News Service July 23, 2003

EPA Investigating Nature Conservancy at Landmark's Request

HERNDON, Va., July 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Based on a complaint filed by Landmark Legal Foundation, the Environmental Protection Agency has informed Landmark that it will conduct an in-depth investigation, including on-site reviews, to determine if the Nature Conservancy has used any EPA grant money to subsidize the purchase of lands for the benefit of Board members, trustees or employees.

In her letter to Landmark, Linda J. Fisher, Acting EPA Administrator, stated, in part:

"EPA's Office of Grants and Debarment (OGD) will ... initiate a more in- depth review of this issue. The review will examine in greater detail not only whether the Conservancy grants were used for land acquisition activities, but will conduct an on-site review of the Conservancy's administrative systems. OGD expects to complete its work within ninety days and will then inform you of the results of the review. If the review provides evidence of waste, fraud, or abuse, OGD will refer the matter to the Office of the Inspector General and take necessary administrative action."

In another major development, the EPA has announced that it has completely revamped the manner in which it processes Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to ensure compliance with the law and responsiveness to requesters. The EPA undertook this action after it was sued by Landmark for wholesale violations of the FOIA, including the widespread destruction of information sought by Landmark relating to the implementation of last-minute environmental regulations by the previous administration. Landmark hauled the EPA before a federal judge to stop it from destroying data on computer hard drives, erasing back-up taping systems that had preserved email communications, among other things.

Landmark president, Mark R. Levin, said: "The EPA's investigation of the Nature Conservancy and its implementation of new FOIA rules are important first steps toward ensuring that the Agency is accountable for its disbursement of over $2 billion in taxpayer funds to non-profit special interest groups, and that it's subject to public oversight by preserving and making available information that reveals its decision-making processes."

Landmark is a public interest legal group with offices in Herndon, VA and Kansas City, MO.

SOURCE Landmark Legal Foundation

/CONTACT: Eric Christensen of Landmark Legal Foundation, +1-703-689-2370/