In the News

Ellen Kurlansky, former Air Policy Analyst and Advisor, EPA Office of Air and Radiation, was quoted in this article discussing the underestimation of benefits tied to reducing hazardous air pollutants in EPA’s proposal to reaffirm the appropriate and necessary finding for Mercury and Air Toxics Standards.

Joel Mintz, former EPA enforcement and supervisory attorney, penned this op-ed discussing the need to restore EPA’s Supplemental Environmental Projects, an enforcement tool used in settlements between environmental law violators, EPA, and state environmental agencies.

Michael Levin, former Director of Regulatory Reform, EPA Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation, wrote this article about how EPA’s proposal to deny petitions for small refinery exemptions will impact the renewable natural gas market.

Jeff Alson, former Senior Engineer and Policy Advisor, EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality, was quoted and EPN was mentioned in this article about EPA’s expected reinstatement of a waiver that would allow states to set stricter vehicle emissions standards than those set by the federal government.

Judith Enck, former Regional Administrator, EPA Region 2, was quoted in this article discussing the burning of 13 tons of aqueous film-forming foam, whose key ingredients include per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, at a waste incineration plant located in Niagara Falls, New York.

Mustafa Santiago Ali, vice president at the National Wildlife Foundation, former EPA Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization, and former EPA Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice, was quoted in this article regarding the importance of the omnibus bill, which provides appropriations for the entire federal government, in establishing an EPA assistant administrator and program office for environmental justice.

Wayne Nastri, EPN Board Member, executive officer of South Coast Air Quality Monitoring District, and former Regional Administrator, EPA Region 9, was quoted in this article discussing EPA’s upcoming proposed standards on nitrogen oxide emissions from heavy-duty vehicles.

Betsy Southerland, former Director, Office of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, wrote this article discussing how a federal scientific integrity policy would help prevent the politicization of science in the future.

Bill Reilly, former EPA Administrator, and Betsy Southerland, former Director, Office of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, wrote this op-ed urging Congress to pass a budget that gives EPA the ability to implement the bipartisan infrastructure bill and carry out its essential work.

Judith Enck, former Regional Administrator, EPA Region 2, was quoted in this article about efforts by the city of Cohoes, NY, to purchase public housing near the Norlite hazardous waste incineration facility.

Mustafa Santiago Ali, Vice President at the National Wildlife Administration; former EPA Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization; and former EPA Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice, was quoted in this article regarding the appointment of Robin Morris Collin as EPA’s senior advisor for environmental justice. Mustafa was also quoted in a related article appearing in Inside EPA.

Linda Birnbaum, former EPA Senior Toxicologist, EPA National Center for Environmental Assessment and former Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, was quoted in this article about the Cancer Moonshot initiative and the need to acknowledge the role chemical exposure plays in causing cancer and affecting cancer patient outcomes.

Mustafa Santiago Ali, Vice President at the National Wildlife Administration; former EPA Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization; and former EPA Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice, was quoted in this article discussing the impacts of climate change and what steps the Biden administration is taking to minimize those impacts.

Betsy Southerland, former Director, Office of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, was quoted in this article regarding Florida’s decision to continue to implement the Navigable Waters Protection Rules, despite the rule’s district court vacatur.

Stan Meiburg, former EPA Deputy Administrator and Regional Administrator, EPA Regions 4 and 6, was quoted in this article discussing the Trump-era reorganization of EPA’s regional offices.

Jeremy Symons, EPN consultant and former Climate Policy Advisor, EPA Office of Air and Radiation, was quoted in this article about the steps the Biden administration is taking to tighten pollution from power plants and move the country towards clean energy.

Dave Coursen, former Attorney, EPA Office of General Counsel, wrote this op-ed about how a continuing resolution, rather than an annual appropriation from Congress, would jeopardize implementation of priorities laid out by EPA and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Bob Sussman, former EPA Deputy Administrator and counsel for a North Carolina coalition of environmental groups petitioning EPA, was quoted in this article discussing the coalition’s decision to challenge EPA’s assertion that it granted the coalition’s petition against Chemours to pay for testing of 54 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Bob was quoted in a similar article appearing in Inside EPA.

Mustafa Santiago Ali, Vice President at the National Wildlife Administration; former EPA Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization; and former EPA Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice, was quoted in this article discussing the amount of dedicated career staff needed at federal agencies to support and carry out environmental justice efforts.

Scott Gordon, former Branch Chief and Deputy Director, EPA Region 4, discussed infrastructure and sewers with Mississippi State Representative De’Keither Stamps in this radio interview.

Jonathan Skinner-Thompson, Associate Clinical Professor at Colorado Law and former Senior Assistant Regional Counsel, EPA Region 8, was quoted in this article about EPA Administrator Regan’s announcement that EPA will be using a more coordinated approach to regulate power plant emissions.

Mark Ryan, former Regional Counsel, EPA Region 10, was quoted in this article discussing the Supreme Court’s decision to consider Sackett vs. EPA, a challenge to a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that took a broader view of Clean Water Act jurisdiction.

Ruth Greenspan Bell, EPN Emeritus Board Member and former Office of Regional Counsel, and Chris Zarba, former Director, EPA Science Advisory Board, penned this op-ed regarding former EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler’s nomination to serve as Virginia’s secretary of Natural and Historic Resources.

Chris Zarba, former Director, EPA Science Advisory Board, was quoted and EPN was mentioned in this article examining how well President Biden has upheld his pledge to “listen to the science.”