EPN In Action September-October 2025
Welcome to your EPN In Action Newsletter
National Policy Highlights
-
EPN submitted comments to the Department of Energy in response to their recent Greenhouse Gas Emissions report on impacts to the U.S. climate, calling for either a retraction of the report or substantial revisions to the incomplete and misleading climate science.
-
EPN submitted comments on FY2026 Science Advisory Board (SAB) nominations, which discuss important factors that EPA should consider in the selection of members to the SAB.
-
EPN submitted comments on EPA’s proposed decision to approve registration for new uses of dicamba on dicamba-resistant crops, recommending that EPA deny the proposed registrations because they do not meet Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) requirements.
-
EPN submitted formal comments to EPA about rescinding the 2009 Endangerment Finding and vehicle GHG standards, urging for retention of existing standards.
-
EPN presented oral testimony outlining five key harms associated with EPA’s proposed repeal of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program.
Technical Assistance and Civil Service Resiliency Updates
-
During September and October, EPN connected 63 unique volunteers to over 177 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 hosted four webinars with close to 1,000 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 October, EPN hosted a webinar in partnership with FedsForward to help participants translate their federal resumes to the private sector. EPN also partnered with PEER and Next Interior on a webinar discussing threats to environmental protection and public employees during the rise of authoritarianism.
EPN’s Work on Climate
Jennifer Orme-Zavaleta, former Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator of EPA’s Office of Research and Development and EPA Science Advisor, spoke with Undark about the implications of EPA shutting down its Office of Research and Development. Betsy Southerland, former Director of the Office of Science and Technology in EPA’s Office of Water, spoke with The Washington Post about the history of chemical regulation by EPA. Betsy Southerland, former Director of the Office of Science and Technology in EPA’s Office of Water, spoke with Civil Eats about the EPA’s priorities during a government shutdown.
Climate in the News
A Cadre of EPA Scientists Move To the Private Sector
‘Everywhere chemicals’ are in our food, decades after scientists recognized dangers
What the Shutdown Revealed About Food and Agriculture Policy
EPN’s Work on Toxics and Pesticides
Tracey Woodruff, former senior scientist and policy advisor in EPA’s Office of Policy, spoke with Capital and Main about the importance of transparency requirements for chemicals used in fracking. Linda Birnbaum, former EPA scientist, spoke with CNN about the high level of pesticides humans have in their bodies.
Toxics and Pesticides in the News
Oil and Gas Companies Used Banned Toxic Chemicals Near the Rocky Mountains
Dozens of pesticides enter the body through contaminated fruits and vegetables, study finds
More Examples of EPN in the News
EPN volunteers were quoted in additional articles about the changes being made to EPA and the importance of EPN’s work.
Marc Boom, former EPA Senior Advisor on policy; Jeanne Briskin, former Director of EPA’s Office of Children’s Health Protection; and Jeremy Symons, former climate policy advisor at EPA, were quoted in The Associated Press about how the government shutdown will impact pollution. Chris Frey, former chair of EPA’s Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, authored an article for Science about EPA’s now-dismantled Office of Research and Development and the crucial role it played in protecting human health. Michelle Roos interviewed with Between the Lines.EPN in the News
EPA’s Job Is to Protect America’s Air, Water And Land. Here’s How a Shutdown Affects that Effort
The EPA’s shaken foundation
Former EPA Staff Defend Federal Environmental Regulations Being Weakened or Eliminated by Donald Trump




