The Biden Administration’s Next Big Climate Decision

September 22, 2023 / by

Bill McKibben /

The New Yorker

Jeremy Symons, EPN Senior Advisor and former Climate Policy Advisor, EPA Office of Air and Radiation, was quoted in this article discussing how the U.S.’s progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions is being quickly erased by its export of liquefied natural gas and other fossil fuels.

Burgers and Fries with a Side of PFAS

September 22, 2023 / by

EHN Staff /

Environmental Health News

Linda Birnbaum, former Director of the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences and the National Toxicology Program, was quoted in this article about the need for a federal ban on Per-and-Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in food packaging to ensure nationwide protections for consumers.

EPA is Not Part of Biden’s Climate Corps. Why?

September 21, 2023 / by

Kevin Bogardus /

E&E News

Stan Meiburg, former Acting Deputy Administrator and former Regional Administrator, EPA Regions 4 and 6, was quoted in this article explaining why EPA has not been included in the initial rollout of the Biden administration’s American Climate Corps.

After Sharp Drop in Federal Funding to Replace Lead Water Lines, State Races to Find Out Why

September 12, 2023 / by

Tal Kopan /

The Boston Globe

Ronnie Levin, former Senior Scientist, EPA Region 1, was quoted in this article regarding federal funds allocated to states for lead service line replacement and how water utilities’ poor tracking of lead service lines has led to funding decreases.

Watchdog Says EPA Did Not Properly Elevate Benton Harbor Crisis

September 7, 2023 / by

Garret Ellison /

MLive

Elin Betanzo, former National Tribal Drinking Water Coordinator, EPA Office of Water, was quoted in this article discussing EPA’s response to the 2018 lead in drinking water crisis in Benton Harbor, Michigan, following a recent Office of Inspector General report that the agency did not sufficiently escalate the public health issue.

Fact-Checking the Misinformation Attacks on the EPA’s Clean Car Standards

September 5, 2023 / by

Margo T. Oge /

The Hill

Margo Oge, former Director, EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality, penned this op-ed countering the two most common misinformation attacks the regulated community makes on EPA’s proposed greenhouse gas vehicle emissions standards.

Potential Budget Cuts Could Stop EPA’s Efforts to Address Toxic Forever Chemicals

September 3, 2023 / by

Sarah Pilla /

Spectrum News 1

Betsy Southerland, former Director, Office of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, was interviewed in this news segment discussing how budget cuts proposed by House Republicans for FY 2024 would severely limit EPA’s ability to address PFAS contamination in many drinking water systems.

Judge Questions TSCA Scope in Novel Case

August 31, 2023 / by

Ellie Borst /

E&E News

Bob Sussman, former EPA Deputy Administrator, was quoted in this article regarding an enforcement suit EPA has brought against Inhance Technologies, a company that creates PFAS as a byproduct of the fluorination process it uses to strengthen plastic containers.

EPA Staff Survey: Touch Telework and I’m Out of Here

August 31, 2023 / by

Kevin Bogardus /

E&E News

Stan Meiburg, former EPA Acting Deputy Administrator and former Regional Administrator, EPA Regions 4 and 6, was quoted in this article discussing how the Biden administration’s push for more federal employees to return to work in the office could

Environmentalists Warn House Cuts to EPA Budget Will Impede PFAS Efforts

August 29, 2023 / by

Suzanne Yohannan /

Inside EPA

Betsy Southerland, former Director, Office of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, and John Reeder, Vice President of Federal Affairs at Environmental Working Group and former EPA Deputy Chief of Staff, were quoted in this article discussing how the House Republicans’ proposed FY2024 budget would slash much of the funding needed for EPA and other federal agencies to address PFAS. Betsy was quoted in a related article published in StateImpact Pennsylvania.

Inflation Reduction Act Will Boost EPA Efforts to Tackle the Climate Crisis

August 22, 2023 / by

David F. Coursen /

The Hill

Dave Coursen, former Attorney, EPA Office of General Counsel, wrote this op-ed on August 1, 2022, discussing how the Inflation Reduction Act will help EPA address the challenges of climate change and support environmental and climate justice.

EPA’s Ozone Do-Over Faces Backlash

August 22, 2023 / by

Sean Reilly /

E&E News

John Bachmann, former Associate Director for Science/Policy and New Programs, EPA Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, was quoted in this article discussing the implications of postponing the tightening of EPA’s air quality standards for ground-level ozone.

