Friday, February 13, 2004

Senators Complain That Info Is Hard To Get from Interior Senate Energy Committee leaders from both parties blasted Interior Secretary Gale Norton Feb. 12, 2004, for unresponsiveness to their requests for information about Interior Department actions, Environment News Service reports. Both Chairman Pete V. Domenici (R-NM) and Ranking Dem Jeff Bingaman (NM)complained to Norton at a budget hearing that the Interior Department had ignored or been unresponsive to queries from the committee, which is responsible for oversight of the agency. Bingaman reminded Norton of a September request for information about Interior's decision to permit a Pepsi-sponsored celebration of National Football League (NFL)season opener on the National Mall. Bingaman complained that he had received no response until December 17, when he got a letter from an agency employee telling him that his request had been denied under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). DOI waived the $16.70 fee. Full story. 1:57:41 PM