Norine Noonan
08/16/99 10:37 AMTo: Romulo Diaz/DC/USEPA/US@EPA, Guzy.Gary@EPA.GOV @ EPA, Harper.Sallyanne@EPAMAIL.EPA.GOV @ EPA, Perciasepe.Robert@EPAMAIL.EPA.GOV @ EPA, Fox.Chuck@EPA.GOV @ EPA, Tim Fields/DC/USEPA/US@EPA, Herman.Steven@EPA.GOV @ EPA, William Nitze/DC/USEPA/US@EPA, Devillars.John@EPA.GOV @ EPA, Fox.Jeanne@EPA.GOV @ EPA, McCabe.Michael@EPA.GOV @ EPA, Hankinson.John@EPA.GOV @ EPA, Francis Lyons/R5/USEPA/US@EPA, Gregg Cooke/R6/USEPA/US@EPA, Dennis Grams/RGAD/R7/USEPA/US@EPA, Bill Yellowtail/RA/R8/USEPA/US@EPA, Felicia Marcus/R9/USEPA/US@EPA, Clarke.Chuck@EPA.GOV @ EPA
cc: Wilson.Reid@EPAMAIL.EPA.GOV @ EPA, Brenner.Rob@EPA.GOV @ EPA, Martin.Dawn@EPA.GOV @ EPA, Minerva.Dana@EPA.GOV @ EPA, Jim Aidala/DC/USEPA/US@EPA, Stephen Johnson/DC/USEPA/US@EPA, Cliff Rothenstein/DC/USEPA/US@EPA, Mike Shapiro/DC/USEPA/US@EPA, Regas.Diane@EPA.GOV @ EPA, Lowrance.Sylvia@EPA.GOV @ EPA, Jay Benforado/DC/USEPA/US@EPA, Susan Wayland/DC/USEPA/US@EPA, Alan Hecht/DC/USEPA/US@EPA (bcc: Scott Schwenk/DC/USEPA/US)
Subject: Report on Science and Use of Science at EPA
Colleagues:
I want to give you a heads-up on a report I just learned about on Friday afternoon. I am attaching a short memo I sent to Reid W. as soon as I found out and I'm also attaching two one-pagers with a few more details and some potential talking points. The report is from Resources for the Future, a normally reputable organization. However, this report is quite naive and has a lot of unsubstantiated and anonymous quotes as well as flawed analysis. It also is a look back (in some cases, waaaaay back) at history and does not reflect the current reality of science or the use of it at the agency. The report does give a few compliments to the changes that Carol has made, unfortunately, they are mostly in footnotes or buried in the rather voluminous text -- there is no summary. In addition, the RFF press release has nothing good to say about EPA . I do not have an electronic form of the press release but will see to it that you receive a paper copy. The report is to be officially released on Wed., 8/18, but we had a press call late Friday afternoon (which is how I learned of the report's existence), so the word is on the street.
ORD has really dropped the ball on this and I want to apologize personally to each of you if the release of this report and the subsequent "damage control" causes you headaches. The fact that I didn't know of its existence until Friday doesn't relieve ORD of the fault in not making you all aware sooner --- much sooner. We've let the agency down and I'm sorry.
We are having copies of the report hand delivered to the AA's HQ offices today and will get copies sent by Federal Express to all RAs. Also, I sent Reid (and Kim Rubey who is acting for Dave Cohen) a draft press statement on Friday, but we are revising and strengthening it this morning based on our review of the book over the weekend. As soon as we have something in final, I will send it to you. I would also suggest that the HQ NPM offices might want to designate a contact person -- particularly if your office is the subject of one of the 8 "case studies" in the book (see attachments). If your contacts have any questions, they should call Scott Schwenk on my staff.
Again, I am very, very sorry for the short fuse on this. Rest assured that I have taken some actions to ensure that such a gaffe never, ever happens again (at least during my tenure). Friday the 13th struck again.
Peace
N2(See attached file: RFF report on EPA science.wpd)
(See attached file: Factsheetsscienceatepa.wpd)
Comments on this posting?
Click here to post a public comment on the Trash Talk Bulletin Board.
Click here to send a private comment to the Junkman.