Dem memo: White House nixed California’s EPA waiver

The White House apparently played a “pivotal” role in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rejecting California’s request for a waiver from the greenhouse gas emissions standard, according to an investigation by House Democratic staff.

California was denied the waiver despite there being “unanimous support among the career EPA staff,” according to a memo prepared by staff of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

{mosads}“It appears that the White House played a significant role in the reversal of the EPA position,” the document reads. “This raises questions about the basis for the White House actions. The Clean Air Act contains specific standards for considering California’s petition.”

The staff memo states that EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson also favored, at least in part, granting the waiver before communicating on the issue with White House officials.

“It would appear to be inconsistent with the president’s constitutional obligation to faithfully execute the laws of the United States if the president or his advisers pressured Administrator Johnson to ignore the record before the agency for political or other inappropriate reasons,” the memo states.

An investigation into the issue would continue, the document states.