Dear Mr. Johnson:

"Gross misrepresentation" my ass. Have fun at the EPA!

Sincerely,

Dickie Cronkite


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EPA nominee cancels study that held up confirmation

4/9/05
By DICKIE CRONKITE
NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT


Boxer objected to research tracking infants' pesticide exposure


WASHINGTON -- Stephen Johnson, President Bush's nominee for EPA administrator, announced Friday the immediate cancellation of a program studying pesticide levels in infants, one day after Sens. Barbara Boxer of California and Bill Nelson of Florida put a hold on his nomination.

The Children's Environmental Exposure Research Study, or CHEERS, sought to track levels of household pesticide exposure in infants and young children. It promised compensation of up to $970 over a two-year period, as well as the camera used in the study and children's clothing.

"I have concluded that the study cannot go forward, regardless of the outcome of the independent review," Mr. Johnson said in a statement released Friday. "EPA must conduct quality, credible research in an atmosphere absent of gross misrepresentation and controversy."


In contrast to what Mr. Johnson called a "gross misrepresentation," Ms. Boxer referred to the study as a "gross error in judgment."

She and Mr. Nelson, both Democrats, had based their hold on Mr. Johnson's failure to cancel the program.

In a statement following Mr. Johnson's announcement, Ms. Boxer called the CHEERS program "a reprehensible idea that never should have made it out of the boardroom."

An aide said the senator would lift her hold now that the study has been canceled.

"I am just happy that it was stopped before any children were put in harm's way," Ms. Boxer said.

Ms. Boxer grilled Mr. Johnson on the study at a Senate committee hearing on Wednesday. She then announced her decision with Mr. Nelson on Thursday to block the nomination until the study was canceled.


Dickie Cronkite writes from Washington, D.C., for Medill News Service. E-mail him at *******@newspress.com.