"A House subcommittee hearing [Thursday] revealed bipartisan confusion about the leadership, priorities and funding of U.S. EPA's program for cleaning up the nation's most polluted tracts.

Barry Breen, principal deputy assistant administrator of EPA's Office of Land and Emergency Management, did his best to answer questions from members of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment. But some Democrats asked why the career civil servant was even there.

They had been preparing to grill Albert Kelly, a banker who was banned from the financial industry before being chosen to lead a Superfund task force established by Administrator Scott Pruitt. While Kelly was a no-show, two of his closest aides sat behind Breen during his time at the witness table."

Corbin Hiar reports for E&E Daily January 19, 2018. [2]