Ex-EPA Officials Mark 50th Earth Day With Scathing Snapshot of How Trump ‘Is Hurting People and the Natural World’

April 22, 2020 / by

Jessica Corbett /

Common Dreams

Betsy Southerland, EPN member and former Director, Office of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water and Michelle Roos, EPN Executive Director and former Special Assistant to the Regional Administrator, Region 9, were quoted in this article regarding what ex-EPA officials think of the job the current administration is doing in the context of Earth Day. EPN was also mentioned in this article.

No, the Pandemic Isn’t an Excuse to go Back to Single-Use Plastics

April 22, 2020 / by

Judith Enck /

Newsweek

Judith Enck, EPN member and former EPA Regional Administrator for Region 2, penned this op-ed on why the pandemic was not an excuse to revert back to single-use plastics. Judith was also quoted in articles by The Intercept and Nation of Change on a potential bailout for the plastics industry.

EPN Calls Attention to Trump’s Harsh Environmental Track Record

April 22, 2020 / by

Chrissy Sexton /

earth.com

Betsy Southerland, EPN member and former Director, Office of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water and Michelle Roos, EPN Executive Director and former Special Assistant to the Regional Administrator, Region 9, were quoted in this article focusing on the Trump administration’s environmental record. EPN was also mentioned in this article.

We Can’t Let Trump Roll Back 50 Years of Environmental Progress

April 22, 2020 / by

Betsy Southerland /

The Guardian

Betsy Southerland, EPN member and former Director, Office of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, published this op-ed reflecting on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and the risk of rolling back the advancements made over the past 50 years.

Trump’s Rewrite is Finalized. What Happens Now?

April 21, 2020 / by

Jeremy Jacobs and Pamela King /

E&E News

Mark Ryan, EPN member and former EPA Regional Counsel, Region 10, was quoted in this article concerning the finalization of the Trump administration’s Navigable Waters Protection Rule, which replaces and redefines what water bodies are protected under the Clean Water Act (CWA). Mark was quoted in similar articles by S&P Global and Our Daily Planet.

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These Air Pollution Standards Kept People Out of the Hospital. Trump Just Rolled Them Back.

April 21, 2020 / by

Emily Pontecorvo /

Grist

Mustafa 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 pertaining to the Trump administration’s rollback of the Mercury and Air Toxic Standards (MATS).

Migrants Aren’t to Blame for COVID-19

April 21, 2020 / by

Justine Calma /

The Verge

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 the halting of immigration due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on migrants.

Lawmakers Eye Future Stimulus for PFAS Limits

April 20, 2020 / by

Ariana Figueroa /

E&E News

Betsy Southerland, EPN member and former Director, Office of Science and Technology, EPA Office of Water, was quoted in this article concerning a potential stimulus bill including toxic chemical provisions.

Mercury Move Portends Similar Deregulation of Air Pollution by US EPA

April 20, 2020 / by

Cheryl Hogue /

Chemical & Engineering News

Ellen Kurlansky, EPN member and former Air Policy Analyst and Advisor, EPA Office of Air and Radiation, was quoted in an article by Chemical & Engineering News concerning the Trump administration’s rollback of the Mercury and Air Toxic Standards (MATS).

EPA Relaxes Rule on Air Monitoring Tests Due to Coronavirus

April 20, 2020 / by

Amena Saiyid /

Bloomberg

Stan Meiburg, EPN member and former EPA Deputy Regional Administrator in Region 4 and Region 6 and Acting Deputy Administrator, was quoted in this article concerning the easing of air quality monitoring tests by EPA.

‘They’re killing Us,’ Texas residents say of Trump Rollbacks

April 19, 2020 / by

Ellen Knickmeyer /

Associated Press

Mustafa 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 how Trump’s environmental rollbacks are impacting Texas residents.

EPA Gives Utilities a Headache With Mercury Rule Revision

April 17, 2020 / by

Keith Goldberg /

Law 360

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 rollback of MATS.

