EPN In Action September-October 2025

Welcome to your EPN In Action newsletter update for 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

EPN’s Work on Climate


Climate in the News

Trump bets Chevron’s fall lets him rewrite rules for imperiled wildlife

July 29, 2026 / by

Ian M. Stevenson /

E&E News

Kevin Minoli, former Acting General Counsel at EPA, spoke with E&E News about how the Supreme Court’s overturning of Chevron deference could affect the Trump administration’s efforts to rewrite Endangered Species Act regulations.

Why Are These Toys So Hard to Get a Hold Of?

July 26, 2026 / by

Nicole Stock /

The New York Times

Tracey Woodruff, former senior scientist and policy advisor in EPA’s Office of Policy, spoke with The New York Times about the popularity of squishy fidget toys and potential chemical exposure concerns associated with children’s products.

Activists ‘throwing everything’ they can against abortion turn to wastewater data

July 26, 2026 / by

Alice Miranda Ollstein and Ariel Wittenberg /

Politico

Betsy Southerland, former Director of Science and Technology in EPA’s Office of Water, spoke with POLITICO about efforts to use wastewater monitoring data in abortion policy debates and the scientific limitations of testing for abortion medication in water.

EPN’s Work on Toxics and Pesticides


Toxics and Pesticides in the News

Oil and Gas Companies Used Banned Toxic Chemicals Near the Rocky Mountains

October 17, 2025 / by

Jennifer Oldham /

Capital and Main

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.

Dozens of pesticides enter the body through contaminated fruits and vegetables, study finds

September 24, 2025 / by

Sandee LaMotte /

CNN

Linda Birnbaum, former EPA scientist, spoke with CNN about the high level of pesticides humans have in their bodies.


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. 

EPN in the News

EPA’s Job Is to Protect America’s Air, Water And Land. Here’s How a Shutdown Affects that Effort

October 1, 2025 / by

Seth Borenstein /

Associated Press

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.

The EPA’s shaken foundation

September 25, 2025 / by

Chris Frey /

Science

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. 

Former EPA Staff Defend Federal Environmental Regulations Being Weakened or Eliminated by Donald Trump

September 3, 2025 / by

Melinda Tuhuis /

Between the Lines

Michelle Roos interviewed with Between the Lines.

Read all recent EPN in the News items here.