Four senators on the Environment and Public Works Committee have called for the resignation of EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson and have asked the U.S. attorney general to investigate whether Johnson lied to Congress in a hearing about California’s greenhouse-gas emissions waiver. In a letter to the attorney general, the senators wrote, “[W]e believe that there is significant evidence to suggest that Mr. Johnson has provided statements that are inconsistent with sworn testimony and documents provided in connection with an investigation conducted by this committee.” In that testimony, given earlier this year, Johnson claimed he alone made the decision to deny California’s requested waiver. “[T]his was solely my decision based upon the law, based upon the facts that were presented to me,” he said. However, former EPA official Jason Burnett recently testified that Johnson was set to issue a partial waiver until he changed his mind amid pressure from the White House. The senators also accused Johnson of succumbing to White House pressure to delay the decision on whether greenhouse-gas emissions endanger public health or welfare.
