Pacific Regional Office
Jeff Ruch, JD
Of Counsel
Phone: (510) 213-7028
jruch@peer.org
Our Pacific Regional Office serves the five states of California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii. Located near the Port of Oakland, the office expands on the work of our California PEER office which has operated since 1998.
Former long-time PEER Executive Director, Jeff Ruch, operates the Pacific Regional Office. Jeff is a second-generation California native who worked for a number of years in California state government, mostly in the State Legislature as counsel to various committees where he drafted literally hundreds of laws on topics ranging from energy conservation to the rights of employed inventors. Jeff also served stints as a deputy district attorney and as an appellate court clerk.
This Field Office is projected to work with federal, state, and local government employees across a broad backdrop of issues, ranging from federal lands to marine conservation to anti-pollution enforcement.
NEWS FROM THE PACIFIC REGION
Nuclear Cleanup Scam on Supremely Contaminated Site
Historic Designation for Santa Susana Lab Excuses Remediation Obligations
BLOG | Pendley Debacle Unmasks David Bernhardt’s Legal Charades
Judge rules WIlliam Pendley cannot serve as a de facto Director of the BLM despite the anemic arguments to the contrary by David Bernhardt.
Beyond 2020: Bureau of Land Management
Conflicted leadership, loss of institutional knowledge, and marginalization of staff have left the Bureau of Land Management less capable than ever.
BLOG | The Whistleblower Protection Act is Dead
Major issues with the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), including a large backlog of cases, have rendered the Whistleblower Protection Act dead.
Record Green Sea Turtle Nesting on Padre Island
Park Service Cuts Green Turtle Program Just as Need for Protection Spikes
Op-Ed: Science protections must be enforceable
"Recognizing that things have gotten so out of hand, Congress must enact new, strong enforcement mechanisms to free us from the grip of “alternative facts.” Failure to do so will mean we did not learn the hard lesson of the Trump experience and we have left the door...
Beyond 2020: National Park Service
How the Park Service can continue to preserve the country’s natural and historical heritage for current and future generations
BLOG | BLM Needs a Future Far Brighter Than Its Past
Under the Trump administration, BLM has declined even further than in previous decades. We hope for a brighter future for BLM, which is so needed.
BLOG | Trump’s Temporary Insanity
Trump’s latest attempt to avoid the Senate’s confirmation process is Lanny Erdos of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.
National Park Cell Tower Violations Pile Up
Lawsuit and Audit to Expose Shady Telecom Deals with National Parks
Park Service Slashes Sea Turtle Rescue Program
Hatchling Releases, Stranding Response, and Research Cut at Padre Island
Plan for National Cormorant Slaughter Nears Takeoff
Permits Would Quintuple Double-Crested Cormorant Kills to 123,000 Yearly
Cal/OSHA Inspectors AWOL During Pandemic
Growing Backlog of Workplace Complaints; Vacancies Remain Unfilled
BLOG | Trump’s Dangerous Salute to Toadyism at Mt. Rushmore
Trump plans to stage a dangerous distraction disguised as fireworks at Mt. Rushmore, risking both wildfires and potentially, public health from the crowds.
Yellowstone Wi-Fi Plan Driven by Corporate Wishes
Trees Felled in Proposed Wilderness and Historic Landmarks Penetrated
Trump’s “Sagebrush Rebels” Mull Latest Bundy Trespass
Prosecution Unlikely Amid Sharp Decline in Interior Criminal Enforcement
BLOG | National Parks Stumble Towards Reforms
In order for national parks to remain “America’s Best Idea,” park managers must move from merely maximizing crowds to actually managing them.
National Parks Irresponsible Refusal to Enforce Distancing
Disney World Will Embrace Public Health Measures NPS Eschews
BLOG | New Age of Impunity: Trump’s Relentless Attack on Oversight
Trump’s firing of the State Department’s Inspector General should send a shiver of fear down the spine of every oversight functionary left in Washington.
Can National Parks Practice Social Distancing?
The still-unfolding pandemic has underlined the public health risks that national parks and refuges pose both to the visiting public and their own employees. How can national parks dedicated to attracting crowds operate in a new era of social distancing?
