Legal Research

Battle Looms Over EPA Library Closure

By jlutz99

From the Humanities and Social Sciences Net Online:

BATTLE LOOMS OVER EPA LIBRARY CLOSURE
The battle in Washington is escalating over a move by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to close its nationwide network
of scientific libraries.  EPA began closing some of its regional branch
libraries and one at its Washington, D.C. headquarters earlier this
fall.  The agency is not only closing the facilities, but also has
reportedly begun to destroy documents or shipped them to repositories
where they are uncataloged and inaccessible to EPA employees,
scientists, and the general public.  In addition, EPA has authorized
the U.S. General Services Administration to begin selling off library
equipment.

This week, four Democrats who will likely chair key House committees in
the 110th Congress sent what amounted to a cease and desist letter to
EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson urging him to halt the library
closures.  In the letter, Ranking Members Reps. Bart Gordon (D-TN),
John Dingell (D-MI), Henry A. Waxman (D-CA) and James Oberstar (D-MN) expressed their serious concerns over the current implementation of "library reorganization" plans and the "destruction or disposition" of library holdings.  "It is imperative that the valuable government information maintained by the EPA's libraries be preserved," wrote the Ranking Members.

In September, the four Democrats asked the Government Accountability
Office to initiate an investigation of the impact of EPA's proposed
library closures.  They want Johnson to halt his reorganization until
the GAO issues its report.  The closure of the libraries was included
in the administrations' proposed FY 2007 budget for EPA.  The
initiative is estimated to save EPA $2 million annually.  However,
since the federal government is operating under a continuing
resolution, Congress has not technically signed off on the proposed cuts.

Read it online here.

Plus, from Mary McCormick a link to the EPA FY 2007 Library Plan: National Framework for the Headquarters and Regional Libraries.

Posted by Jon Lutz

Full post as published by FSU College of Law Library Blog on December 12, 2006 (boomark / email).