September 28, 2018

Duckworth, Durbin Demand Meeting with EPA Acting Administrator after Regional Administrator Cancels Meeting Three Times with Little Notice or Explanation

Senators have been seeking answers from Regional Administrator to several environmental issues affecting their constituents’ health and well-being for months

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) are demanding a meeting with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler to discuss a number of critical and timely issues affecting Illinoisans’ health and well-being. The Senators’ demand for a meeting with Wheeler comes after EPA Region 5 Administrator Cathy Stepp scheduled and confirmed, then cancelled, three separate meetings in recent months, providing little notice and sometimes no reason at all for cancelling.

“On three different occasions, Administrator Stepp cancelled [scheduled] appointments with little to no notice. And no effort has been made to reschedule the appointment,” wrote the Senators in a letter to EPA Acting Administrator Wheeler. “Ms. Stepp’s repeated pattern of cancellation with little notice or explanation is not acceptable to our constituents, whose health and well-being depend on Region 5 efficiently and successfully protecting them from harmful and toxic chemicals. Given the recent history of Region 5, we are especially alarmed by the apparent lack of urgency and responsiveness from the Regional Administrator.”

A copy of the letter Senators Duckworth and Durbin send Acting Administrator Wheeler is available here, and the full text of the letter is available below:

The Honorable Andrew Wheeler

Acting Administrator

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20004

Dear Acting Administrator Wheeler:

For three months, we have sought to meet with Ms. Cathy Stepp, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Region 5 Administrator, to discuss several urgent issues of critical importance to us and our constituents in Illinois.

On three different occasions, after her office confirmed meetings with us both, Administrator Stepp cancelled these appointments with little to no notice. Our offices were not even provided the courtesy of a reason for the cancellation of the third meeting, which was supposed to take place this week. No effort has been made to reschedule the appointment. 

While we understand exigent circumstances may arise that result in unforeseen and uncontrollable schedule changes, Ms. Stepp’s repeated pattern of cancellation with little notice or explanation is not acceptable to our constituents, whose health and well-being depend on Region 5 efficiently and successfully protecting them from harmful pollution and toxic chemicals. Given the recent history of Region 5, we are especially alarmed by the apparent lack of urgency and responsiveness from the Regional Administrator.

We request that you meet with us at your earliest convenience so that we can finally get answers to our congressional oversight inquiries regarding several urgent issues affecting Illinois residents. We would appreciate a response by Monday, October 1, 2018.

Thank you for your consideration of our request.

  Sincerely,

-30-