Stephen L. Johnson
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| Stephen L. Johnson | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 26, 2005 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Michael Leavitt |
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| Born | March 21, 1951 Washington D. C. |
| Political party | Republican |
Stephen L. Johnson (born March 21, 1951 in Washington D. C.) is the current Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Johnson attended Taylor University, receiving a B.A. in biology followed by a master's degree in pathology from George Washington University. Before working for the U.S. Government, he held a number of positions in laboratory and bio-technology companies. He was also the director of Hazelton Laboratories (now known as Covance).
He became the acting Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency on January 26, 2005. On March 4, 2005, President George W. Bush nominated him formally for the permanent position, replacing former administrator Michael O. Leavitt.
During his Senate confirmation hearing, Johnson was criticized for his support of using human subjects in pesticide testing. In April, a hold was placed on his confirmation vote after he refused to cancel the Children's Environmental Exposure Research Study, which advocated recording the effects of pesticides on children from infancy to age 3. On April 8, Johnson canceled the study. His nomination was confirmed by the Senate on April 29.
Johnson is currently attempting to block the efforts of 17 states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve fuel economy. He has defended his position by arguing that “The Bush administration is moving forward with a clear national solution, not a confusing patchwork of state rules. I believe this is a better approach than if individual states were to act alone.” However, the state rules he is blocking are more stringent than the Bush administration's proposed national solution.[1] Johnson came under investigation for allowing the White House to improperly interfere with the decision to grant California a waiver to limit greenhouse gases. The investigation began when it became known that, prior to a series of communiques with the Bush administration, Johnson had planned on granting California the waiver. Johnson has refused to comment on his talks with the White House, and has ignored subpoenas for relevant documents. On May 20, 2008, Johnson was questioned for three hours by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. The Committee Chair, Henry Waxman (D-CA), said "You have essentially become a figurehead....The president apparently insisted in his judgment and overrode the unanimous recommendations of EPA scientific and legal experts. You reversed yourself after having candid conversations with the White House."[2]
Johnson's stance on this and other issues was criticized by the scientific journal Nature, which charged him with acting in "reckless disregard for law, science or the agency's own rules — or, it seems, the anguished protests of his own subordinates."[3]
On February 29, 2008, four labor unions representing most of the EPA's professional staff published an open letter to Johnson, complaining that he had ignored the EPA's official Principles of Scientific Integrity in advancing Bush Administration positions on water fluoridation, pesticide regulation, mercury emissions, and greenhouse gas control.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ Broder, John; Felicity Barringer (2007-12-20). E.P.A. Says 17 States Can’t Set Emission Rules. New York Times. Retrieved on 2008-01-06.
- ^ EPA's Johnson defense actions. - New York Times
- ^ a b "The EPA's tailspin" (2008). Nature 452 (7183): 2. doi:. PMID 18322480.
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/may2008/2008-05-21-10.asp
[edit] External links
Congressional Testimony (Video)
Stephen L. Johnson's biography on the EPA's website
| Preceded by Michael Leavitt |
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Served Under: George W. Bush 2005 |
Incumbent |
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