EPA's Dark Side: PROGRAM CUTS - EMPACT

[Fred Stoss <fstoss@acsu.buffalo.edu>]

EMPACT
http://www.epa.gov/empact/
Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking
Real Time Environmental Information for Cities Across the Nation

This has been one of the most important EPA programs of recent years to bring to the public critical environmental data and information at the county and municipal levels. What does the EPA have to say about this program: "EMPACT is designed to help communities provide time-relevant environmental information in an easily understood format to residents of the 156 larger Metropolitan areas in the United States."

Go to their Web site and look at all of the LOCAL environmental data and information sharing projects that have been funded by EMAPCT. Look at the EMAPCT Program as the most viable information sharing tool since the EPA began the Toxic Release Inventory in 1989. Look at EMPACT as the public's tool box for understanding local environmental issues. Look at EPA Administrator's, Christine Todd Whitman's, rhetoric on the public's rights and needs to know. ASK THE EPA ADMINISTRATOR WHY IS EMPACT BEING CUT FROM THE EPA???  Send her an eMail message at whitman.christine@epa.gov BUT DON'T BE SURPRISED IF YOUR MESSAGE DOESN'T GO THROUGH. The eMail address I gave you here is my best GUESS as to what it should or could be, because the EPA ADMINISTRATOR DOES NOT HAVE HER EMAIL ADDRESS POSTED ON THE EPA DIRECTORY--THE AGENCY THAT SAYS THE POWER OF INFORMATION EXCHANGE IS IN THE INTERNET HAS AN ADMINISTRATOR THAT DOES NOT LIST HER EMIAL ADDRESS!!!!!!! If that fails try the phone number provided from the EPA's directory listing for Ms. Whitman: 202-564-4700.

IF YOU WANT TO ACT: Contact your Senators and the Senate Appropriations Committee and voice your support for reconsidering the funds for EMPACT, go one better, demand that the funds be expanded to include more projects in more communities. As members of the public every participant in this National Dialogue should be OUTRAGED that the proposed EPA Budget will cut, zero-out, cancel, kill, or otherwise eliminate this important public information service.

This is a Dialogue about public involvement, now get involved and write those letters and help KEEP EMAPCT INTACT.

Fred Stoss