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Friday, April 28, 2006

Environment - "State EPA chief questioned in grand jury landfill probe"

Illinois...

This story is from the Chicago Tribune. Some quotes:

Gov. Rod Blagojevich's environmental chief has been questioned before a Cook County grand jury investigating whether the governor's office overstepped its authority last year in shutting down a landfill run by a relative of the governor's estranged father-in-law, sources said Thursday.

Prosecutors last week brought before the grand jury Douglas Scott, director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, as part of the joint probe begun more than a year ago by Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan and Cook County State's Atty. Richard Devine's offices, according to two sources familiar with the proceedings.

Earlier this year, the grand jury heard testimony from two EPA administrators who were involved in the closing of the Joliet landfill, including a bureau chief for the EPA's land management division.

Scott did not head the EPA at the time the agency shut down the landfill, but the sources said that during his April 19 appearance, he was asked to detail what the EPA's standard operating procedures are for closing landfills. Former EPA Director Renee Cipriano, now a lobbyist, headed the EPA at the time. Cipriano did not return phone calls seeking comment Thursday.

For background, start with this ILB entry from April 13, 2005.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on April 28, 2006 04:43 PM
Posted to Environment