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FRIDAY, MAY 3, 2002

Secretary of Interior Gale Norton challenged Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christie Whitman about an internal memo regarding snowmobiles, The New York Times reports today.

The letter, from a regional EPA manager, supported banning snowmachines in Yellowstone National Park but Whitman was not informed of its existence. Norton called her up anyway and demanded how she could let the information be released, according to a Department of Interior source quoted by the paper.

"Norton challenged Whitman as to how could this happen, how she could affirm the same thing that the Clinton administration had said," the official told The Times.

The letter was released as Norton, Whitman and Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman were having their monthly lunch.

Get the Story:
Snowmobile Letter Surprises E.P.A. Leader and Interior Chief (The New York Times 5/3)
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