Good Governance

Senior Counsel

Peter has been an environmental, land use, and consumer attorney and advocate since 1983. He has held various roles in Washington, DC including Of Counsel at the Center for Food Safety; Vice President for U.S. Government Policy at Conservation International; Director of International Conservation at Defenders of Wildlife; and Staff Attorney at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Additionally, he worked as a contracted consultant on endangered species recovery efforts with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Turner Endangered Species Fund in New Mexico. Prior to that, he served as an Attorney and Policy Analyst for the U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, and was also in private law practice. His career has centered on bringing the best science to bear in environmental protection efforts; he has specialized in working with scientists so their findings can inform good policy, as well as in federal litigation. Most of his work has been in aid of wildlife conservation in the fields of pesticides, genetically modified organisms, invasive species, wildlife disease prevention, international trade, land use conflicts, and other areas. Peter received his law degree from the University of Puget Sound (now Seattle University) School of Law and also has a master’s degree in Environmental Studies from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, with a focus on conservation biology.

COMMENTARY | Fighting Government Secrecy

by Tim Whitehouse | May 12, 2022
Government agencies are coming up short in their stewardship of environmental information, and that is having real world consequences ...

Webinar | Redact This! FOIA On Your Own Terms

by PEER | April 3, 2022
Coffee Talk Webinar Series, Episode 2: Explore the power and promise of the Freedom of Information Act. Watch the Video ...

EPA Scientist Survey Yields Horrific Results

by PEER | March 30, 2022
Scientist Feedback Scathing, Not Shared with Staff ...

Lack of Scientists Dooms EPA Chemical Reviews

by PEER | March 24, 2022
Crippling Staff Shortage in Chemical Safety Work Continues in 2022 Budget ...

Expertise Gaps Plague EPA Chemical Assessments

by PEER | December 23, 2021
EPA Lacks Plan to Fill or Retain Critical Scientific Specialist Positions ...

Op-Ed | Biden’s Leadership Vacancies at Interior Recall Trump’s Track Record

by Peter Jenkins | December 16, 2021
The department plays a pivotal role in fulfilling many of the administration’s goals. It deserves more than temporary minders ...
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