Rumors continue to circulate about what President Barack Obama plans to do with the U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. Some folks are saying that a decision on a director for this troubled agency could come any day now.
Officials at the White House and the Interior Department aren’t commenting. But they’re apparently hearing from coalfield citizens, who fear Obama has abandoned both of the two good candidates — West Virginia University law professor Pat McGinley and Lexington, Ky., lawyer Joe Childers — in favor of an OSMRE insider, perhaps acting director Glenda Owens. (See previous posts here, here, here and here).
Some coalfield residents and activists are so concerned that they’ve mounted a call-in campaign to urge Interior Department officials not to take this path … Here’s a copy of one e-mail that I intercepted:
Direct calls TODAY to Renee Stone, Deputy Chief of Staff, Interior Department, with one message:
It would be insulting to nominate anyone from the agency (OSM) to be director of OSM, and the environmental community will oppose such a nomination. The agency has not enforced the law and we need change from outside.
Telephone number for Renee Stone: 202-208-6133
I left a message on Ms. Stone’s voice mail. If she calls back, I’ll let you know what she says.
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who would we send an e-mail to to oppose Glenda Owens
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 2009
From: Renee_Stone@ios.doi.gov
Subject: AUTO: Stone, Renee is out of the office.
(returning 04/13/2009)
I am out of the office until 04/13/2009.
If you need immediate assistance, please contact my assistant, Donna Deen, at 202-208-4025.
[ Renee_Stone@ios.doi.gov ]
Oops: donna_deen@ios.doi.gov
(Ms. Stone did send a reply to my email late last night.)
I was able to get through to Renee Stone by phone, at about 3:20PM. She courteously took the message.
Dianne, what did you tell her, and what did she say? Ken.