EPN In Action March-April 2021
Welcome to your EPN In Action newsletter
Highlights
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EPN’s Board of Directors voted overwhelmingly to continue to fulfill its mission of preserving and advancing the nation’s bipartisan legacy of progress towards clean air, water, land and climate protection for all Americans.
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EPN Board member Gwendolyn Keyes Fleming provided testimony at a hearing on restoring EPA’s mission and EPN member Betsy Southerland provided testimony at a hearing on the loss of the federal scientific workforce.
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Betsy also participated in an Earth Day 2021 Virtual Festival discussion, sharing the virtual stage with EPA Administrator Michael Regan, Senator Elizabeth Warren, singer LeAnn Rimes, and others.
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EPN submitted comments supporting EPA’s proposal to delay the effective date of the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) and the compliance date established in it.
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EPN sent EPA Administrator Michael Regan a set of recommendations for a new per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) Action Plan to comprehensively address the serious public health and environmental impacts of PFAS.
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EPN sent a letter to EPA requesting that the agency reactivate its Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program and proposing a plan for efficiently screening chemicals for potential endocrine effects.
EPN Votes to Continue
EPN Public Participation
EPN Member Presents Testimony at Congressional Hearing on Rebuilding the Federal Scientific Workforce
In a hearing on "Brain Drain: Rebuilding the Federal Scientific Workforce" held by the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, EPN member Betsy Southerland provided personal testimony on the need to rebuild the capabilities, productivity, morale, and inclusivity of the EPA workforce in order to meet the public health and environmental challenges of the 21st century.
EPN Board Member Presents Testimony at Congressional Hearing on Restoring the Vital Mission of EPA
In a hearing on "The Path Forward: Restoring the Vital Mission of EPA" held by the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, EPN Board member Gwendolyn Keyes Fleming provided testimony, along with EPA Administrators Governor Whitman and Browner among others, on the need for adequate EPA funding to meet the demands of the moment and improve the quality of life in the future.
EPN Member Participates in Earth Day Initiative and March for Science NYC Virtual Event
Betsy Southerland, former Director, Office of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, participated in an Earth Day Initiative and March for Science NYC Virtual Event, sharing the virtual stage with EPA Administrator Michael Regan, Senator Elizabeth Warren, singer LeAnn Rimes, and others. Also in honor of Earth Day, EPN members Bill Muno and David Ullrich participated in a virtual event sponsored by the Hoosier Environmental Council.
EPN’s Work on Drinking Water
EPN’s Work on Toxic Chemicals
EPN Submits Recommendations for New PFAS Action Plan
EPN sent EPA Administrator Regan a set of recommendations to comprehensively address the serious public health and environmental impacts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS. EPN's recommendations for a new PFAS Action Plan set forth an expansive framework for dealing with PFAS, including recommendations related to its manufacture; commercial uses; its release, disposal and cleanup; and the health effects of exposure to PFAS in the air, land, and water.
EPN Writes a Letter Proposing an Efficient Screening of FIFRA and TSCA Chemicals for Potential Endocrine Effects
EPN sent a letter to EPA requesting the reactivation of the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program. In addition, EPN proposed a method to efficiently screen chemicals for potential endocrine effects by establishing a priority-based approach that addresses the type of studies, endocrine effect(s), and chemicals to be evaluated.
EPN Op-Eds
EPN members penned their own op-eds on the Biden administration’s progress on climate action and the American Jobs Plan.
Biden’s First 100 Days of Climate Action Make Up For Lost Time Under Trump
Jeremy Symons, EPN member and consultant and former Climate Policy Advisor, EPA Office of Air and Radiation, penned this op-ed discussing how far President Biden has gone on climate action during the first 100 days of his presidency.
Biden’s EPA Gets Serious About Funding Environmental Justice
David Coursen, EPN member and former Attorney, EPA Office of General Counsel, penned this op-ed describing how the American Jobs Plan and EPA’s recently-released budget outline will work in conjunction with the climate crisis executive order to advance environmental justice.
More examples of EPN In The News
EPN members contributed to a range of articles on topics such as PFAS, environmental justice, the Superfund tax, an EPA Inspector General’s report on car regulation, the Biden administration’s FY2022 discretionary spending plan, and changes to EPA science advisory boards.
What Experts Say About Tap Water Amid New Concerns
Ronnie Levin, former Senior Scientist, EPA Region 2, was quoted in The Washington Post about chemicals like fluoride in drinking water and whether residents should be concerned.
If Schedule F Returns, EPA Workforce ‘Particularly Susceptible,’ Former Officials Warn
Jennifer Orme-Zavaleta, former Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for Science, EPA ORD; Betsy Southerland, former Director of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water; and Jeremy Symons, EPN Senior Advisor, were quoted in Federal News Network about the possibility of resurrecting Schedule F, an executive order Trump signed during his first term that reclassified thousands of government works as exempt from civil service protections.
This Substitute for Lead Pipes Could Carry Its Own Risks
Judith Enck, former EPA Regional Administrator, EPA Region 2, was quoted in The Washington Post about a common substitute for lead pipes: polyvinyl chloride, which has similar toxicity and leaching concerns as lead.
Trump Aides Locked EPA Scientists Out of Auto Emissions Rulemaking, Agency Admits
Jeff Alson, EPN member and former Senior Engineer and Policy Advisor, EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality, was quoted in this article regarding the EPA Inspector General’s report on the preparation of the 2020 SAFE Vehicles Rule.
Clean Energy Bonanza: Biden’s Budget Tries to Undo Trump’s Damage
Michelle Roos, EPN Executive Director, was quoted and EPN was cited in this article discussing the release of the Biden administration’s budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2022. Michelle and EPN were also mentioned in a Nature World News article also describing the budget proposal.
Clean Slate for EPA Scientific Advisory Committees
EPN member Chris Zarba, former Director, EPA Science Advisory Board, was quoted in this article discussing the need for more balanced EPA advisory committees.