In an oped published by the New York Times, former EPA Administrators William K. Reilly, Christine Todd Whitman and Gina McCarthy explain the impacts that big staff cuts would have on EPA’s ability to protect public health.
As former E.P.A. heads under both Republican and Democratic administrations, we fear that such cuts would render the agency incapable of protecting Americans from grave threats in our air, water and land.
While there are opportunities to make the agency more efficient and better at enforcing laws, Americans across every state, city and local community would suffer the effects of deep staff cuts. E.P.A. public servants defend us and the environment from harmful pollution every day, not in hopes of attention or bigger paychecks, or to execute the wishes, wants or needs of billionaires looking to play on a bigger stage. They do it for all Americans and because of laws such as the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act. This is an agency that sets standards and regulations according to science, and the laws and funding approved by Congress.
When the next catastrophe that spews pollutants into the air or contaminants into our drinking water or food supply arrives, who will deal with the emergency and its aftermath?….
The former Administrators provide specific examples of how the public relies on EPA to be on the job. Read the full article here.