 
> The four EPA employees unions have sent a letter
> (http://ucsaction.org/ct/lp_rfsY1QmhZ/) asking Congress
> to stop the destruction of the library network. A letter
> from Representatives Henry Waxman (D-CA), Bart Gordon
> (D-TN) and John Dingell (D-MI) has prompted an
> investigation of the library system by the General
> Accountability Office, the investigative arm of
> Congress. And members of both the House and Senate have
> called upon Administrator Johnson to cease and desist
> with the closures until the investigation is complete
> and Congress has authorized action; the House letter
> calls for a response from the administrator by Monday,
> December 4, 2006.
> 
> Also, several newspapers have reported or editorialized
> about the library closures, including the Boston Globe
> (http://ucsaction.org/ct/97_rfsY1QmhY/), the Christian
> Science Monitor (http://ucsaction.org/ct/9p_rfsY1QmhT/),
> and Cox Newspapers (ucsaction.org/ct/9d_rfsY1QmhR/).
> Additional information is provided by the American
> Library Association (ucsaction.org/ct/91_rfsY1QmhQ/)
> and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility
> (http://ucsaction.org/ct/l7_rfsY1QmhK/).
> 
> These are large agencies; it is not uncommon for an
> agency to go into complete denial when confronted with
> questions such as the ones we are asking. However, this
> only underscores the importance of putting the
> administrator's office on notice that we are watching
> and will hold them accountable.
> 
> Please call EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson at (202)
> 564-4700 either today or Monday. Click here
> (http://ucsaction.org/ct/f1_rfsY1Qmyg/) to tell us the
> results of your call.
> 
> We will update you on the progress of this effort next
> week on our website.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Michael Halpern
> National Field Organizer
> Scientific Integrity Program
> 
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