Buckle up, because we’re entering unprecedented territory with this latest government shutdown.
This shutdown is not just a budget standoff – it’s being weaponized to consolidate power in the Executive Branch at the direct expense of the American people. Federal workers and the programs they run – from safe food and clean air to disaster response and park protection – are being turned into collateral damage.
This shutdown is unlike any other. For federal employees, this means more unlawful firings, more uncertainty about their livelihoods, and a growing sense that their service to the public is being weaponized against them. For all Americans, it means weaker safeguards, less oversight, and a government increasingly serving one man instead of the people.
Read PEER’s statement on the government shutdown and know that our work will continue!
Many thanks for your ongoing support.
Sincerely,
Tim Whitehouse
Executive Director
PS Have you signed up for our upcoming webinar, Environmental Protection, Public Service, and the Rise of Authoritarianism? We hope you’ll join us for this important, engaging discussion next Tuesday, October 7 at 4:00 PM ET. Register today»
Changes to PEER’s Board of Directors
We’re excited to welcome to Jacob Malcom, founder and Executive Director of Next Interior, as the newest member of PEER’s Board of Directors! He brings deep experience from his time in the federal workforce and the nonprofit sector. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to Frank Buono for over 20 years of dedicated service to PEER. Read more»
Unfavorable Ruling in Biosolids Case
A federal court has ruled that Plaintiffs in a PEER case may not proceed in their lawsuit alleging that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency violated its duty to remove toxic chemicals from sewage sludge used as fertilizers. The court dismissed the suit on jurisdictional grounds, cutting off the case before Plaintiffs could present evidence on the dangers of PFAS in sludge. Stay tuned for updates on our next steps in this case. Read more»
Scientific Fraud on Pesticide Evaluation
More than three years after its own Inspector General took the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to task in response to a PEER complaint, the agency continues to allow workers and the public to be exposed to one of the nation’s most popular fumigants without adequate cancer warnings. The egregious nature of EPA’s scientific misconduct underlines the depth of problems plaguing its safety reviews for new chemicals and pesticides. Read more»
En Masse Departure of Top Scientists at EPA
PEER has new reporting on the mass exodus of some of EPA’s most experienced scientists. The agency plans to end its focus on basic scientific research, prompting some of its top experts in fields such as lead poisoning, wildfire smoke pollution, and long-term chemical exposure to leave. Read more»
Trump Administration Descends on Dissenters; They’re Still Speaking Out
For the past eight months, the Trump administration has been dismantling federal programs, gutting civil service protections, and slashing agency staffing levels and budgets. Our latest commentary from PEER Litigation Assistant Kaylee Rodriguez highlights powerful dissent letters from hundreds of federal employees exposing the damage being done to public health, safety, and the environment. Read more»
