1 Year In, Biden’s Climate Record is a Mix of Progress and Inconsistency

January 20, 2022 / by

Lucien Bruggeman /

ABC News

Margo Oge, former Director, EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality, was quoted in this article discussing the Biden administration’s progress on its climate agenda, one year into its term.

Environmental Justice Requires a Healthy Democracy

January 20, 2022 / by

Mustafa Santiago Ali /

Bloomberg Law

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, penned this op-ed describing how voting rights directly impact environmental justice and how environmental justice is in turn linked to wildlife conservation.

Former EPA Exec Margo Oge Explains the New Federal Emissions Rules

January 18, 2022 / by

Charles Morris /

Charged EVs

Margo Oge, former Director, EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality, was interviewed in this article discussing the new vehicle emissions standards and the important roles the Bipartisan Infrastructure legislation and Build Back Better bill play in the shift to electric vehicles.

How a Powerful Company Convinced Georgia to Let It Bury Toxic Waste in Groundwater

January 18, 2022 / by

Max Blau /

ProPublica

Stan Meiburg, former EPA Deputy Administrator, was quoted in this article that investigates the pressure applied by power companies on state regulators’ interpretation of EPA’s coal ash rule.

Birnbaum Says New PFAS Health Studies Support ‘Class’ Approach

January 18, 2022 / by

Diana DiGangi /

Inside EPA

Linda Birnbaum, former EPA scientist and former Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, was quoted in this article discussing recent research that indicates that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances with dramatically different chemical structures have similar health effects, strengthening the case for a class-based approach to regulating these compounds.

Where Does Elon Musk Really Stand on Fighting Climate Change?

January 17, 2021 / by

Margo Oge /

Forbes

Margo Oge, former Director, EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality, penned this op-ed discussing the need for high-profile private sector leaders like Tesla to support the Build Back Better legislation.

Birnbaum Says PFAS Petition Clash Shows Need for Unified Definition

January 14, 2022 / by

Diana DiGangi /

Inside EPA

Linda Birnbaum, former EPA scientist and former Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, was quoted in this article supporting the need for the various EPA offices to adopt a consistent definition of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

Clean Water Act Policy Could Spur Widespread Disarray

January 14, 2022 / by

Hannah Northey /

E&E News

Ellen Gillinsky, former Associate Deputy Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Water, and Mark Ryan, former Regional Counsel, EPA Region 10, were quoted in this article regarding a decision by the Army Corps of Engineers to not rely on jurisdictional determinations made under the recently vacated Navigable Waters Protections Rule when making permitting decisions.

Everyone Should Be Able to Swim in the Potomac

January 14, 2022 / by

Nancy Stoner and Randy Benn /

The Washington Post

Nancy Stoner, President, Potomac Riverkeeper Network and former Deputy Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Water, co-wrote this op-ed urging District of Columbia officials to commit to making the Potomac River swimmable once again.

Environmental Justice Woes Spring From Lead Pipe Replacement

January 13, 2022 / by

Hannah Northey /

E&E News

Betsy Southerland, former Director, Office of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, was quoted in this article regarding the need for EPA to ensure funding is allocated for lead-line replacement in low-income communities.

EPA Rejected White House Effort to Toughen Car Rules

January 13, 2022 / by

Arianna Skibell and Kelsey Brugger /

E&E News

Jeff Alson, former Senior Engineer and Policy Advisor, EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality, was quoted in this article discussing how emissions guidelines for vehicle model years 2027 and beyond will potentially have greater impact than the recently set near-term emissions standards.

These Carbon-Spewing Vehicles Must Be Stopped

January 12, 2022 / by

Margo Oge and Drew Kodjak /

The New York Times

Margo Oge, chair of the International Council on Clean Transportation and former Director, EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality, co-authored this op-ed urging the Biden administration to set targets for making heavy-duty trucks and buses emission-free.

Biden’s 2022 Climate Test

January 6, 2022 / by

Jeremy Symons /

The Hill

Jeremy Symons, EPN consultant and former Climate Policy Advisor, EPA Office of Air and Radiation, penned this op-ed discussing the importance of curtailing U.S. liquid natural gas exports in order to meet our climate goals.

