Environmentalists Seek ‘Immediate’ EPA Action On TCE Ahead Of Review

March 23, 2020 / by

Maria Hegstad /

Inside EPA

EPN was mentioned in this article on the EPA risk evaluation of the chemical trichloroethylene (TCE).

“They Literally Made Stuff Up” – with Trump EPA whistleblower Jeff Alson

March 23, 2020 / by

Chris Savage /

electra blog

Jeff Alson, EPN member and former Senior Engineer and Policy Advisor, EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality, was interviewed on this podcast discussing the lack of scientific credibility associated with the EPA’s Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient Vehicles Rule. 

Coronavirus Threatens to Derail Major US EPA Energy and Climate Rollbacks

March 23, 2020 / by

Zack Hale /

S&P Global Market Intelligence

EPN members, Janet McCabe (former Acting Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Air and Radiation), John Bachmann (former Associate Director for Science/Policy and New Programs, EPA Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards), and Joe Goffman (former Associate Assistant Administrator for Climate and Senior Counsel, EPA Office of Air and Radiation) were quoted in this article on the potential derailment of EPA energy and climate rollbacks by the COVID-19 pandemic. EPN also was mentioned in this article. 

‘Wash Your Hands’ is Tough Advice for Americans Without Soap or Water

March 23, 2020 / by

Mustafa Santiago Ali /

The Guardian

Mustafa Ali, EPN member and former EPA Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization, and Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice, published this op-ed concerning the lack of resources accessible to frontline communities in combating COVID-19. Mustafa also wrote an op-ed in U.S. News on the environmental justice implications of COVID-19. 

Pentagon Cleanup of Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ Likely to Last Decades

March 22, 2020 / by

Rebecca Beitsch /

The Hill

Betsy Southerland, EPN member and former Director, Office of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, was quoted in this article on the Department of Defense’s ongoing and protracted cleanup of PFAS contaminated sites.

Pandemic ‘Totally Predictable.’ How Trump Dismissed Warnings

March 20, 2020 / by

Jean Chemnick /

E&E News

Joe Goffman, EPN member and former Associate Assistant Administrator for Climate and Senior Counsel, EPA Office of Air and Radiation, was quoted in this article on the Trump administration’s ambivalence toward warnings concerning the national security threats of pandemics.

Virus Could Bite Into Environmental Enforcement: Ex-Officials

March 19, 2020 / by

Stephen Lee and Amena H. Saiyid /

Bloomberg

EPN members Cynthia Giles, former Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance; Mark Ryan, former EPA Regional Counsel, Region 10; and Eric Schaeffer, former director of EPA’s Office of Civil Enforcement quoted in this article considering how COVID-19 could impact the ability of EPA to enforce environmental regulations. This article was reprinted by The Washington Post.

Will the Pandemic Curb Trump’s Regulatory Rollback?

March 19, 2020 / by

Kelsey Brugger /

E&E News

EPN members Stan Meiburg, former EPA Deputy Regional Administrator in Region 4 and Region 6 and Acting Deputy Administrator and Betsy Southerland, former Director, Office of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, were quoted in this article concerning the impacts of COVID-19 on the Trump administration’s environmental rollbacks. Betsy was also quoted in a similar article by Politico.

It’s Time to Sound the Alarm for Communities Most Vulnerable to the Coronavirus

March 17, 2020 / by

Mustafa Santiago Ali /

U.S. News and World Report

Mustafa Santiago Ali, EPN member and former EPA Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization, and Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice, penned this op-ed about the environmental justice implications of COVID-19. Mustafa also wrote two op-eds in The Guardian on the inequities of the COVID-19 pandemic and how EPA’s suspension of enforcement exacerbates COVID-19 mortality rates.

DEC Minimizes Concern Over New Dunn Dump PFAS Report

March 17, 2020 / by

Dave Lucas /

WAMC NorthEast Public Radio

Judith Enck, EPN member and former EPA Regional Administrator for Region 2, was quoted in this article on PFAS chemicals being found in New York State water bodies. 

Developers Know How to Dodge Environmental Reviews; Now They Might Have Help From the Federal Government

March 17, 2020 / by

Cynthia Giles and Janet McCabe /

Inside Sources

 EPN members Cynthia Giles former Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance and Janet McCabe former Acting Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Air and Radiation, published this op-ed on how the new NEPA revisions are enabling developers to get around environmental reviews.

DOJ Ends Practice of Allowing Polluters to Pay for Environmental Projects

March 16, 2020 / by

Rebecca Beitsch /

The Hill

Cynthia Giles, EPN member and former Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, was quoted in this article on the Department of Justice no longer allowing polluters to pay for Special Environmental Projects (SEPs) as a way of reducing their civil penalties. 