PFAS Superfund Listing Backs Dems Into a Corner

August 21, 2023 / by

Annie Snider /

Politico Pro

Jim Woolford former Director, Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation, EPA Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM), was quoted in this article discussing how the Biden administration’s plan to list two PFAS “forever chemicals” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) may put Democrats in a political corner.

EPA Finds at Least 26 Million People in US Have Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Their Drinking Water

August 17, 2023 / by

Brett Wilkins /

Common Dreams

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 initial release of testing data that found multiple PFAS in public drinking water systems.

Where Are the TCE Cleanup Sites in Milwaukee County?

August 16, 2023 / by

Andrew Hahn Sophia Vento Yash Roy /

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Tracey Woodruff, Director of Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, University of California, San Francisco, and former EPA senior scientist and former Policy Advisor, EPA Office of Policy, was quoted in this article discussing trichlorethylene contamination in Milwaukee and the inability of many toxic regulators to keep on top of numerous legacy contaminants.

49 Years Ago, the FDA Said a Common Plastic Caused Cancer. We Still Use It.

August 15, 2023 / by

Judith Enck /

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Judith Enck, founder of Beyond Plastics and former Regional Administrator, EPA Region 2, wrote this op-ed urging for new plastics reduction laws and a federal ban on vinyl chloride.

EPA Eyes Formal Evaluation of Toxic Chemical That Burned After Ohio Train Derailment

August 11, 2023 / by

Matthew Daly /

Associated Press

Judith Enck, founder of Beyond Plastics and former Regional Administrator, EPA Region 2, was quoted in this article discussing EPA’s recent announcement that it may begin a formal risk evaluation of vinyl chloride.

Why Reopen Palisades Nuclear Plant When We Have Wind and Solar?

August 11, 2023 / by

Jeff Alson /

Bridge Michigan

Jeff Alson, former Senior Engineer and Policy Advisor, EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality, penned this op-ed explaining why re-opening the Palisades nuclear plant, located on the shores of Lake Michigan, would be a bad and costly idea for Michigan taxpayers.

Professor Robert Verchick on Climate Resiliency and the Damaging Side Effects of Climate Change

July 30, 2029 / by

Yasmin Vossoughian /

MSNBC

Robert Verchick, former EPA Deputy Associate Administrator for Policy, was interviewed in this news segment discussing climate resiliency and the steps the Biden administration is taking to mitigate the effects of climate change, particularly for rural and disadvantaged urban communities.

Environmental Groups Call on the EPA to Ban the Toxic Chemical Vinyl Chloride

July 28, 2023 / by

Allison Guy /

Environmental Health News

Judith Enck, founder of Beyond Plastics and former Regional Administrator, EPA Region 2, was quoted in this article regarding Beyond Plastics’ and other advocacy organizations’ call on EPA to begin a safety assessment on vinyl chloride under TSCA to lead to its eventual ban.

Nervous Automakers Await Rules Pushing Them Toward EVs

July 25, 2023 / by

Mike Magner and Valerie Yurk /

Roll Call

Jeff Alson, former Senior Engineer and Policy Advisor, EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality, was quoted in this article regarding EPA’s recently-proposed vehicle emissions standards and industry anticipation of the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration’s release of their Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards.

Environmental Justice and EPA Programs Are Roadkill in the House Spending Bill

July 24, 2023 / by

David Coursen /

The Hill

Dave Coursen, former Attorney, EPA Office of General Counsel, penned this op-ed discussing the House Republicans proposed budget for EPA, which would slash agency funding by 40% if enacted, blocking development of new programs and forcing cuts to existing programs.

Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire

July 23, 2023 / by

James Fabisiak and Bernard Goldstein /

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Bernie Goldstein, former EPA Assistant Administrator for Research and Development, co-authored this op-ed about particulate matter from wildfire smoke and other sources of air pollution and what needs to be done to combat poor air quality due to climate change.

Questions Trail EPA Retreat From Cancer Alley Probe

July 19, 2023 / by

Sean Reilly /

E&E News

Kristi Smith, counsel to advocacy groups challenging Clean Air Act permitting practices in Alabama and former Attorney, EPA Office of General Counsel, was quoted in this article discussing EPA’s unanticipated decision to close investigations of civil rights complaints against Louisiana’s Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Health.