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News & Analysis | REG•WATCH Blog | Press Room
Monday, May 05, 2008
Gade Ouster Will Have Chilling Effect on Environmental Regulators
The head administrator for EPA's Midwest Region, Mary Gade, resigned last week amid a political firestorm. Aides to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson "told her to quit or be fired by June 1," according to the Chicago Tribune.
Gade claims she was forced out because she was trying to make Dow Chemical clean-up soil and sediment contaminated with dioxin, a highly toxic chemical and known carcinogen, in Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron. Dow has been dragging its feet on efforts to clean up the chemical which is emitted by its Midland, MI plant. Gade ordered Dow to begin dredging last year "when it was revealed that dioxin levels along a park in Saginaw were 1.6 million parts per trillion, the highest amount ever found in the U.S," according to the Tribune.
Gade was a Bush appointee, and a former corporate attorney who "had represented big companies like Dow against environmental regulators." Senior EPA officials are staying tight-lipped about Gade's resignation, but she told the Tribune she is certain it is a result of her aggressive pursuit of Dow: "On Thursday, Gade said of her resignation: 'There's no question this is about Dow. I stand behind what I did and what my staff did. I'm proud of what we did.' "
Ultimately, it doesn't matter whether Dow was the reason Gade was fired. EPA brass could say they fired Gade for stealing paper clips, but the damage is done: EPA officials on the ground will think twice next time they are considering aggressively enforcing environmental regulations, for fear of losing their jobs.
Posted by Matt Madia
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