Dow Chemical and EPA force out admnistrator for cleaning up the environment...

CHICAGO - The top U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator in the Midwest resigned Thursday amid internal fights over dioxin contamination near Dow Chemical Co.'s world headquarters in Michigan, according to a published report.

Mary Gade, regional administrator of EPA Region 5, told the Chicago Tribune she resigned as regional administrator of EPA Region 5 after two top EPA officials stripped her of her powers and told her to quit or be fired by June 1.

"There is no question this is about Dow," Gade told the paper for a story on its Web site. "I stand behind what I did and what my staff did. I'm proud of what we did."

Dow spokesman John Musser said Gade's departure came as a surprise. He said the chemical giant would rather work with the federal government than with Michigan officials, who have been designated by the agency to oversee future dioxin cleanup.

"Flatly, we never asked or implied that Ms. Gade be removed from her post," Musser told The Associated Press in a telephone call late Thursday. "We have no idea what the EPA's reason was for this move."

Lana Pollack, president of the Michigan Environmental Council, said that Dow and the EPA had "succeeded in muzzling a woman of unquestioned credentials and integrity who was doing her job enforcing our environmental laws."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24428213/

rec.

"Flatly, we never asked or implied that Ms. Gade be removed from her post," (Dow spokesman John) Musser told The Associated Press.

Translation: "We pay DC lobbying firms hundreds of thousands of dollars to do that sort of thing for us."

fell off the page in GD *sigh*

These bastards are terrorizing us. :mad: