EPA Library Closures Move Ahead
-- Library Journal, 8/24/2006
Even before Congress acts, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to shut down three regional libraries by September 30, end public access to research materials, and put up to 80,000 documents in boxes for eventual digitizing, according to agency documents released by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). The assumption, PEER said, is that Congress will not reverse President Bush's proposed $2 million cut to the EPA library budget. PEER cited an August 15, 2006 document entitled "EPA FY 2007 Library Plan," which indicates that EPA will immediately implement the cuts to the network of 26 technical libraries. Not only would regional libraries in Chicago, Dallas, and Kansas City, KS, serving 15 Midwestern and Southern states, close, other regional library hours and services will be gradually reduced.
Jessica Emond, EPA deputy press secretary, countered that the agency "is providing comprehensive access to agency documents and materials through EPA's public web site." The primary headquarters library and ten regional libraries are moving more documents online—currently 15,000-plus are available—and all EPA-generated materials will continue to be available through inter-library loans. EPA has 26 libraries, including those noted above, and 15 research-oriented libraries. Emond said that the stated 80 percent reduction in EPA's library budget, reported in numerous media outlets, is inaccurate: "The FY2007 budget request is $4.5 million, which is significantly larger than the $500,000 previously implied in various articles." Another EPA spokesperson said that the $2 million cut referred to only the ten regional libraries and the headquarters. PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch responded, "I don't know what they consider the total budget, because there is no line item. All we know is their support for the library network is reduced by $2 million. We're wondering why a $7 billion agency is fighting so hard for this $2 million cut."
