Our Work by Topic

The Trump administration proposed numerous regulatory rollbacks to critical clean air protections, and EPN fought to prevent those from becoming a reality. Now, EPN will continue to produce comments, fact sheets, and testimony to provide a detailed understanding of EPA’s critical role in ensuring that citizens breathe clean air.

After four years of defending EPA’s budget from the proposals for sweeping budget cuts by the Trump administration, EPN is calling for a robust EPA budget that prioritizes climate and environmental justice, and establishes a strong foundation for EPA’s ability to protect human health and the environment. EPN will continue to provide insight and information to the public, our partners, and Congress on the importance of rebuilding the agency’s budget after years of chronic disinvestment.

EPA protects the American public from the dangers of toxic chemicals and pesticides by evaluating new and existing chemicals and their risks, and researching and registering pesticide use. EPN will work to replace the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle this and other core programs. EPN will continue to provide information to explain how vital this program is in protecting public health and the environment.

EPA uses economic analyses to improve the effectiveness of its environmental policies. EPN produced comments and testimony to rebuke the Trump administration’s attempts to falsely rewrite the economic benefits and outcomes of regulations they proposed to roll back. EPN will continue to monitor regulatory proposals and provide insights and expertise from EPN's vast network of EPA alumni as needed.

EPA ensures that American citizens have a healthy environment to live in through providing reliable and transparent data, inspecting facilities, stopping environmental crimes, and pursuing polluters. EPN provided information and analysis to explain the impacts of reductions in enforcement under the Trump administration, and will work to ensure an active approach to enforcement in the name of climate change and environmental justice.

Low-income areas and communities of color across America are disproportionately impacted by pollution, and EPA’s Environmental Justice Program works to bridge these disparities. EPN will continue to harness the expertise of its members to build the capacity of environmental agencies and the communities they serve to address environmental injustice.

The 21st Century is an era of rapid and profound change, and EPA faces major challenges in achieving its mission. The agency must be forward-thinking and capable of confronting uncertainty and engaging change. To push forward, EPA leadership must strive for a more resilient, innovative, and collaborative institution, better able to sustain effective action and adapt to shifting conditions.

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) acts as “our basic national charter for protection of the environment.” Congress mandates that federal agencies look carefully at the environmental consequences of their actions and engage all practicable measures to prevent environmental harm when engaging in agency action. EPN opposed Trump administration proposals to change NEPA regulations and ratings, and will work to rectify and improve the implementation of NEPA.

EPA regional offices, EPA’s strategic plan, and EPA’s regulations all play an important role in environmental protection. During the Trump administration, EPN provided background and/or comments on various efforts to hurt the agency’s ability to do its work. EPN will work to restore and renew EPA.

Science is at the core of nearly everything EPA does in order to protect Americans' health and environment. EPN spoke out through analyses, comments, fact sheets, and more on the Trump administration’s numerous attacks on science. Now, EPN will work to restore EPA's scientific integrity.

Years of disregard for the dangers of hazardous waste left a legacy of contaminated land and water that poses serious threats to people’s health, and the natural environment. In 1980, ​Congress gave EPA responsibility for hazardous waste cleanups and responses to environmental emergencies, spills, and natural disasters under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, known as Superfund. EPN provides information about this vital program.

The environmentally sound management of waste helps protect human health and the environment. It is fundamental to EPA’s work to protect public health and the environment.

One of EPA’s core missions is to ensure that Americans have safe drinking water, and that rivers, lakes, streams, and coastal waters are kept clean. EPN has provided information and comments on this vital core program, as well as the budget cuts and regulatory rollbacks that put America’s water in jeopardy. EPN will continue to monitor this program and work to revive federal environmental protections for water bodies.

EPN regularly provides background information and interviews for press—in addition, some members pen their own op-eds.

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