Federal Daily - August 6, 2008

Union Leaders Criticize EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Stance

Union leaders for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) professional workers criticized EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson’s position opposing staff efforts to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, according to documents posted Aug. 5 on the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) Web site. Representatives for the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) wrote a letter to Johnson expressing their “collective dismay,” over his actions, which they said “subverted the work of EPA staff.” At issue is a 2007 Supreme Court ruling that found EPA has the authority to regulate emissions of greenhouse gases from motor vehicles. In seeking public comment on staff proposals, Johnson argued that the federal Clean Air Act was “ill-suited” for regulating greenhouse gases. Johnson also prefaced the filing with extensive objections from other federal agencies which the staff did not have a chance to see before they were made public, the letter said. “We believe that EPA’s hardworking, dedicated staff has earned more respect than you are giving,” the letter said. “EPA is being portrayed as foolish and dictatorial. We fear your action may make it more difficult for EPA and your successor to act decisively to protect the environment and public health.” To see more, go to: www.peer.org/news/news_id.php?row_id=1086.

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DoD Activates New Defense Intel Center

DoD announced on Aug. 4 that it activated the Defense Counterintelligence (CI) and Human Intelligence (HUMINT) Center, which would take over the duties of the Counterintelligence Field Activity (CIFA), which was being shut down. The new center will, under the direction of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), combine CIFA resources and responsibilities with longstanding DIA CI and HUMINT capabilities, DoD said in a statement. Although the new center will focus on counterintelligence human intelligence, it will not be a law enforcement agency, as CIFA’s law enforcement designation did not transfer to DIA. “The realignment of CIFA’s functions and resources into DIA strengthens the close historical and operational relationship between counterintelligence and HUMINT,” said Army Maj. Gen. Theodore Nicholas, the center’s new director. “Integration under one organization will result in greater collaboration in operational and support areas where both disciplines overlap.” To see more, go to: www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=12106.

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Army Opens GED School for Prospective Soldiers

The Army on Aug. 4 opened a new preparatory training school at Fort Jackson, S.C., to give prospective soldiers a chance to earn their General Educational Development (GED) credentials before they begin basic combat training. The four-week course—called the Army Preparatory School—will be open only to recruits without a high school diploma who have scored in the top 50th percentile on the military aptitude test and meet or exceed all other physical and character Army standards. The one-year demonstration project is being run by the Army Training and Doctrine Command and could, if successful, be expanded to the Army's other basic training installations, the Army said in a statement. At full capacity, the school will educate 240 recruits at a time in core academic subjects over the course of four weeks, which may be expanded to 10 weeks. The Army anticipates that the school will graduate about 3,000 students, who will then move directly to basic combat training, followed by advanced individual training. To see more, go to: www.army.mil/-newsreleases/2008/08/01/11404-army-to-open-preparatory-school-for-prospective-soldiers.

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