Erasing ‘Climate Change’ From Federal Agencies Won’t Make It Go Away

August 17, 2019 / by

Cynthia Giles /

The Hill

EPN member Cynthia Giles, former EPA Assistant Administrator, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, wrote this op-ed about the Trump Administration encouraging federal agencies to downplay and dismiss the risks of climate change in regulations and policies. For example, the White House Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) draft guidance on how federal agencies should consider climate when they evaluate federal actions under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) makes no mention of “climate change.”

 

Expert says toxic contamination goes beyond ‘Don’t eat the fish or play in the soil’ strategy

August 14 2019 / by

Seth Slabaugh /

Star Press

Janet McCabe, former EPA Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation, was quoted in this article about the fear of exposure to lead and mercury air pollution from a proposed steel-dust recycling facility by many Muncie, Indiana, residents, and in the WebMD article about several Metro Atlanta communities moving forward with plans to test air around two sterilizing facilities amid public pressure and concern about the release of toxic pollution.

Daily on Energy: Legal fight over Trump coal plant rule shows just how divided red and blue states are

August 14, 2019 / by

Josh Siegel /

Washington Examiner

EPN members Joe Goffman, former Associate Assistant Administrator for Climate and Senior Counsel, EPA Office of Air and Radiation was also quoted in this article about the legal battle over the Trump Administration’s emissions rules for coal plants revealing a stark divide between states on climate change policy.

What’s at Stake in the Trump EPA’s New Approach to New Source Review?

August 2019 / by

Janet McCabe, Joseph Goffman, and William Niebling /

em • The Magazine for Environmental Managers

EPN members Joe Goffman, former Associate Assistant Administrator for Climate and Senior Counsel, EPA Office of Air and Radiation, and Janet McCabe, former EPA Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation, wrote this piece about some of the changes to the New Source Review program and how they weaken public health protections.

Former Officials Criticize Limited GHG Review In Draft CEQ NEPA Guide

August 12, 2019 / by

Dawn Reeves /

Inside EPA

EPN is cited in this article about criticism of the draft guidance written by the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) that instructs agencies to limit the scope of how they consider greenhouse gas emissions and climate impacts when conducting National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews.

New Oil and Gas Rule May Ignore Methane

August 12, 2019 / by

Jean Chemnick and Niina H. Farah /

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 about whether the EPA’s draft rule to replace Obama-era curbs on methane produced from the oil and natural gas industry will even cover methane directly. Joe was also quoted in a similar article in Greenwire.

EPA Alumni Balk at Draft NEPA Guidance

August 9, 2019 / by

Niina H. Farah /

E&E News

This article discusses and quotes EPN’s comments objecting to draft guidance issued by the Council on Environmental Quality to assist federal agencies in considering greenhouse gas emissions when they evaluate federal actions, like the construction of roads and pipelines, under NEPA.

Key Architect Of Car Rules Rollback To Depart — Sources

August 8, 2019 / by

Maxine Joselow /

Climatewire

EPN member Margo Oge, former EPA Director, EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality, was quoted in this article about an agreement between the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and EPA to roll back Obama-era fuel efficiency standards, loosening requirements for gas mileage, and the departure of the deputy administrator of NHTSA, who was a proponent of the Trump Administration’s position on these standards.

Former EPA Officials Fight N.C. Clean Air Act Exemption Effort (1)

August 6, 2019 / by

Andrew Ballard /

Bloomberg Environment

Janet McCabe, EPN member and former EPA Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation, and the Environmental Protection Network (EPN) were quoted in this article about EPN’s comments on the Region 4 proposal to modify exemptions from emissions requirements for startup, shutdown, and malfunction (SSM) events at power plants. A similar article appeared in S&P Global.

Clean Water Case Ferments Trouble For Craft Breweries and Environmentalists

August 2, 2018 / by

Phil McCausland /

NBC News

Mark Ryan, EPN member and former EPA Regional Counsel, Region 10, was quoted in this article about a brief filed to the Supreme Court on behalf of environmental advocates fighting a wastewater station that is polluting groundwater in Hawaii, as a win for the defendants could further weaken the Clean Water Act.

Trump EPA Opens a New Assault on Obama-Era Coal Ash Rule, Threatening Public Health

August 1, 2019 / by

Yessenia Funes /

Gizmodo

Betsy Southerland, EPN member and former Director, EPA Office of Science and Technology in the Office of Water, was quoted in this article about a recent EPA rule that lifts a requirement for companies and utilities to prove that coal ash deposits of a certain size wouldn’t cause environmental damage.

President Trump Condemned Baltimore as ‘Disgusting.’ His Administration’s Policies Aren’t Exactly Helping

July 31, 2018 / by

Justin Worland /

TIME

Mustafa Santiago Ali, EPN member, former EPA Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization, and Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice, was quoted in this article about President Trump’s comments attacking Baltimore for its pollution while the administration continues to roll back regulations on the coal industry.

