[NukeNet] Action Alert From UCS: EPA Closes Its Libraries, Destroys Documents

[Bill Smirnow]

    http://www.ucs.org
[An action alert from the Scientific Integrity
Program
of the Union of Concerned Scientists
http://www.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
http://www.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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