I read with interest the letter to the editor written by Julie DalSoglio, Montana Office Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, concerning her response to "a report questioning the protectiveness of EPA action levels and cleanup activities." DalSoglio specifically quotes this report released by Stacie Barry, In reality, this “report” is actually the dissertation researched and written by Stacie Barry, who successfully defended such dissertation to a broad range of academia earlier this year in pursuit of her doctorate degree at University of Montana. Although I’ve not studied this dissertation, I can feel confident that the “science and findings of the report” were severely tested at her presentation. The Montana University system does not issue doctorate degrees light heartedly or irresponsibly.
The debate over Barry’s findings should and will continue, for the end result must be a safer, cleaner, and better Butte. My concern now is for the integrity of the EPA. Julie DalSoglio has either not done her research and is simply mistaken, or is taking this debate to the gutter by personally minimizing another individual's accomplishments. Dr. Barry is deserving of an apology, at the least. More important, to me, is the question: “If Julie DalSoglio is so cavalier with the truth regarding the “report” and its source that she quotes in her letter to the editor of April 1, can I trust her when she tells me about the EPA’s accomplishments and commitment to Butte?
Ronald Chatriand
226 Carousel Way
Butte
Please Wait…
Nobody doubts EPA's yearning for a better planet. Unfortunately EPA officers are publicists and lawyers. Very few are scientists. There often are failures in the sciences and therefore failures of integrity.
The agency has held some huge hearings and called for massive citizen input. The same agency was the object of a very special congressional hearing.
In each case, EPA resolutely ignores findings.
It's nobody's fault really. These things will happen in any federal organization that has no oversight.
All that is left that we can do is to provide greater citizen involvement. That includes the generation of teams to gain publicity and push the agency. It is little understood that EPA gives massive grants to private organizations that are willing to propose defense of environment.
If the good doctor got a few people behind her, there would be good money in it and perhaps some success.