ISSUED Wednesday, February 9, 2022
WHAT: Hearing challenging removal of U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) environmental specialist Walter Loewen charging retaliation for his disclosing agency violations of Migratory Bird Treaty Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and other federal laws in approving massive oil and gas project in Converse County, Wyoming.
WHO: U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB is the federal civil service court) Judge Samantha Black will preside over hearing featuring six witnesses including Walter Loewen and current BLM Deputy Director of Policy and Programs, Nada Culver. Mr. Loewen will be represented by attorneys with the whistleblower protection group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).
WHEN: The hearing, via Zoom for Government, will be Tuesday, Feb. 15, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Mountain Time. It may last for 1.5 days.
CONTACT: Members of the media who desire to participate via Zoom should contact lead PEER attorney Peter Jenkins pjenkins@peer.org; (202) 265-4189, no later than 9:00 a.m. MT, on Monday, Feb. 14 to liaison with Judge’s paralegal, who will instruct the media member on how to join the hearing.
BACKGROUND: See BLM Fires Migratory Bird Whistleblower On Second Try and read 2019 National Audubon/Culver et al. comment letter on the Converse County project admitted in the hearing
