Washington DC - Congressman Jim Oberstar wants to know which documents the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to destroy before they hit the paper shredder. This week, EPA officials announced they would delay plans to close a number of the agencies' scientific libraries, including the EPA library in Duluth and destroy thousands of documents. The closures were designed to save money and limit public access to this data for national security reasons.

Oberstar is concerned the library closures could limit the ability of independent scientists to review the work the EPA is doing. "It's our job to make sure that we leave clean air and water for our children and grandchildren," said Oberstar. "Without scientific review of the EPA's work and policies there is no way we can know for certain if the agency is acting in the public's best interest."

On November 30th, Oberstar joined with Representatives: John Dingell, D-Mich.; Bart Gordon, D-Tenn.; and Henry Waxman, D-Calif.; and wrote a letter to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson. It expressed concerns about the EPA plan stating that a "vast and invaluable trove of public health and environmental information" is in danger of being lost.

"Congress has the duty to provide oversight, so we know that the Bush administration is acting in the public's best interest," Oberstar said. "We can't just let the Bush administration shut down libraries, such as the one in Duluth, and start shredding documents without first knowing what could be lost. I am told that many of these documents will be made available online, but the agency needs to come to the Congress and explain how this is going to work and show us that their new system will be better."

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