WASHINGTON -- Environmental Protection Agency 'whistleblower' Hugh Kaufman is giving a House subcommittee boxes of documents on the embattled agency's toxic waste cleanup activities.
Kaufman, a hazardous waste specialist and outspoken EPA critic, began turning over the files shortly after agency officials made a deal with him Monday that averted a potentially embarassing hearing on their alleged efforts to fire him.
An aideto Rep. James Scheuer, D-N.Y., chairman of a House Science and Technology subcommittee, confirmed that Kaufman was giving the panel 'large boxes of material pertaining to hazardous waste activities.'
Scheuer's subcommittee is one of several congressional panels investigating the growing controversy over the Reagan administration's handling of 'Superfund,' the $1.6 billion law aimed at cleaning up the nation's worst toxic waste dumps.
EPA officials reached a formal agreement with Kaufman that declares the agency has no 'pending actions' against him and withdraws a bad job performance rating he was given last year. It also pledges the EPA to develop a 'mutually agreeable' future work assignment for Kaufman.
The 11th-hour settlement, hammered out by EPA attorneys and Kaufman's lawyers, averted an administrative hearing in which Kaufman threatened to subpoena top EPA officials to testify about allegations that they harassed him and tried to fire him.
Kaufman's boss, Rita Lavelle, was fired by President Reagan last week, in part because of charges that she perjured herself in congressional testimony by denying that she wanted to fire Kaufman. Several of her top aides also were dismissed in connection with the dispute.
Kaufman said the settlement 'sends a signal to all EPA employees that they have protection if they give testimony to Congress.' He vowed to press his fight, saying he is giving Congress information that 'may show criminal wrongdoing' on the part of agency officials.
'We have no knowledge of any criminal wrongdoing,' commented EPA spokesman Christian Rice. 'However, if Mr. Kaufman has evidence of a criminal act, it is his responsibility to turn that evidence over to the Department of Justice.'
White House spokesman Larry Speakes said, 'The charges by Mr. Kaufman are not specific at all and at present we have no basis to lend validity to his charges. If he has any evidence he should make it available to the Justice Department.'
