IDEM comes under attack by Evansville officials

IDEM comes under attack
(http://www.post-trib.com/news/1393375,idemletterfolo.article)

January 23, 2009

By Gitte Laasby

Post-Tribune staff writer

City officials in Evansville share outrage from Hammond and Gary over changes in enforcement at the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

They call the changes "absurd" and criticize IDEM's management for "emasculating" the agency. City officials are now taking their frustration to the Indiana General Assembly, where Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. has been asked to testify to a state House committee.

Several bills also are in the works and the EPA has sent a letter with concerns to IDEM.

"We had very little expectation anything we said or did to communicate with (IDEM Commissioner Thomas) Easterly or Gov. (Mitch) Daniels would matter," said Dona Bergman, director of Evansville's Environmental Protection Agency.

"Frankly, I think U.S. EPA, from that letter, is quite concerned. I?don't think IDEM bothered to consult with EPA?before they made these decisions. EPA staff we have spoken to were quite shocked."

Three changes are causing concern: IDEM's decision to eliminate funding for city agencies that monitor air, including those in Gary, Hammond and Evansville; a new enforcement policy that would narrow the category of environmental permit violations to comprise only violations that cause actual harm to human health or the environment; and the elimination of IDEM's Office of Enforcement.

Bergman said Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel talked to Daniels, and that Evansville EPA?staff contacted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5.

As the Post-Tribune reported Thursday, the regional office of the EPA sent a letter to IDEM Tuesday raising questions about the changes.

McDermott welcomed the intervention. He and a Hammond environmental manager were asked to testify before the House Ways and Means Committee in early February, "probably to answer questions about this whole situation," McDermott said.

"Maybe this has something to do with the change in administration in Washington. I welcome EPA's involvement."

IDEM officials announced in December that IDEM was canceling city contracts to monitor air, saying it would enhance efficiency and that the agency would save $2 million by doing it in-house.

Bergman called it "absolutely absurd" and "dis-ingenuous" to claim IDEM would be as effective and efficient as local agencies.

She questioned the savings, citing top IDEM officials who said IDEM would need to hire at least four people to take over the responsibilities. Evansville legislators have asked IDEM for a fiscal analysis of where the savings would be, but IDEM has not provided answers, she said.

"I am not going to stand there and say this is going to enhance efficiency. None of that is true," Bergman said.

Hammond, Gary and Evansville officials have expressed concern that IDEM will be less responsive to complaints of residents and perform inspections less frequently.

"For the larger sources," such as U.S. Steel, BP and NIPSCO, "the ones that IDEM staff will have resources to inspect, 70 percent of those will get done only every two years. Thirty percent will be done every three years," Bergman said. "Local agencies did all those and a whole lot more every year."

Bergman is not optimistic that bills requiring IDEM to enter local contracts will go anywhere, but hopes EPA and public awareness will help.

"There are obviously people at (EPA) Region 5 who are concerned," she said. "I think there are a number of mid- and low-level IDEM personnel who want to do a good job, who really care about the environment and protecting the environment. They're very distraught by the system ... and now a management team that seems bent on emasculating the entire agency."

"For the larger sources," such as U.S. Steel, BP and NIPSCO, "the ones that IDEM staff will have resources to inspect, 70 percent of those will get done only every two years. Thirty percent will be done every three years," Bergman said. "Local agencies did all those and a whole lot more every year."

She's not optimistic that bills requiring IDEM to enter local contracts will go anywhere, but hopes EPA and public awareness will help.

"There are obviously people at (EPA) Region 5 who are concerned," she said. "I think there are a number of mid- and low-level IDEM personnel who want to do a good job, who really care about the environment and protecting the environment. They're very distraught by the system... and now a management team that seems bent on emasculating the entire agency."

Contact Gitte Laasby at 648-2183 or glaasby@post-trib.com.