DOJ Nixes Major Environmental Enforcement Tactic

March 13, 2020 / by

Pamela King /

E&E News

Frank Lyons, EPN member and former Regional Administrator of EPA Region 5, was quoted in this article on polluters no longer being able to use SEPs to reduce their civil penalties.

Senate Democrats Seek $20 Billion EPA Grant Program for PFAS Cleanups

March 12, 2020 / by

Suzanne Yohannan /

Inside EPA

Betsy Southerland, EPN member and former Director, Office of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, was quoted in this article on a prospective $20 Billion EPA grant program being sought by Senate Democrats that would go toward PFAS cleanups.

Electric Cars, the EPA, and Us

March 11, 2020 / by

Jack Fruchtman /

Martha's Vineyard Times

Jeff Alson, EPN member and former Senior Engineer and Policy Advisor, EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality, was quoted in this article regarding electric cars and the EPA’s role in setting automobile emission standards.

Indiana Approves Toxic Polluting Facility at Least a Dozen Other States Would Have Denied

March 11, 2020 / by

Sarah Bowman /

Indianapolis Star

Janet McCabe, former Acting Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Air and Radiation, was quoted in this article concerning a toxic polluting facility that was approved by the state of Indiana and the associated public health effects.

White House Spills Red Ink on ‘Secret Science’ Rule

March 10, 2020 / by

Kelsey Brugger /

E&E News

Betsy Southerland, EPN member and former Director, Office of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, was quoted in this article regarding the latest copy of the EPA’s “censored science” rule that was released from the White House. This article was reprinted in Science Magazine. Similar articles quoting Betsy on this topic were published in Commom Dreams (reprinted in BuzzFlash) and in Waat’s Up With That?.

 

Indiana Cities to Develop Greenhouse Gas Emissions Plans

March 10, 2020 / by

Enrique Saenz /

Indiana Environmental Reporter

Janet McCabe, EPN member and former Acting Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Air and Radiation was quoted in this article on Indiana cities developing plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A similar article was published by Inside Indiana Business.

CleanLaw: Restricting EPA’s Authority – Joe Goffman and Laura Bloomer Talk Clean Air Act Rollbacks

March 9, 2020 / by

Robin Just /

Harvard’s Energy and Environmental Law Program

Joe Goffman, EPN member and former Associate Assistant Administrator for Climate and Senior Counsel, EPA Office of Air and Radiation was featured in this podcast, discussing how the Trump administration is using regulatory rollbacks to restrict EPA’s authority in tackling climate change.

Exhibit A: Science Advisers’ Critiques of EPA Rules

March 6, 2020 / by

Pamela King and Jeremy P. Jacobs /

E&E News

EPN members Janet McCabe, former Acting Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Air and Radiation, and Joe Goffman, former Associate Assistant Administrator for Climate and Senior Counsel, EPA Office of Air and Radiation, were quoted in this article concerning critiques levied by EPA’s Scientific Advisory Board against the administration’s Clean Water Act protections and vehicle emissions standards. 

Trump’s Devaluing of Science is a Danger to US Coronavirus Response, Experts Warn

March 6, 2020 / by

Oliver Milman /

The Guardian

Judith Enck, EPN member and former EPA Regional Administrator for Region 2, was quoted in this article discussing how the Trump administration’s treatment of science will affect its response to the Coronavirus. 

US EPA Aims to Expand Scope of Former Chief Scott Pruitt’s ‘Secret Science’ Rule

March 4, 2020 / by

Zack Hale /

S&P Global Market Intelligence

EPN members Betsy Southerland, former Director, Office of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, and Dr. Bernard Goldstein, former chair, EPA Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, were quoted and EPN was mentioned in this article focusing on the supplemental notice to EPA’s proposed “censored science” rule, which would limit the scope of studies available in the setting of pollution standards. Betsy was also quoted in Bloomberg, EcoWatch, E&E News, The Hill, The Hill’s Overnight Energy & Environment, and the Washington Examiner about the supplemental proposal.

 

 

Former Pesticide Chief: Trump Budget Would Undercut Plans

March 3, 2020 / by

Marc Heller /

E&E News

Bill Jordan, EPN member and former Deputy Director, EPA Office of Pesticide Programs, was quoted in an article on cuts to EPA’s pesticide program in the FY2021 presidential budget.

Indiana University Experts Testify on State Lead Contamination

March 2, 2020 / by

Enrique Saenz /

Indiana Environmental Reporter

Janet McCabe, EPN member and former Acting Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Air and Radiation, was quoted in this article concerning testimony she gave on state lead contamination.