By John Vibes
According to a report recently published by the watchdog group “Open the Books,” the US Environmental Protection Agency has been spending millions of dollars on military-style weapons.
The report indicated that over the past decade, the government agency has equipped hundreds of “special agents with anything from guns, body armor, weaponized drones, amphibious assault ships, night-vision gear and other military-style weapons.” The agency reportedly has a “criminal enforcement” budget of $75 million per year.
Adam Andrzejewski of Open the Books told the Washington Post, “Protecting the environment just got real. With millions of dollars spent on military-style weaponry, the EPA is now literally ensconced with all institutional force.”
“Our report discovered that when the EPA comes knocking they are armed with a thousand lawyers, arrest/criminal data, credit, business and property histories, plus a ‘Special Agent’ with the latest in weaponry and technology,” he added.
According to the EPA’s website, the agency “enforces the nation’s laws by investigating cases, collecting evidence, conducting forensic analyses and providing legal guidance to assist in the prosecution of criminal conduct that threatens people’s health and the environment.”
In addition to the weapons purchases, the report also showed billions of dollars in frivolous expenses in the EPA’s budget.
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According to the Post:
The EPA’s military weapons spending is just one example of the agency’s questionable purchases highlighted in the 40-page report.
Open the Books, a nonpartisan and nonprofit group based in Illinois, scanned tens of thousands of the agency’s spending contracts totaling more than $93 billion from 2000 to 2014.
Among the findings were hundreds of millions of dollars on high-end office furnishings, sports equipment and “environmental justice” grants to raise awareness of global warming.
The report also reveals that seven of 10 EPA employees make more than $100,000 a year and more than 12,000 of its 16,000 employees were given bonuses last year despite budget cuts.
In the public arena, the EPA is seen as a friendly organization that is here to help the environment, but according to their budget sheet, they don’t look very different from a highly paid military or spy agency.
Also Read: The Top 10 Most Dangerous Government Agencies
John Vibes is an author, researcher and investigative journalist who takes a special interest in the counter-culture and the drug war. In addition to his writing and activist work, he organizes a number of large events including the Free Your Mind Conference, which features top caliber speakers and whistle-blowers from all over the world. You can contact him and stay connected to his work at his Facebook page. You can find his 65 chapter Book entitled “Alchemy of the Timeless Renaissance” at bookpatch.com.
Another useless government agency that MUST be eliminated, and soon!