EGEB: Scientists and the NRDC score a big court win against the EPA

April 17, 2020 / by

Michelle Lewis /

Electrek

Chris Zarba, EPN member and former  Director, EPA Science Advisory Board, was quoted in this article regarding a court case ruling in favor of NRDC against EPA’s removal of scientists from key scientific advisory committees.

Enforcement Chief ‘Greatly Surprised’ by Criticism

April 17, 2020 / by

Kelsey Brugger /

E&E News

EPN members Gwen Keyes Fleming, former Chief of Staff to EPA during the Obama administration and Robert Verchick, former Deputy Associate Administrator for Policy at EPA, were quoted in an article on the criticisms faced by EPA Enforcement Chief, Susan Bodine.

The Time to Start Preparing for Hurricane Season is Now

April 17, 2020 / by

Jeff Peterson /

The Hill

Jeff Peterson, EPN member and former Senior Policy Advisor, EPA Office of Water, penned this op-ed concerning FEMA and its preparations for the upcoming hurricane season.  

One Reason Why People of Color are Dying at Higher Rates in the US? The Air They Breathe

April 17, 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, wrote this op-ed on how air pollution contributes to the higher COVID-19 mortality rates for minority and underserved populations. Mustafa was quoted in similar articles by The Guardian, KALW 91.7, and Salon.

Mercury Pollution — the Slippery Slope

April 16, 2020 / by

Ellen Kurlansky /

The Hill

Ellen Kurlansky, EPN member and former Air Policy Analyst and Advisor, EPA Office of Air and Radiation, wrote this op-ed in on the Trump administration’s rollback of the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS). Ellen was quoted in similar articles by The Hill, E&E News, Roll Call, Reuters, Yale Environment 360, The Washington Times, Gizmodo, and Electrek.

Mustafa Santiago Ali on Earth Day at 50

April 16, 2020 / by

Aaron Weiss /

Center for Western Priorities

Mustafa Ali, EPN member and former EPA Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization, and Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice, was featured in this article on his reflections of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. 

DOJ Lets Companies Skip Paying Penalties During Pandemic

April 16, 2020 / by

Rebecca Beitsch /

The Hill

 Joel Mintz, EPN member and former EPA Enforcement and Supervisory Attorney, was quoted in this article concerning the DOJ letting companies skip paying penalties during the COVID-19 pandemic.

FEMA Faces Multi-Front Battle on COVID-19 as Hurricane Season Nears

April 16, 2020 / by

Matthew Vann /

ABC News

Trish Koman, PhD, EPN member and former Senior Environmental Scientist, Program Manager and Supervisor in EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality, was quoted in this article on FEMA’s potential multi-front battle with COVID-19 and the upcoming hurricane season. 

We Put Science Back Into EPA Air Pollution Standards, but …

April 15, 2020 / by

John Bachmann, Chris Zarba, Chris Frey, and Gretchen Goldman /

Scientific American

EPN members, John Bachmann, former Associate Director for Science/Policy and New Programs, EPA Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards and Chris Zarba, former Director, EPA Science Advisory Board, penned this op-ed alongside co-authors Chris Frey and Gretchen Goldman on the Trump administration’s proposal to retain the particulate matter standards. 

Trump’s Coronavirus Playbook is the Same One he Uses for Climate Change

April 15, 2020 / by

Dan Reich /

Resilience

Dan Reich, EPN member and Former Assistant Regional Counsel, EPA Region 9, penned this op-ed detailing how Trump’s response to COVID-19 relates to his response to climate change.

Indianapolis Air Pollution Falls as Virus Keeps People Home

April 15, 2020 / by

London Gibson and Sarah Bowman /

Journal Review

Janet McCabe, EPN member and former Acting Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Air and Radiation, was quoted in an this article on Indiana’s air quality during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Border Wall Construction Continues During the Coronavirus Pandemic

April 14, 2020 / by

Courtney Buble /

Government Executive

Mustafa Ali, EPN member and former EPA Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization, and Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice, was quoted in this article on the continued construction of President Trump’s border wall during the COVID-19 pandemic.