In the News

Betsy Southerland, former Director of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, was quoted in a Politico Pro article about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s plan to end water fluoridation, describing that EPA regulates fluoride levels and makes recommendations to utilities if they choose to fluoridate. RFK Jr. can encourage the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to make new fluoridation recommendations, but it is ultimately EPA’s responsibility to regulate.

Stan Meiburg, former EPA Acting Deputy Administrator and former Regional Administrator, EPA Regions 4 and 6, was quoted in Politico Pro about what Lee Zeldin might expect when leading a workforce of over 15,000 civil servants across the country.

Stan Meiburg, former EPA Acting Deputy Administrator and former Regional Administrator, EPA Regions 4 and 6, was quoted in ABC News regarding Trump’s aggressive plans for oil drilling on federal land, but his plans may be thwarted by existing conservation laws that are difficult to overturn.

Ronnie Levin, former Senior Scientist, EPA Region 2, was quoted in CNN Underscored about considering drinking water’s historical and geological context. Location can determine the contaminants in water and thus determine what water filter works best for your water.

Judith Enck, former Regional Administrator, EPA Region 2, shared Lee Zeldin’s poor environmental record as a New York State senator and a member of the House of Representatives in an interview on Democracy Now!. Judith was quoted in a related Spectrum News 1 article about Trump’s pick to lead EPA.

Betsy Southerland, former Director of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, was quoted in this article discussing how the Trump administration could undo EPA’s recent progress on PFAS regulation by rolling back or failing to defend new rules in court.

Bob Sussman, former Senior Advisor to the EPA Administrator and former EPA Deputy Administrator, was quoted in this article regarding the possible curtailing of TSCA’s scope by deferring occupational safety assessments to other offices or agencies, a proposal outlined in Project 2025.

Jeremy Symons, EPN Senior Advisor and former Climate Policy Advisor, EPA Office of Air and Radiation, was quoted in this article about Donald Trump’s choice of Lee Zeldin for EPA Administrator, Zeldin’s poor environmental record, and Trump’s directive to roll back clean water and air protections. Jeremy was quoted in similar articles appearing in The Verge and Equities.com.

Jeremy Symons, EPN Senior Advisor and former Climate Policy Advisor, EPA Office of Air and Radiation, was quoted in this article discussing the Trump transition team’s proposal to relocate EPA headquarters outside of Washington, DC, and the devastating impacts it would have on the agency.

Stan Meiburg, former EPA Acting Deputy Administrator and former Regional Administrator, EPA Regions 4 and 6, and Betsy Southerland, former Director of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, were quoted in this article discussing the harmful impacts a second Trump administration will have on EPA’s work.

Michelle Roos, EPN Executive Director, was quoted in this article about how prepared environmental groups are for a second Trump administration.

Ellen Gilinsky, former Associate Deputy Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Water, was quoted in this article discussing how many wetland permitting responsibilities may be pushed to the states, which may not have enough funding to support expanded environmental programs.

Betsy Southerland, former Director of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, was quoted in this article describing the important role state regulations will play in protecting against PFAS in the event of EPA PFAS policy rollbacks under a Trump administration.

Stan Meiburg, former EPA Acting Deputy Administrator and former Regional Administrator, EPA Regions 4 and 6, was quoted in this article about EPA staffing levels, the need for the agency to hire more to achieve its mission, and how staff reductions could impact any Trump administration policies.

Ronnie Levin, former Senior Scientist, EPA Region 2, was quoted in FOX Chattanooga about a letter alerting over 40,000 Tennessee residents with a perceived risk of lead-contaminated water. Ronnie advises the residents to ask the utility company to test their water using EPA standards and protocols.

Stan Meiburg, former Acting Deputy Administrator, was quoted in The Hill about what to expect with a second Trump EPA, including the inability to carry out basic duties such as cleaning up Superfund sites and responding to disasters.

Betsy Southerland, former Director, Office of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, was quoted in E&E News about the possibility of Trump appointing Robert F. Kennedy to lead Health and Human Services (HHS), and how HHS policies can influence EPA regulations.

Michelle Roos, EPN Executive Director, was quoted and EPN was mentioned in this article discussing President-elect Trump’s plans to undo the environmental progress made under President Biden.

Stan Meiburg, former EPA Acting Deputy Administrator and former Regional Administrator, EPA Regions 4 and 6, was quoted in this article about the potential transition scenarios going into the 2024 presidential elections.

Jeremy Symons, EPN Senior Advisor and former Climate Policy Advisor, EPA Office of Air and Radiation, was quoted in this article about FOIA requests made by conservative groups targeting the emails of EPA career staff.

Jeremy Symons, Senior Advisor to EPN, was quoted in E&E News about former Trump aides submitting FOIA requests for emails from senior career EPA employees to single out, intimidate, and fire civil servants.

Betsy Southerland, former Director, Office of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, and Bob Sussman, former Deputy Administrator and Senior Policy Counsel to the Administrator, were quoted in The New York Times about how EPA has recovered from budget and staff cuts during the Trump administration, but, a second Trump term would still methodically restructure the agency.

Margo Oge, former director, EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality, and Jeremy Symons, Senior Adviser to EPN, were quoted in E&E News about how Project 2025 intends for political appointees to lead the Air office with the ultimate goal of intimidating career staff to let polluters off the hook.

Betsy Southerland, former Director, Office of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, was quoted in Inside EPA about criticism of EPA’s PFAS Aquatic Life Criteria coming out before human health criteria. Betsy argues that aquatic criteria is a useful first step in establishing state standards.