Ranking Member Capito Statement on EPA OIG Investigation Report on Joe Goffman

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, released the following statement on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) report on the investigation of Joe Goffman, Assistant Administrator of EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. The report outlined several instances where Assistant Administrator Goffman failed to meet ethical obligations, and improperly managed conflicts of interest screening processes when involved in EPA rulemaking procedures and other official duties impacting companies in which he held a disqualifying level of financial holdings.

“Today’s report raises serious questions and concerns regarding how Assistant Administrator Goffman and his Office ensure transparency, impartiality, and effectively manage potential conflicts of interest in rulemakings and other official actions. Outlined in this report is a concerning pattern of failure from Assistant Administrator Goffman and his Office to properly screen and identify situations in which he must recuse himself, even when ample information was available. At its core, this is a failure to meet ethical responsibilities by Assistant Administrator Goffman, and it seems from the report, he only self-reported or sought advice on whether to recuse from two rulemakings after he was faced with potential oversight by the Environment and Public Works Committee for his nomination hearing.

“We need transparency and accountability in the rulemaking process that recently has imposed crushing costs on our economy and American families. This report deepens my concerns with the onslaught of regulations Assistant Administrator Goffman’s office has issued in the past three and half years. The American people and West Virginians deserve transparency and honesty from government agencies, and this report shows the EPA Office of Air and Radiation has failed to live up to that standard on several instances. I will continue to investigate this matter, particularly in light of statements and assurances Assistant Administrator Goffman gave in his confirmation hearing in 2022 during the events investigated in this report.”

The full EPA OIG report on Assistant Administrator Goffman is available here.

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