Documents: Obama has fewer environmental cleanup plans than Bush

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Budget documents and agency records indicate the Obama administration plans to do even less environmental cleanup than the often-criticized Bush administration.

And some who railed against President George W. Bush's cleanup record are shying away from speaking out against a popular president who's considered an environmental ally.

But Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer of California tells The Associated Press the only thing that matters is that the sites get cleaned up, regardless of who the president is.

The documents and records show that in Obama's first two years in office, the Environmental Protection Agency expects to begin the final phase of cleanup at fewer Superfund sites than in any administration since 1991. The EPA estimates it will finish work at 20 sites in 2009 and 22 sites in 2010.

During the Bush administration, the agency completed 38 sites a year, on average.