A National Park Service Blunder
Reducing plastic consumption is one of the most important things we can do as a nation to fight climate change and protect wildlife and human health.
That is why we were disappointed to learn that the National Park Service (NPS) is stalling on the Department of the Interior’s order for its Bureaus and Offices, including the NPS, to reduce plastic waste and phase out single-use plastics by 2032.
The NPS plan unveiled in late September provides for no significant implementation for five more years and allows individual parks to continue executing new multi-year concession contracts for concession sales of disposable plastic water bottles to visitors.
By contrast, under its plan, the more than 500 units of the National Wildlife Refuges System would cut plastic use by 25% by the end of 2024 and end the sale of single-use plastics in all new concessions contracts. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management plans to fully reduce single-use plastic by the end of FY2027 before the NPS has even begun any reductions.
Over the next several months, we will work with our partners to challenge the NPS on its lack of action on this critical issue. The planet needs action, not another time-consuming, wasteful bureaucratic exercise.
Please let me know if you would like to be part of our effort.
Hear Their Stories
PEER recently released three videos from former clients who discuss their efforts to address serious environmental, academic, and marine mammal issues and how PEER helped them. Please take a moment to review these three compelling videos from Dr. David Carpenter, Protecting Academic Independence from Corporate Attacks, Evi Emmenegger, Blowing the Whistle on Biosafety, and Dr. Peter Corkeron, Fighting to Save the North Atlantic Right Whales to learn more about their extraordinary work. Watch the Eco-Champion Videos »
Lawsuit Probes Oak Ridge
A controversial decision by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may compromise the protectiveness of radiation cleanups nationwide. Yet, the agency will not release the material explaining the basis for this decision, according to a PEER lawsuit. The suit seeks to find out why EPA allowed a landfill at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, one of the nation’s largest nuclear waste sites, to pollute local waters over the objections of its top legal experts and the state. Read More »
