Pelosi, Schumer Vow Climate Action: ‘It Is an Imperative’

July 28, 2021 / by

Zack Budryk /

The Hill

Mustafa Santiago Ali, EPN member, vice president of Environmental Justice, Climate, and Community Revitalization for the National Wildlife Federation, former EPA Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization and former EPA Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice, was quoted in this article about the impacts the climate crisis is having on communities.

Why Biden Needs to Go Big On the Upcoming Clean Car Standards

July 27, 2021 / by

Margo Oge /

Forbes

Margo Oge, EPN member and former Director, EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality, penned this op-ed urging President Biden to take more significant action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation industry for post-2026 regulations.

Agencies Expected to Miss Biden’s Deadline For Tailpipe Rule

July 27, 2021 / by

Arianna Skibell /

E&E News

Margo Oge, EPN member and former Director, EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality, was quoted in this article discussing the fuel economy standards EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will be setting in the near future.

Toyota Led on Clean Cars. Now Critics Say It Works to Delay Them.

July 25, 2021 / by

Hiroko Tabuchi /

The New York Times

Margo Oge, EPN member and former Director, EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality, was quoted in this article regarding Toyota’s efforts to stall policy on electric vehicles.

Toxic Forever Chemicals Are in Our Blood: Senate Must Vote to Regulate Them as Hazardous Substances

July 23, 2021 / by

James Woolford /

The Hill

Jim Woolford, EPN member and former Director, EPA Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation, penned this op-ed discussing why per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances should be designated as hazardous substances under the Superfund law.

Are We Being Kept Safe From ‘Forever Chemicals’ Injected Into Fracking Sites?

July 21, 2021 / by

David Bond /

The Guardian

Linda Birnbaum, EPN member, former Director of National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), and former EPA scientist, was quoted in this piece about the negative health impacts of living near fracking sites.

EPA Plan for Top Environmental Equity Job Faces Long Road Ahead

July 21, 2021 / by

Dean Scott /

Bloomberg Law

Mustafa Santiago Ali, EPN member, former EPA Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization, and former EPA Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice, was quoted in this article discussing EPA’s proposal to create a national environmental justice program led by a newly-created assistant administrator position.

EPA’s SDWA Plan For PFAS Seen As ‘Baby Step’ Toward Strict TSCA Rules

July 20, 2021 / by

Diana DiGangi /

Inside EPA

Mike Shapiro, EPN member and former Deputy Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Water, was quoted and EPN was cited in this article regarding EPA’s plan to include per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances on its contaminant candidate list, potentially placing them under future Safe Drinking Water Act regulations.

The Real Story Behind PFAS and Congress’ Effort to Clean Up Contamination

July 20, 2021 / by

Jim Jones /

Environmental Health News

Jim Jones, EPN member and former Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, wrote this op-ed discussing the proposed PFAS Action Act, clarifying the importance of a hazardous substance designation for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

Rampant Environmental Rule-breaking and How to Fix It

July 14, 2021 / by

David Roberts /

Volts

Cynthia Giles, EPN member and former Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, was interviewed on this podcast discussing how to decrease the rate of non-compliance with environmental laws.

EPA, in Midst of Hiring Spree, Faces Uphill Push for More Staff

July 14, 2021 / by

Stephen Lee /

Bloomberg Law

Alexis Strauss, EPN member; former EPA Senior Policy Advisor; and former Acting Regional Administrator, EPA Region 9, was quoted in this article discussing potential ways to speed up the hiring process at EPA.

N.C. Takes Steps on Carbon Cap, Multi-state Pollution Effort

July 13, 2021 / by

Gary D. Robertson /

Associated Press

Stan Meiburg, North Carolina Environmental Management Commission Chairman, EPN member, and former EPA Acting Deputy Administrator, was quoted in this article regarding efforts led by environmental groups to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in North Carolina.

Documents Show EPA Staff Concerns Over PFAS in Fracking

July 12, 2021 / by

E.A. Crunden /

E&E News

Linda Birnbaum, EPN member, former Director of National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), and former EPA scientist, was quoted in this article regarding the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in oil and gas drilling and fracking operations. She was quoted in related articles appearing in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and The Allegheny Front.

