EPN In Action January-February 2026

Welcome to your EPN In Action Newsletter

NATIONAL POLICY HIGHLIGHTS

  • EPN launched our campaign, Safer, Not Sicker, to help the public better understand how toxic pollution affects our health and to send a clear message that Americans oppose policies that increase exposure to harmful chemicals. Learn more at the official campaign site. And read our first report Terrible Toxics: A Situation Report — an analysis of 12 of the most hazardous toxic pollutants. 

  • EPN submitted comments to EPA about its proposed elimination of expedited processing and fee waivers for Freedom ofInformation Act (FOIA) requests related to environmental justice..

  • EPN submitted comments to EPA about proposed water quality certification regulations. 

  • Philip Mancusi-Ungaro, former Senior Attorney in EPA Region 4’s Office of Water Legal Support, Office of Regional Counsel, presented oral testimony to EPA about concerns that proposed rule changes to the Water Quality Certification Regulations unlawfully restrict state and tribal authority to protect their waters. 

  • EPN submitted comments opposing EPA’s proposed revision to the waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) definition.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CIVIL SERVICE RESILIENCY UPDATES

  • The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Alumni Network, housed under EPN, recently celebrated reaching the half year mark since its formation. Already, this proactive community has brought together close to 900 DOE alumni who represent well over 3,000 years of combined DOE experience. Together, DOE alumni have provided technical assistance to over 300 entities, have created a Substack space for DOE alumni to share their expertise, hosted close to 20 community events, and led numerous trainings to help alumni write the next chapter in their story. Stay up to date with the DOE Alumni Network by following them on LinkedIn and learn more by visiting www.doealumni.org. 

  • During January and February, EPN connected 77 unique volunteers to over 252 requests for technical assistance from frontline communities, nonprofit organizations, under-resourced government agencies, and others—in addition to hundreds of requests from federal grantees that were frozen out of their funds, terminated, or otherwise under attack.

  • In addition, EPN and the DOE Alumni Network hosted four webinars each with close to 1,500 attendees combined to provide information and resources to grantees navigating federal funding, and sent updates and potential actions to hundreds of grantees.

  • EPN also continued to support current EPA staff with resources and services, including a job board, helpful links and FAQs, and connections to EPA alumni for additional support.

  • – In January, EPN hosted a webinar in partnership with Green Jobs Network and the DOE Alumni Network that shared practical tips for using LinkedIn to accelerate a green or climate job search. 

  • In February, EPN hosted a webinar in partnership with Torrey Growth Solutions and the DOE Alumni Network designed to support public sector professionals navigating career transitions or planning for retirement. 

  • February also saw the relaunch of MindLab, a weekly mindfulness session led by our partners at AHAM Education. MindLab began last October as a pilot project with UCS and EPN to provide mindfulness sessions to the scientific community and is slated to continue through the end of this year. Weekly sessions are held on Wednesdays from 11:30 am – 12:00 pm EST. Register here, and pop in you can!  

  • EPN volunteers were featured in dozens of media outlets. EPN continues to provide in-depth, insightful background information to numerous reporters, congressional staffers, and nonprofits.

EPN’s Work on Water


Water in the News

Permanent Fix For Huge Sewage Spill Into Potomac River Still Months Away

Feb 23, 2026 / by

Jeremy Cox /

Chesapeake Bay Magazine

Adam Ortiz, former EPA regional administrator, spoke with Chesapeake Bay Magazine about the Potomac River sewage spill.

“Contaminated: The Carpet Industry’s Toxic Legacy”

Feb 3, 2026 / by

/

Frontline (PBS)

Betsy Southerland, former director of Science and Technology in EPA’s Office of Water, was featured on Frontline PBS‘s documentary about the carpet industry’s role in spreading PFAS throughout our water and environment.

Letter: Don’t Overlook Trump’s Threat to Clean Water Act

Jan 3, 2026 / by

Dave Evans /

Richmond Times-Dispatch

Dave Evans, former Wetlands Division Director at EPA, authored an article for Richmond Times-Dispatch about Trump-era EPA rules weakening Clean Water Act protections.

EPN’s Public Hearing Testimonies

EPN’s Safer, Not Sicker Campaign Launch

EPN released Terrible Toxics: A Situation Report, identifying 12 high-risk pollutants with weakened or delayed federal safeguards, and detailing how Americans are exposed through the food they eat, the water they drink, the air they breathe, and the products in their homes.

EPN also announced “Safer, Not Sicker,” a new national public education campaign aimed at helping Americans understand the scale of toxic chemical threats to their health — and mobilizing them to demand that government leaders restore strong toxic pollution safeguards. Learn more about Safer Not Sicker at the official campaign site.

Read all recent EPN In the News items here.

EPN volunteers were quoted in additional articles about the changes being made to EPA and the importance of EPN’s work. 

EPA Repeals The Legal Basis for Regulating Greenhouse Gases

Feb 26, 2026 / by

Flora Lichtman /

Science Friday

Andy Miller, former Senior Science Advisor in EPA’s Office of Research and Development, spoke with Science Friday about the EPA’s rescinding of their endangerment finding.

As Congress debates changes to the federal chemical safety law, North Carolina’s PFAS crisis offers a warning

Feb 9, 2026 / by

Will Atwater /

North Carolina Health News

Stan Meiburg, former EPA Deputy Regional Administrator, and Tracey Woodruff, former EPA Senior Scientist and Policy Advisor in the Office of Policy, spoke with North Carolina Health News about the importance of the TSCA.

Zeldin’s Repeal of the Endangerment Finding Must Not Stand | Opinion

Jan 15, 2026 / by

Gina McCarthy and Christine Todd Whitman /

Newsweek

Former EPA Administrators Gina McCarthy and Christine Todd Whitman, authored an article for Newsweek about the dangers of repealing EPA’s endangerment finding.

Read all recent EPN in the News items here.