U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, and U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, today made a final request of Acting Administrator Bob Perciasepe of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to comply with a Congressional request after months of stonewalling and inadequate cooperation. The Agency has until noon on Friday, June 28, 2013, before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform will consider use of compulsory process.

"While EPA initially indicated they would cooperate, it appears that these efforts have been abandoned. EPA's failure to cooperate with the Committees' oversight effort is unacceptable," wrote Ranking Member Vitter and Chairman Issa in the letter.

On April 10, 2013, the Committees sent EPA an initial request for documents pursuant to previous FOIA and Congressional requests. EPA has since missed multiple deadlines to voluntarily comply.

Text of the letter is below. Click here to see the PDF.

 

June 27, 2013

The Honorable Bob Perciasepe
Acting Administrator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460

Dear Mr. Perciasepe:

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works requested specific documents from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the majority of which EPA has yet to turn over. In a letter sent on April 10, 2013, the Committees requested that EPA turn over documents and communications related to the Richard Windsor alias email account and the Pebble Mine proceeding, as well as other ongoing EPA matters.[1] In an effort to accommodate EPA, on April 25, 2013, EPA requested and we agreed to identify the documents that were our highest priority.[2] This list included 106 emails all previously released in redacted form pursuant to FOIA requests.

While EPA initially indicated they would cooperate, it appears that these efforts have been abandoned. EPA's failure to cooperate with the Committees' oversight effort is unacceptable. In light of EPA's steadfast refusal to cooperate with the Committees' oversight effort, we are writing to inform EPA that failure to provide the requested documents to the Committees by noon on June 28, 2013, will force the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to consider the use of compulsory process.

The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is the principal oversight committee of the House of Representatives and may at "any time" investigate "any matter" as set forth in House Rule X. The U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works focuses on federal energy and environmental policy and our nation's transportation and infrastructure systems. When producing documents, please deliver production sets to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Majority Staff in Room 2157 of the Rayburn House Office Building and the Minority Staff in Room 2471 of the Rayburn House Office Building. When producing documents to the Environment and Public Works Committee, please deliver production sets to Room 415 of the Hart Senate Office Building. The Committees prefer, if possible, to receive all documents in electronic format.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. If you have any questions, please contact the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works at (202) 224-6176 and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform at (202) 225-5074.

Sincerely,

David Vitter
Ranking Member
Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works

Darrell Issa
Chairman
House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

cc: The Honorable Barbara Boxer, Chairman, Committee on Environment and Public Works

The Honorable Elijah Cummings, Ranking Member, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

 

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