The Climate Mitigation Challenge-Where Do We Stand?

July 7, 2021 / by

Frank Princiotta /

Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association

Frank Princiotta, EPN member and former Director, Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division, EPA National Risk Management Research Laboratory, authored this article examining the mitigation actions needed for the United States to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

In Corpus Christi’s Hillcrest Neighborhood, Black Residents Feel Like They Are Living in a ‘Sacrifice Zone’

July 4, 2021 / by

Aman Azhar /

Inside Climate News

Mustafa Santiago Ali, National Wildlife Federation vice president, EPN member, former EPA Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization, and former EPA Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice, was quoted in this article concerning efforts by the Biden administration to eliminate “sacrifice zones.”

We Now Know How Exxon Secretly Fights Crackdowns on Plastic Pollution

July 2, 2021 / by

Dharna Noor /

Gizmodo

Judith Enck, EPN member, founder of Beyond Plastics, and former Regional Administrator, EPA Region 2, was quoted in this article discussing the influence fossil fuel companies have been exerting on regulatory legislation as they shift to the plastic production market.

Improved Medical Screening in PFAS-impacted Communities to Identify Early Disease

June 29, 2021 / by

Isabella Raponi, Phil Brown, and Alissa Cordner /

Environmental Health News

Linda Birnbaum, EPN member, former Director of NIEHS, and former EPA scientist, was quoted in this article describing the harmful impacts per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have on human health.

The EPA Just Announced a $50 Million Push to Help Underserved Communities Tackle Pollution and Get Jobs

June 25, 2021 / by

Zahra Hirji /

BuzzFeed

Mustafa Santiago Ali, EPN member and former EPA Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization and EPA Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice, was quoted in this article regarding the significant new funding EPA has allocated towards low-income communities and communities of color most affected by pollution, climate change, and COVID-19.

Environmentalists Urge EPA to Demand Analytical Standards Under TSCA

June 24, 2021 / by

Maria Hegstad /

Inside EPA

Betsy Southerland, EPN member and former Director, Office of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, was quoted and EPN was mentioned in this article discussing the push by environmentalists to get EPA to use Toxic Substances Control Act enforcement authority to protect analytical standards for toxic chemicals.

New Coalition Aims to Change “Whitewashed” Narrative of Appalachia

June 23, 2021 / by

Emily Scott /

Public News Service

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 discussing the need for improved access to health care for Black communities in the Appalachian region.

EPA Eyes Expanded CERCLA PFAS Designation to Include More Chemicals

June 23, 2021 / by

Suzanne Yohannan /

Inside EPA

EPN was cited in this article regarding recommendations by environmental groups to designate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances as hazardous substances under the the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation & Liability Act (CERCLA).

Controversial St. Croix Refinery Ceases Operations Given ‘Extreme Financial Constraints’

June 21, 2021 / by

Juliet Eilperin and Darryl Fears /

The Washington Post

Judith Enck, EPN member and former Regional Administrator, EPA Region 2, was quoted in this article concerning the decision by the Limetree Bay oil refinery, located in St. Croix, to cease operations after facing numerous environmental violations. Judith was also quoted in a similar article in the Associated Press.

Environmentalists Urge EPA to Add Test Methods to PFAS Reporting Rule

June 17, 2021 / by

Diana DiGangi /

Inside EPA

Betsy Southerland, EPN member and former Director, Office of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, was quoted in this article about a push by environmental groups to get EPA to require companies to include analytical standards for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances as part of EPA’s proposed mandate to set TSCA reporting requirements for the chemicals.

Foam Containing ‘Forever Chemicals’ Used Against Plant Fire

June 17, 2021 / by

John Flesher /

Associated Press

EPN members Betsy Southerland, former Director, Office of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, and Linda Birnbaum, former Director of NIEHS and EPA scientist, were quoted in this article regarding the use of foam containing PFAS at a chemical plant fire in Rockton, IL. They were quoted in similar articles appearing in The Chicago Tribune and Newsweek.