The gall of EPA head Stephen Johnson is beyond belief

To the Editor,

The gall of EPA head Stephen Johnson is beyond belief (EPA gives no hint when it will comply with court directive, 3/5/2008). First he rejected California’s request for stricter automobile emission standards than the federal limits, a move counter to the unanimous opinion of the EPA legal and scientific staffs and also counter to the philosophy of states’ rights. He now refuses to comply with a United States Supreme Court directive to determine whether vehicle greenhouse gas emissions should be regulated. And, this directive came from the court after President Bush’s appointees were seated.

Johnson must be replaced in this important position. I have no doubt that Senator Clinton or Senator Obama would remove him, but am worried that Senator McCain might not. McCain has a “0” score from the League of Conservation Voters. They identified 23 critical roll-call votes on the environment in 2007 and he missed all of them. Included in this group was the December 13 vote to block a filibuster on the energy bill, which failed by one vote (59-40, 1 absent). McCain needed to be there to ensure the passage of a stronger bill. He wasn’t. If elected he will certainly need to be there for us and take a much stronger stand for our environment than he has recently.

Bill Seager