(Washington, DC) The House Committee on Science and Technology’s Subcommittee on Investigations & Oversight today examined the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) effort to close regional and research libraries around the country. These closures have hindered EPA staff access to important records and reduced public access to environmental information.
""The most generous possible explanation is that EPA managers were stunningly incompetent," said Subcommittee Chairman Brad Miller (D-NC). "But it is possible that the explanation is more sinister. The EPA ignored their own careful plans and abruptly closed libraries, limited access to the public and EPA employees, and just threw away documents that may be irreplaceable. The EPA’s ability to protect the environment and public health is badly compromised as a result."
In 2006, EPA imposed budget cuts that led to closure of three of its regional libraries and its headquarters library and to a reduction in hours of operation for six others. In addition, the EPA closed its Chemical Library in Washington, DC, which is used extensively in assessing risks from toxic chemicals and in enforcement cases. Altogether, access to EPA libraries in 23 states has been completely lost.
A new report released today by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) finds that the EPA’s effort to close regional and research libraries around the country has been plagued by managerial problems. The report also says that the decision to close libraries was not justified and strongly suggests that the entire process EPA has followed in closing the libraries is flawed and could deprive the public, EPA staff, state and local agencies, and academics with valuable environmental data.
"A library is more than a collection of books and documents. It is an organized body of knowledge that we continue to build upon as we expand our understanding of the world we live in. If it is done right, the creation of a web-based virtual library would expand access to information to a much broader audience. Unfortunately, the EPA library network is nowhere near that goal," added full Committee Chairman Gordon. "The Agency appears to have avoided talking to any group with expertise or interest in their libraries. EPA made no attempt to reach out to the public, and they virtually ignored Congress until they reluctantly agreed to a moratorium on further implementation of their flawed plan."
"Americans don’t like the destruction of their books and libraries," said Miller. "Congress has already told EPA to reopen its regional libraries. EPA should reopen its headquarters and chemical libraries as well. These are central assets that serve the Washington, D.C. staff of EPA and the public and the loss of these libraries is a tragedy."
At today’s hearing the following witnesses testified: Mr. John Stephenson, Director Natural Resources and Environment, Government Accountability Office; Mr. Charles Orzehoskie, President, American Federation of Government Employees, Council 238; Dr. Francesca Grifo, Senior Scientist and Director of the Scientific Integrity Program, Union of Concerned Scientists; Mr. Jim Rettig, President-elect, American Library Association; and Ms. Molly O’Neill, Assistant Administrator for the Office of Environmental Information (OEI) and Chief Information Officer, Environmental Protection Agency.
The full GAO report and testimony from today’s hearing is available online at http://science.house.gov/.
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