Document pepE3pdwjwgvgO5Je1pk9vVGD

NATION /W O RLD LASHING OUT Former EPA chief Anne Burford rips administration, denies wrongdoing EDITOR'S NOTE: UPI investi Enough?" But at the same time the blonde" who was forced on the junk" and "a political product," gative reporter Gregory Gordon book skims over most of the allega EPA by the White House. She said Burford said, "Dingell spent so won the Raymond Clapper Memo tions of agency wrongdoing, which she fired Lavelle in a tearful con much time investigating all this rial award for his coverage of the Burford termed groundless. frontation on Feb. 4, 1983, for lying garbage, he had to come out with 1983 EPA controversy - including She called Jim Sanderson, a cen to her about a damaging memo. something. If you read that report revelations of allegations against tral figure in the controversy, "a " I really feel sorry for her," Bur- you will find it is the most mealy- agency chief Anne Burford. Last great guy" who has done "a great ford said in the interview. "She mouthed report and what it ends up week, he interviewed Burford public service." Sanderson, who should buy a black wig, change her finding is, `There was mismanage about her new book on her troubled was Burford's close consultant, name and move to Alaska." ment."' EPA reign. was investigated by the FBI be Burford, who said Lavelle's han On other subjects, Burford said: ByCRECORY GORDON cause of allegations he attended dling of the Superfund program Her appearance before a fed agency meetings about policies af was "one factor" in her undoing as eral grand jury in 1983 was "fright UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL fecting his private industry legal EPA administrator, said she "can ening" because of "the collective clients. A grand jury found insuffi only guess" about whether Lavelle IQ in the grand jury room - it's not WASHINGTON - Former EPA cient evidence to indict him on con was taking directions from the very high, and these issues were chief Anne Burford has broken her flict of interest charges. White House. "But 100 phone calls complicated." She said she felt the silence about her days in office in a In an interview last week, Bur from (White House aide) Craig Justice Department, which sup burst of anger against the White ford labeled the congressional re Fuller certainly are suggestive ported the executive privilege House, the press, House investiga port criticizing some of her other that, yes, indeed, something was claim, was trying its "damndest" tors and ex-aide Rita Lavelle, who actions a "piece of junk," said the going on." because "the only way they could she says should "buy a black wig news media resorted to "under Burford said she believes it was come out looking good on this thing . .. and move to Alaska." handed tactics" to attack agency the office of presidential aide Mi is if they found me guilty of some In an interview promoting her ANN BURFORD new book, Burford put little blame . . . running EP A 'w as fun' on herself for the Environmental officials and accused White House chael Deaver that directed La thing." aides of "moral cowardice" for velle, a former public relations She does not recall a meeting asking Colorado campaign sup specialist at Aerojet-General with Sanderson on Jan. 20, 1983 -- Protection Agency controversy that led to her 1983 resignation and drove 21 of her senior staff mem bers from their posts. Burford depicted herself as a vic tim of the administration's insis tence on withholding EPA files from Congress through a presiden tial "executive privilege" claim a battle that resulted in her being porter Joe Coors to request her res Corp., be placed at the EPA. forced her to keep the files from ignation. Burford's book quotes liberally Congress. Of Lavelle, the only EPA official from an investigative report by the But Burford brushed aside ques to be convicted of a crime in the House Energy and Commerce sub tions about contradictions between scandal over agency handling of committee, chaired by Rep. John her book and her sworn testimony toxic waste cleanups and policies, Dingell, D-Mich., who spearheaded to Congress and scoffed at a sepa Burford said, " Rita's biggest prob the EPA investigation. rate House subcommittee's finding lem is that she's not very bright. But she never mentions key pas that she "violated the public trust" And the woman has problems with sages concluding she "violated the by stalling two toxic waste clean telling the truth." public trust" by delaying for more months after he left the EPA --in which they discussed the desire of his client, Chemical Waste Man agement, Inc., to secure a special operating permit for its ocean in cineration ship. Burford acknowl edged in 1983 that the meeting oc curred shortly before a top aide reversed EPA staff and ordered prompt processing of a permit. cited for contempt of Congress. ups. In her book, Burford describes than a year release of $8 million in Running EPA was "fun," The House Judiciary Committee "What happened to me, and to Lavelle, who recently completed a Superfund money for cleanup of even during the darkest days, but adopted a report Thursday agree the people who worked so hard for six-month prison term for her per two major toxic waste sites in Cali she would never accept public of ing with Burford's contention that me, was scandalous," Burford con jury conviction, as a blowsy, fornia and Minnesota. fice again. "I've given at the office, Justice Department officials cludes in the book, "Are You Tough "overweight . . . unnatural Calling the report "a piece of so to speak," she said.