Trading Science for Politics

Why EPA Head Stayed Silent on Key Agency Findings, Despite a Science Background

By Matthew Blake 04/15/2008

The Environmental Protection Agency, on its Web site, describes air quality on the U.S.-Mexico border as "abysmal" and getting worse, due to rapid industrialization. Yet when Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced plans last week to complete the border fence by waiving environmental laws, the EPA administrator, Stephen L. Johnson, was silent. The EPA is supposed to address air quality programs under the Clean Air Act, but agency spokesman Jonathan Shrader said he wasn't aware of anyone from homeland security even bothering to check with the environmental agency.