Please join us for the following public programs and to show support!  A federal government official who resigned over conflict with the Bush Administration’s EPA and Department of Justice is visiting Wisconsin for a speaking tour this month. Former EPA Ombudsman Robert Martin will speak to college, civic and church audiences during a two-week tour sponsored by a coalition of Wisconsin environmental organizations, as part of Earth Week programming. Martin will tell the little-known story of the post-9/11 health disaster affecting New York City. A toxic cloud covered lower Manhattan for days after the tragedy, says Martin, and substantial quantities of toxic materials entered buildings. Behind the scenes, government scientists urged officials at the EPA and Dept. of Justice to alert the public and give guidance on reducing health impacts. In his role as ombudsman, Martin stepped in to urge disclosure, then coming in conflict with the Bush Administration.  At the time, Martin also had nearly three dozen other Ombudsman case investigations pending.  He was very active helping citizens resolve problems at Superfund hazardous waste cleanups, such as ours on the Fox River.

Robert Martin, former EPA Ombudsman

Looking at the big picture, says Martin, we see that the failure to inform the public is a federal government habit that affects the public health in Wisconsin and every other state. Martin will give an insider account of federal environmental regulation “as it really works,”

Martin will give a variety of talks while in Wisconsin, with the main one titled, “The Other 9/11 Disaster: New York City’s Toxic Cloud of September 2001.”

Saturday, April 17

• Green Bay, 10:45 a.m., news conference, for direct media interviews with Robert Martin prior to his tour, at the KI Convention Center, at the Wisconsin Lakes Convention “media room” near the front desk.  Contact:  Rebecca Katers, 920-468-4243, cwac@execpc.com
• Green Bay, 11:15 a.m., at the KI Convention Center, talking on “Environment, Politics and Conscience,” at the Wisconsin Lakes Convention.  Contact: Mary Pardee, 715-346-4978, mpardee@uwsp.edu
• Green Bay, 4:00 p.m., at the Multicultural Center, 612 Stuart Street, speaking to the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters.  Website:   http://www.wisconsinearthday.org/    Contact: Anne Sayers, 608-850-4585, anne@conservationvoters.org

• Sister Bay, 10:00 a.m., at the Sister Bay Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship, 269 Koessl Lane

at Country Walk Drive.  Contact: 920-854-7559, uufdc@dcwis.com , http://www.uufdc.org
• Appleton, 7:00 p.m., at the Appleton Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship, 2600 E. Philips Lane.  :  Contact: Dave Gerlach, gerlachda@new.rr.com, 920-734-5888.

• Oshkosh, 5:00 p.m., at the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, Reeve Union, with Martin talking on “Environmental Activism,” followed by a panel discussion with Martin, Dr. Andy Robson (UWO) and Rebecca Katers (Clean Water Action Council).  Contact: Dr.Tony Palmeri, palmeri@uwosh.edu, 920-424-7045.  

• Green Bay, 7:00 p.m., at the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay, Christie Theater, Student Union.  Co-sponsored by Round River Alliance, UWGB Public and Environmental Affairs Department, Clean Water Action Council, UWGB Office of Student Life, Baird Creek Preservation Foundation, Wisconsin Citizen Action, and Green Bay Greens.    Contact: Kristin Blankenheim, 920-469-1012, biedkl09@uwgb.edu

• Appleton, 7:30 p.m. --- at Lawrence University, Younchild Building, Room 121.   Co-sponsored by Greenfire and the Lawrence University Environmental Studies Department.  Contact:  Stephen Rogness, 920-832-7633, rognesss@lawrence.edu    

• Milwaukee, 12:00 noon --- at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Earthday Celebration organized by WisPIRG (Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group).   Brief 15-minute talk and media interviews outside at Spaight’s Plaza, directly behind the Student Union, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd.   Contact: Zak Grim, 414-745-3471, zrgrim@uwm.edu
• Milwaukee, 7:00 p.m. --- at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.  Public lecture at the Student Union, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee.  Sponsored by WisPIRG.  Contact: Zak Grim, 414-745-3471, zrgrim@uwm.edu

• Madison, 10:00 a.m. --- at the Prairie Unitarian-Universalist Society, 2010 Whenona Drive, which is on the SW side of Madison, near Fitchburg.   Contact: Robert W Park, 608-273-8775, rwpark@juno.com

• Milwaukee, 1:00 pm – at the Beulah Brinton Community Center, Bayview, 2555 S. Bay Street.  Sponsored by the League of Conservation Voters, as part of Milwaukee’s Earth Week events.  Contact:  Emily Miota, 262-853-6863, ejmiota@wisc.edu

Robert Martin is the former EPA Ombudsman whose resignation on Earth Day 2002 made national news.  Martin served Republican and Democratic administrations, having been appointed during the first Bush Administration.  He received bipartisan support in Congress for many years and the EPA adopted approximately 80% of his recommendations.    He is now on a Wisconsin speaking tour informing the public about the ongoing rollback of major environmental laws and telling the little known story of the toxic cloud that enveloped lower Manhattan in the days and weeks following 9/11.  Martin resigned following the decision of EPA Administrator Whitman to dissolve the National Ombudsman function thereby jeopardizing the health and environment of communities across the nation, including New York City.

The elimination of the federal EPA Ombudsman position is very similar to the 1995 Republican elimination of the Wisconsin Public Intervenor Office that had advocated for public rights in natural resources of Wisconsin.  In both cases, the offices were first stripped of authority and moved into deadend offices, then later disbanded.  Also, in both cases, the public lost a valuable voice representing the rights of ordinary citizens faced with environmental problems and government bureaucracies.