Commentary

Executive Director

Tim is PEER’s Executive Director, with more than 30 years of experience working on environmental issues with governments, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and community groups. Prior to joining PEER, he was a senior attorney at the United States Environmental Protection Agency and was head of the Law and Policy Program at the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation in Montreal, Canada. He has worked as a consultant for companies on environmental compliance issues, and with nonprofit organizations focusing on clean energy issues. Most recently, he was executive director of Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility, a health advocacy group working to address climate change, toxics pollution, and nuclear disarmament issues. Tim’s interest is in the intersection of science, policy, and civil service. He believes in protecting employees who raise concerns about their workplace and in exposing undue influence on government for private gain. He holds a JD and BA from Emory University and an MA from New York University.

The Endangered Species Act and the Importance of Federal Action

by Tim Whitehouse | May 15, 2026
National Endangered Species Day reminds us what’s at stake. But this year, the reminder arrives with added urgency: the systems designed to protect these animals — and thousands like them — are being systematically dismantled ...

The Trump Administration’s Dangerous War on Information

by Guest Contributor | May 11, 2026
Information is a public good, which is why government has long been entrusted with its collection and dissemination. That pipeline is now badly damaged ...

Eroding Sanctuary for Wildlife in National Parks

by Jeff Ruch | May 8, 2026
During Trump’s first term, the National Park Service was an area of malign neglect, without a confirmed director for all four years. For most of Trump 1.0, the national parks were ignored, but no longer ...

Spending Time in Nature Builds Resilience: A Lesson from Rachel Carson

by Guest Contributor | April 10, 2026
Rachel Carson reminds us that our connection with our precious blue planet is mutual. Just as we take action to protect the planet, so we can draw strength and support from it ...

Ending Attacks on Offshore Wind

by Tim Whitehouse | April 9, 2026
The Trump administration is trying to kill the United States offshore wind industry behind closed doors ...

The Intentional Vandalization of America’s National Parks

by Tim Whitehouse | April 1, 2026
Under Burgum’s leadership, the National Park Service is being dismantled piece by piece—through political interference, workforce depletion, corruption, and the systematic erasure of American history ...