Memo To The Auto Industry: Time To Join California And Leaders Opposing Trump Clean Cars Rollback

July 29, 2019 / by

Margo Oge /

Forbes

Margo Oge, EPN member and former EPA Director, EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality, wrote this op-ed about a recent agreement between California and several major automakers to raise fuel efficiency standards following industry opposition to the Trump Administration’s rollback of an Obama-era clean car program.

These High School Runners Train In ‘Nasty Air,’ So They’re Working To Clean It Up

July 29, 2019 / by

Priscilla Totiyapungprasert /

The Arizona Republic

EPN member Trish Koman, former Senior Environmental Scientist, Program Manager and Supervisor in EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality, was quoted in this article about emissions from school buses and their disproportionate impact on sensitive populations such as young children.

Mission Pie – The Story Of A Changing Business Climate!

July 28, 2019 / by

Jared Blumenfeld /

Podship Earth

Karen Heisler, EPN member and EPA Region 9 alum, was interviewed by former EPA Region 9 Regional Administrator, Jared Blumenfeld, currently serving as California’s Secretary for Environmental Protection, in this podcast episode about Karen’s EPA experience with California’s agriculture sector and her sustainable pie business that is closing its doors.

Region Leaders Join Chorus For Better Child Lead-Poisoning Standards In Indiana

July 28, 2019 / by

Lauren Cross /

NWI Times

EPN member Janet McCabe, former EPA Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation, was quoted in this article about Indiana’s lead exposure issues and a recent petition urging the state health agency to lower its threshold triggering aid for children suffering from lead poisoning.

Labor Dispute Between EPA, Workers’ Union Heats Up

July 27, 2019 / by

Stephen Lee /

Bloomberg Environment

EPN members Stan Meiburg, former EPA Deputy Regional Administrator in Region 4 and Region 6 and former Acting Deputy Administrator, and Joe Goffman, former Associate Assistant Administrator for Climate and Senior Counsel, EPA Office of Air and Radiation, were quoted in this article about a labor dispute between EPA and the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) over a new contract that the agency unilaterally implemented in July without the union’s consent.

Cancer Testing Revamp Races On, Worrying Greens And Industry

July 26, 2019 / by

Corbin Hiar /

Greenwire

EPN members Penny Fenner-Crisp, former Senior Science Advisor to the Director, EPA Office of Pesticide Programs, and Bernard Goldstein, former chair, EPA Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, and former EPA Assistant Administrator for Research and Development, were quoted in this article about the rushed and haphazard process EPA used to develop its updates to the carcinogen and non-cancer risk assessment guidelines, sidelining the scientific input of two advisory committees.

Wheeler Wants To Fast-Track Review Of Soot Standards

July 26, 2019 / by

Sean Reilly /

E&E

EPN member John Bachmann, former Associate Director for Science/Policy and New Programs, EPA Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, was quoted in this article about EPA’s refusal to reinstate the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) Particulate Matter (PM) Review Panel despite objections from the Committee’s members regarding their ability to adequately review federal soot standards without its expertise.

War On Science: Trump Administration Muzzles Climate Experts, Critics Say

July 26, 2019 / by

Emily Holden /

The Guardian

Christopher Zarba, EPN member and former Director, EPA Science Advisory Board, was quoted in this article about efforts by the Trump Administration to sideline, marginalize, and otherwise prevent government scientists and experts from researching climate change.

Minnesota Lawmakers Call For Suspension Of All State Permits For PolyMet Copper-Nickel Mine

July 25, 2019 / by

Jennifer Bjorhus /

Minnesota Star Tribune

Jeffry Fowley, EPN member and former EPA Region 1 Attorney, was quoted in this article about state lawmakers calling for the Minnesotan governor to suspend permits for a proposed copper-nickel mine following controversies surrounding wastewater.

Former Officials Back Challenge To Science Advisers Policy

July 25, 2019 / by

Ellen Gilmer /

Greenwire

EPN members Lynn Goldman, former EPA Assistant Administrator for Toxic Substances, Bernard Goldstein, former chair, EPA Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, and former EPA Assistant Administrator for Research and Development, and Bob Perciasepe, former EPA Deputy Administrator, were mentioned in this article about an EPA directive that bars recipients of EPA grants from serving on its advisory committees, which prevents some of the most qualified scientists from providing input.

EPA Pledges ‘Partnerships’ With GOP-Aligned Environmental Group

July 25, 2019 / by

David LaRoss /

InsideEPA

EPN member Stan Meiburg, former EPA Deputy Regional Administrator in Region 4 and Region 6 and Acting Deputy Administrator, was quoted in this article about a recent memorandum of understanding between EPA and a conservative-leaning environmental non-profit and the implications of such an explicit relationship with a partisan organization.

Meet 7 Science Advisers Under Trump

July 24, 2019 / by

Jean Chemnick /

Climatewire

EPN member Christopher Zarba, former Director, EPA Science Advisory Board, was quoted in this article about the seven members who help shape the Trump Administration’s changes on ozone, particulate matter and other pollutants on the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC).