White House 'edits' environmental report

WASHINGTON, Oct. 25 (UPI) -- The White House acknowledged it edited out half of environmental testimony given Congress on global warming by a U.S. expert.

Tuesday, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Julie Gerberding testified to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on climate change and public health. Her original text was 12 pages long but about six pages were submitted, The Washington Post reported Thursday.

However, White House officials cut it in half, with spokeswoman Dana Perino saying it didn't conform to findings of the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

"As I understand it, in the draft there was broad characterizations about climate change science that didn't align with the IPCC," Perino said.

University of Wisconsin at Madison public health Professor Dr. Jonathan Patz, who served as IPCC lead author for its 2007, 2001 and 1995 reports, told the newspaper he reviewed Gerberding's original testimony and dismissed the White House claims.

"That's nonsense," Patz told the newspaper. "Doctor Gerberding's testimony was scientifically accurate and absolutely in line with the findings of the IPCC."

U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., the committee's chairwoman, has asked the White House for copies of all versions of the testimony, the Post said.