Despite Extended Timeline, 2022 may be ‘Pivotal’ for Next Auto GHG Rule

January 5, 2022 / by

Doug Obey /

Inside EPA

Jeff Alson, former Senior Engineer and Policy Advisor, EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality, was quoted in this article about the importance of and challenges in setting long-term vehicle emissions standards.

Advocates Call EPA ‘Forever Chemical’ Testing Announcement Insufficient

December 29, 2021 / by

Rachel Frazin /

The Hill

Bob Sussman, former EPA Deputy Administrator and currently counsel to several North Carolina-based environmental groups petitioning EPA, was quoted in this article regarding EPA’s decision to fulfill the petitioners’ request for testing 54 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances using its existing PFAS testing strategy, not through new testing orders as asked by the petitioners. Bob was quoted in similar articles appearing in The Charlotte Observer and Inside EPA.

EPA Needs an Annual Appropriation That Will Fund the Biden Environmental Agenda

December 23, 2021 / by

David Coursen /

The Hill

Dave Coursen, former attorney, EPA Office of General Counsel, wrote this op-ed outlining the many reasons why EPA needs an annual appropriations bill passed in order to rebuild and restore its role in protecting human health and the environment.

Industry Split on Pyrolysis Rules Deepens as Environmentalists Intervene

December 22, 2021 / by

Stuart Parker /

Inside EPA

Judith Enck, President of Beyond Plastics and former Regional Administrator, EPA Region 2, was quoted in this article about a proposed EPA rulemaking that would regulate pyrolysis and gasification, processes used in the chemical recycling of plastics, under the Clean Air Act.

How EPA’s Power Plant Rule Dodged Industry ‘Fear-spreading’

December 21, 2021 / by

Sean Reilly /

E&E News

Bob Perciasepe, former EPA Deputy Administrator, was quoted in this article discussing the Mercury and Air Toxic Standards, ten years after it was implemented to limit hazardous emissions from power plants.

How Black Communities Become “Sacrifice Zones” for Industrial Air Pollution

December 21, 2021 / by

Ken Ward Jr. /

ProPublica

Mustafa Santiago Ali, Vice President for Environmental Justice, National Wildlife Federation, former EPA Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization, and former EPA Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice,was quoted in the article about a predominantly Black West Virginia community that lies in the sacrifice zone of a Union Carbide chemical plant.

U.S. EPA Issues Strictest-Ever GHG Emissions Standards

December 20, 2021 / by

News Editor /

Environment News Service

Mustafa Santiago Ali, Vice President for Environmental Justice, National Wildlife Federation; former EPA Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization; and former EPA Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice, and Jeff Alson, former Senior Engineer and Policy Advisor, EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality, were quoted and EPN was mentioned in this article discussing EPA’s stricter greenhouse gas vehicle emissions standards.

EPA Will Tighten Fuel Mileage Standards For Cars and Light Trucks, Replacing Looser Trump-era Standards

December 20, 2021 / by

Ella Nilsen /

CNN

Margo Oge, Chair of the International Council on Clean Transportation and former Director, EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality, was quoted in this article regarding EPA’s new 2023-2026 vehicle fuel emission standards and electric vehicle tax credits that are part of the Build Back Better bill.

E.P.A. Announces Tightest-Ever Auto Pollution Rules

December 20, 2021 / by

Coral Davenport /

The New York Times

Jeff Alson, former Senior Engineer and Policy Advisor, EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality, was quoted in this article discussing the recently-announced vehicle emissions standards for model year 2023-2026 automobiles and light-duty vehicles. Jeff was also quoted in related articles appearing in a variety of news outlets including The Washington Post, E&E News, Huffington Post, and Grist.

Final ‘Forever Chemicals’ Water Monitoring Rule Issued by EPA

December 20, 2021 / by

Bobby Magill /

Bloomberg Law

Betsy Southerland, former Director, Office of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, was quoted and EPN was mentioned in this article about EPA’s recent nationwide monitoring rule that will track levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and lithium in drinking water.

Why the Midwest Should Lead on Electric Vehicles

December 18, 2021 / by

Jeff Alson /

I Heart Climate Voices

Jeff Alson, former Senior Engineer and Policy Advisor, EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality, penned this op-ed about how Midwesterners could take the lead in the country’s transition to electric vehicles.