This week, I attended the Ranger Rendezvous, the annual meeting of the Association of National Park Rangers. I joined a panel on the challenges facing the National Park Service and its employees.
I left feeling inspired. Rangers, fellow panelists, and allies spoke again and again about three things: we must stand up to this administration’s cruelty, build a positive vision for the future, and work with allies, old and new, to make that vision a reality.
That spirit runs through PEER’s work. On Monday, we had a great turnout for our webinar, The Midterms & Beyond: How PEER Is Preparing for What Comes Next. If you missed it, you can watch the recording here.
As I said in the webinar, our work is increasingly organized around three themes:
- Anti-corruption and oversight
- Reinvigorating public service
- A people-and-environment-first reform agenda
As we await the outcome of next week’s election, we know that we bring a fighting spirit and a positive vision to the work that lies ahead.
Onward,
Tim Whitehouse
Executive Director
P.S. The fall edition of PEEReview is out, featuring our work to protect the environment from the space race. I hope you’ll take time to read the latest on our work.
Interior’s Latest Offshore Wind Move Undercuts Energy Supply
The Department of the Interior is seeking to reopen approvals for two offshore wind projects on the East Coast, including one that has been delivering power to New England for months. PEER notes that this action is part of the administration’s efforts to kill renewable energy and threatens leaseholders in every energy sector. Read More »
PEER Raises Alarm Over Interior Department Surveillance Monitoring
PEER is calling on Congress to investigate the Interior Department’s spending on new surveillance cameras in Washington, D.C. The cameras raise serious questions about Interior’s growing use of surveillance technology at national monuments, their potential integration with AI, and safeguards in place to protect privacy. Read More »
New Federal Hires: Outsized Egos, No Brains
In early 2025, the Trump administration fired thousands of probationary federal employees. Now, as it reopens federal hiring, the focus is on whether new hires are aligned with Trump priorities rather than merit. PEER Senior Counsel Jeff Ruch asks what happens to the civil service when that approach to hiring outlasts this administration. Read More »

