USA Today spends two years, finds nothing conclusive. EPA to spend $2.5mil in factchecking.

USA Today's science fair project, whose lead is the best foreshadowing, begins with a cliche, slides into a noncommittal half truth and finishes with a self congratulatory pat on the back.

The EPA has promised to investigate air quality outside of 50 to 100 schools where pollution might pose significant health risks. Whether or not they will use charcoal badges, the main process used by USA Today in their testing, was not mentioned. Considering how one unrelated consultant asks that charcoal badge air testing be 'avoided like the plague' and a second a bit more clearly explains that they actually underestimate environmental pollutants, I doubt it.

But thats evidence for you. Or rather the journalistic appearance of evidence. USA Today's real kicker is their computer simulation which shows 435 schools where the air outside appeared more toxic than the air outside a closed Ohio school - a simulation so accurate that three states have already tested and found nothing. Nothing.

What were they supposed to find? 'Elevated levels of chemicals' such as those found via charcoal badges and pumps in a joint effort between USA Today and John Hopkins University. Should parents be afraid? The answer is a very definite maybe. After all, "no one knows for certain what's in the air". Not even the USA Today, whose champion of the hour was a sample of chromium. The paper thoughtfully failed to follow through on its investigation and tell us whether this chromium was the 'relatively harmless' variety or the hexavalent airborne AIDs version. Scientifically valid testing, though, is the job of the EPA. The EPA, according to USA Today, is at fault here - its regulators are not required to check for 'hundreds of the most dangerous chemicals' (Note: Yes they are.)

This little oversight on the EPA's part may be why they are checking 50 to 100 schools for 'elevated levels of chemicals'. That's around 1/7th of the 1st percentile of toxic schools. I can only imagine why the EPA would be so lazy. Maybe its because it's being prodded into action on account of a bunch of 'maybes'. USA Today's little 2-year-old science fair project has done nothing but been proven wrong by independent testing - something the paper admits in its story and then protests with all the puerile vindictiveness it can muster.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson's bewildered clay face speaks volumes. The EPA's hand is forced. $2.5 million will be sacrificed in the name of half-assed journalistic research. This $2.5 million dollar fact checking operation will cover only 1/7th of the most at risk schools.


If you want to check up on the old alma mater to see if you have cancer, feel free; I've already checked most of the area high schools. If you're frightened by loud noises, quick movements and your own shadow then you South Fort Myers and FMCS alumni may want to contact a doctor.