In the News

EPN member Cliff Villa, former EPA attorney, wrote this article describing how the scope of environmental justice in the EPA has changed over time and suggesting a new definition of environmental justice to ensure proper protection of people most at risk and in need.

Dennis McLerran, EPN member and former Regional Administrator, EPA Region 10, was quoted in this article on the proposed Pebble Mine and the potential consequences it can have on the Briston Bay salmon fishery.

EPN members Mustafa Santiago Ali, former Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization and Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice, and Betsy Southerland, EPN member and former Director of the Office of Science and Technology in EPA’s Office of Water, were profiled in this article about former government officials who have left during the current administration.

David Coursen, EPN member and former lawyer in EPA’s Office of General Counsel, published this op-ed on the current administration’s environmental record and the consequences of its proposed “censored science” rule.

Betsy Southerland, EPN member and former Director of the Office of Science and Technology in EPA’s Office of Water, was quoted in this article concerning PFAS chemicals and the regulatory process to designate them as hazardous substances.

Mustafa Santiago Ali, EPN member and former Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization and Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice, was quoted in this article article on the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) instructions to federal agencies to end race-related training.

Judith Enck, EPN member and former Regional Administrator for EPA Region 2, was quoted in this article on New York’s enforcement of its plastic bag ban.

Betsy Southerland, EPN member and former Director of the Office of Science and Technology in EPA’s Office of Water, was quoted in this article regarding EPA’s finalized rollback to the Lead and Copper Rule.

EPN members Samuel Coleman (former Deputy Regional Administrator EPA Region 6), Judith Enck (former Regional Administrator for EPA Region 2), and Betsy Southerland (former Director of the Office of Science and Technology in EPA’s Office of Water) were quoted in this article on how superfund sites are being threatened by climate change. This article was reprinted by NBC News.

Janet McCabe, EPN member and former Acting Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Air and Radiation, was quoted in this article regarding a federal lawsuit against Indianapolis Power and Light for violations of the Clean Air Act.

 Judith Enck, EPN member and former Regional Administrator for EPA Region 2, was quoted in this article concerning industrial waste in the town of Rensselaer, New York. 

Mustafa Santiago Ali, EPN member and former Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization and Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice, was interviewed in this segment regarding youth climate change activism during the 2020 election.

David Janik, EPN member and former Supervisory Enforcement Attorney, EPA Region 8, was quoted in this article on EPA’s authority to create an Office of Mountains, Deserts and Plains.

EPN members Dr. Bernard Goldstein, former chair, EPA Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee and EPA Assistant Administrator for Research and Development, and Betsy Southerland, former Director of the Office of Science and Technology in EPA’s Office of Water, were quoted in this article on how the administration’s rollback of environmental regulations exacerbate the consequences of climate change.

Judith Enck, EPN member and former Regional Administrator for EPA Region 2, was quoted in this article on the October 19 start date of New York’s plastic bag ban. Judith was quoted in a similar article by The Telegraph.

Mustafa Santiago Ali, EPN member and former Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization and Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice, was quoted in this article regarding a new environmental justice bill signed into law in New Jersey.

Judith Enck, EPN member and former Regional Administrator for EPA Region 2, was quoted in this article regarding a global plan to reduce plastic pollution. 

Janet McCabe, EPN member and former Acting Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Air and Radiation, was quoted in this article concerning the increase in greenhouse gas emissions due to the Trump administration’s environmental rollbacks.

Mustafa Santiago Ali, EPN member and former Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization and Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice, was quoted in this article on EPA canceling race-related training sessions. Mustafa was quoted in a similar article by E&E News.

Betsy Southerland, EPN member and former director of the Office of Science and Technology in EPA’s Office of Water, was quoted in this article concerning the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers rollback to the nationwide permit system, which would change the way dredging and filling of streams and wetlands protected under the Clean Water Act are regulated.

Mustafa Santiago Ali, EPN member former Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization and Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice, was quoted in this article about environmental justice legislation being introduced in Congress.

EPN’s “Resetting the Course of EPA” report was mentioned in this article regarding calls by former EPA administrators for EPA to adopt novel technologies to help combat climate change and reassert federal regulatory authority.

Mark Ryan, EPN member and former EPA Regional Counsel, Region 10, was quoted in this article regarding EPA’s proposed 2020 financial capability assessment (FCA) for the Clean Water Act. 

Linda Birnbaum, EPN member and former EPA federal scientist, was quoted in this article regarding new technology developed by Safe Catch that tests for mercury in seafood in under 60 seconds.