Republican lawmakers grilled EPA Chief Administrator Gina McCarthy
for not firing any agency employees or contractors after workers
accidentally unleashed millions of gallons of toxic wastewater in a
Colorado river last month. When pressed by Republican senators during a Wednesday hearing
about which individuals were responsible for the spill, McCarthy said
the agency as a whole was responsible. McCarthy said she was waiting for
the Department of the Interior to release its external review of the
Gold King Mine blowout before she held individuals accountable. McCarthy said she would not “make a judgement based solely on our
internal review.” She added “the agency itself has been held accountable
and we’re responding robustly.” Her answer, however, didn’t sit well with Republicans, especially
Arizona Sen. John McCain. The former presidential candidate slammed the
agency for its slow response to the spill and how long it took for them
to get in touch with Navajo Nation. “Has anyone been fired for almost taking two days to notify the
Navajo about the disaster?” McCain asked McCarthy. “Has anyone been
fired for the Navajo’s complaint that the emergency response was
inadequate?” “In other words, you’ve done nothing,” McCain said to McCarthy when
she said no one had been fired for its handling of the spill. She
reiterated the EPA itself was being held accountable...more
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