In the News

Ronnie Levin, former EPA Senior Scientist in Region 1, was quoted in WESA Pittsburgh about her 2023 analysis of EPA’s proposed Lead and Copper Improvements and the projected $9 billion in healthcare savings every year by replacing lead service lines.

Ronnie Levin, former EPA Senior Scientist in Region 1, was quoted in The Chicago Reader about the city’s lead service line problem, including the high replacement costs, slow progress of city replacement programs, and the difficulty of recording consistent lead levels across different types of pipes.

Stan Meiburg, former EPA Deputy Regional Administrator in Region 4 and Region 6 and Acting EPA Deputy Administrator, was quoted in The Hill about the recent rulings’ effects on environmental policies and how the Corner Post decision is especially concerning because no federal rule can ever be fully settled.

Stan Meiburg, former EPA Deputy Regional Administrator in Region 4 and Region 6 and Acting EPA Deputy Administrator, was quoted in Heatmap as one of nine lawyers who were asked about the recent Supreme Court Rulings, saying that the effects of these decisions will be profound and should concern both conservatives and progressives.

Walter Mugdan, former EPA Region 2 Deputy Regional Administrator and Superfund Director, was quoted in Inside EPA about how overturning the Chevron deference will affect EPA’s recent designation of PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under CERCLA and whether or not the designations have questionable statutory interpretation that can be challenged in court.

Stan Meiburg, former EPA Deputy Regional Administrator in Region 4 and Region 6 and Acting EPA Deputy Administrator, was quoted in Government Executive about the consequences of weakening the Chevron doctrine, saying that “The Chevron cure announced by the court will be worse than the disease.”

Kevin Minoli, former EPA Acting General Counsel, was quoted in Inside EPA about the Supreme Court’s decision on Ohio, et al. v. EPA, et al., in which the court granted industry groups an emergency halt to EPA’s Good Neighbor Plan while it is reviewed in a D.C. appellate court, and the future implications of this decision.

Stan Meiburg, former EPA Deputy Regional Administrator in Region 4 and Region 6 and Acting EPA Deputy Administrator, was quoted in E&E News about the upcoming Supreme Court decision on the Chevron doctrine and projected how it will effect the EPA and environmental policy if weakened.

Stan Meiburg, former EPA Deputy Regional Administrator in Region 4 and Region 6 and Acting EPA Deputy Administrator, was quoted in E&E News about EPA’s challenges of navigating budget cuts while also implementing policy and continuing its core duties.

Judith Enck, former Regional Administrator for EPA Region 2 and founder of Beyond Plastics, was quoted in GreenBiz about the benefits of Amazon’s switch from “air pillow” plastic packaging inside delivery boxes to recycled paper.

Betsy Southerland, former Director of the Office of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, was quoted in StateImpact Pennsylvania about EPN’s technical assistance program and the assistance she provided to Move Past Plastic, a PA group working to determine pollution sources along the Conodoguinet Creek.

Linda Birnbaum, former Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP), was quoted in CollisionWeek calling on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to reevaluate the standards of harmful chemical flame retardants added to vehicle interiors.

EPN grant support was mentioned in Bloomberg in an article about the billions of dollars of federal funds coming out to support environmental justice and clean energy projects across the country.

Bob Sussman, former EPA Deputy Administrator and Senior Policy Counsel to the EPA Administrator, was quoted in the Port City Daily after a federal appeals court rejected an EPA petition filed by Cape Fear River Watch, Clean Cape Fear, Toxic Free NC, and other environmental groups for extensive PFAS testing in North Carolina.

Jennifer Orme-Zavaleta, former Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Research and Development, was quoted in this article regarding the addition of a scientific integrity provision in the union contract for EPA’s largest union and other efforts to protect federal agency research from political manipulation.

Bob Sussman, counsel for several North Carolina-based environmental groups and former EPA Deputy Administrator, was quoted in this article discussing the decision of the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals to support EPA’s use of its PFAS National Testing Strategy to address a petition to test 54 different PFAS.

Barnes Johnson, former Director, Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery, EPA Office of Land and Emergency Management, was quoted in E&E News about an updated EPA coal ash rule that requires companies to ensure that coal ash is contained and does not pollute nearby waterways.

Tracey Woodruff, Director, Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, University of California, San Francisco, and former senior scientist and policy advisor, EPA Office of Policy, was quoted in this article discussing ways to lessen exposure to microplastics that may be shed from food, clothing, and furniture.

Judith Enck, President of Beyond Plastics and former Regional Administrator, EPA Region 2, wrote this op-ed about the false promise of chemical recycling and the need for legislation to stop plastic production and use.

Betsy Southerland, former Director of the Office of Science and Technology in EPA’s Office of Water, was quoted in E&E News about a case being brought to the Supreme Court by the City of San Francisco, arguing that EPA pollution limits are vague and not specific enough. If successful, the lawsuit would make it difficult to require cities to upgrade sewage systems.

Linda Birnbaum, former Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP), co-authored an op-ed in Environmental Health News that urges FDA commissioner Dr. Robert M. Califf to use an FDA reorganization as an opportunity to improve food safety and reduce chronic disease in the American population.

Tracey Woodruff, former EPA senior scientist and policy advisor in the Office of Policy, was quoted in NPR about microplastics, including polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride, that were found in human and dog testicles. Preliminary research suggests microplastics can harm reproductive health.

Linda Birnbaum, Penny Fenner-Crisp, Jennifer Orme-Zavaleta, Joel Schwartz, Betsy Southerland, and Tracey Woodruff were quoted in The Wall Street Journal about former EPA-turned-industry toxicologist Michael Dourson and his scientific bias that favors chemical companies.

Bob Sussman, former EPA Deputy Administrator, Senior Policy Counsel to the EPA Administrator, and current counsel to ADAO, was quoted in Inside EPA about the EPA’s legacy asbestos evaluation and concerns that it does not adequately address exposure in schools or the risk posed to children, teachers, and parents within schools.