EPA Asserts Executive Privilege In CA Emissions Case

Brad Eleven writes "The AP reports that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has invoked executive privilege to justify withholding information in its response to a lawsuit. The state of California is challenging the agency's decision to block their attempt to curb the emissions from new cars and trucks. In response, the EPA has delivered documents requested by the Freedom of Information Act for the discovery phase of the lawsuit — but the documents are heavily redacted. That is, the agency has revealed that it did spend many hours meeting to discuss the issue, but refuses to divulge the details or the outcomes of the meetings. Among the examples cited, 16 pages of a 43-page Powerpoint presentation are completely blank except for the page titles. An EPA spokesperson used language similar to other recent claims of executive privilege, citing 'the chilling effect that would occur if agency employees believed their frank and honest opinions and analysis expressed as part of assessing California's waiver request were to be disclosed in a broad setting.'"

Comments

Re:Oh, spare me.

[timmarhy]

In this age of climate change hysteria, if you did research that ended up suggested otherwise would you like to have it out there with your name on it? i'd rather have frank and honest EPA employee's and not be able to read their findings then being able to read a bunch of 1/2 truths that they were forced to self censor to protect their jobs and reputations