EPA ombudsmen accuse Whitman (Citigroup Ties Behind Whitman's moves at EPA)
Published by MAC on 2001-12-31
EPA ombudsmen accuse Whitman (Citigroup Ties Behind Whitman's moves at EPA)
By Borys Krawczeniuk, Scranton Times Tribune Staff Writer
December 31, 2001
The cleanups at Shattuck and Marjol would cost the companies millions of dollars more if the ombudsman's office were allowed to fully investigate EPA's cleanup plans, the two men say.
Federal officials critical of cleanup plans for hazardous waste sites in Throop and Denver say the nation's top environmental official dismantled their watchdog office because of her family's financial ties to companies with a stake in the sites.
EPA National Ombudsman Robert J. Martin and his former chief investigator, Hugh Kaufman, are pointing fingers at federal Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christie Whitman.
In grievances filed with her recently, they say Mrs. Whitman doesn't want them interfering in the lead-contaminated former Marjol Battery site and the Shattuck radioactive waste site because of her husband's connections to Citigroup Inc.
Citigroup owns Shattuck. Citigroup's venture capital company co-owns AMI Semiconductor with GA-TEK Inc., the parent company of Gould Electronics, Marjol's owner. Mrs. Whitman's husband John owns stock valued at between $100,001 and $250,000, according to Mrs. Whitman's financial disclosure reports. He also works for a venture capital company backed by Citigroup.
The cleanups at Shattuck and Marjol would cost the companies millions of dollars more if the ombudsman's office were allowed to fully investigate EPA's cleanup plans, the two men say.
EPA's proposed Marjol cleanup - leaving most of the contamination buried there under an impermeable cap - is estimated to cost no more than $24 million, compared to the $85 million for the total removal Marjol neighbors and Throop officials want.
On Nov. 27, Mrs. Whitman announced she's transferring Mr. Martin's office into the EPA inspector general's office. She says the transfer, which is scheduled to go into effect Jan. 13, will give him the independence he's been seeking.
He says it's a "false independence" that won't allow him to supervise, hire and fire his own staff.
In the grievances, Mr. Martin and Mr. Kaufman demand Mrs. Whitman reverse the transfer and do nothing to alter the ombudsman's office until Congress convenes hearings and deliberates on bills that would grant the office
independence.
Mr. Kaufman also asks for his reinstatement.
They make a similar request in complaints both filed with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. In the complaints, they say Mrs. Whitman is retaliating against them and obstructing their investigations.
An OSHA spokesman said the complaints are under review. Mr. Martin and Mr.Kaufman ask Mrs. Whitman to meet with them on the grievance. If she balks, they can appeal to President Bush, Mr. Kaufman said.