Stephen Johnson news stories on Newser

GOP Opposes Consumer Agency as 'New EPA'

Jane Yager — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 05:56:00 CST

Get ready for a bruising showdown over the consumer protection agency the Democrats are trying to create: GOP senators are pledging to kill a standalone body, which is critical to the Dems' plan. A strong, independent CFPA is anathema, says Utah Republican Robert Bennett: "Can you say EPA?" Bennett and...

EPA Staffers Told to Keep Quiet in Memo

Matt Cantor — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:33:38 CDT

In what some officials fear is a sign of secrecy and political meddling, an email to Environmental Protection Agency staff asked that they not answer questions from journalists, the Government Accountability Office, or its own inspector general, CNN reports. In the email, which an environmental workers’ group called a “gag...

Cheney's Staff Cut Testimony on Climate: EPA Official

Sam Biddle — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:28:08 CDT

Aides to Vice President Dick Cheney censored congressional testimony on climate change by a top government official, a former official at the Environmental Protection Agency charges. Jason Burnett claims Cheney’s office, fearing testimony would lead to greater regulation of greenhouse gases, excised six pages of text regarding the health risks...

EPA Chief Ignored Staff on Calif. Ruling

Wesley Oliver — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 13:58:44 CST

The EPA chief—under heavy pressure from the auto industry—rejected his own staff's advice in denying California’s request to set its own fuel economy standards, the Los Angeles Times reports. Stephen Johnson told the state that it’s request was unnecessary in the wake of the new energy bill and...