Although the longest government shutdown in United States history is coming to an end, the threat to federal workers and environmental programs remains.
This shutdown was never just about the budget and the size of the federal government — it was about increasing the power of the executive branch and destroying programs the administration doesn’t like.
As we emerge from the shutdown, all indications are that the administration will continue doing everything it can to hollow out agencies that protect our health, environment, and public lands. Federal employees will continue to face growing political interference in their work and retaliation for expressing views that differ from the administration’s.
A functioning democracy depends on a federal workforce free to serve the public, not the political whims of any administration.
As we enter this new phase of the attack on democracy, PEER continues to work across agencies and represent public employees seeking to uphold scientific integrity, transparency, and environmental protections.
Sincerely,
Tim Whitehouse
Executive Director
Illegal Appointments at Interior
The Department of the Interior is once again allowing top officials to serve as “acting” leaders despite being unqualified under federal law, according to a recent letter sent by PEER to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and the Department’s Inspector General. Read More »
Opposing the Revocation of the Public Lands Rule
PEER is opposing the Trump administration’s efforts to revoke the Public Lands Rule. The Bureau of Land Management adopted the Public Lands Rule in 2024 to help further its multiple use mission and safeguard the health and resilience of the land it manages. Read More »
Botched Clean Up at Hunter’s Point
The U.S. Navy finally disclosed summary findings on plutonium-laden dust at Hunters Point to the San Francisco Department of Public Health. This is the latest in a long series of scandals to beset what is supposed to be the largest redevelopment project in San Francisco history, according to PEER. Read More »
PFAS, Plastics, and Recycling
An industry certifying organization has voluntarily stopped classifying certain fluorinated plastic containers as recyclable since the fluorination process creates high levels of harmful PFAS. PEER has been leading efforts to get PFAS out of plastic containers. Read More »
Confronting the Rise of Authoritarianism
Ten months into the Trump administration, PEER Executive Director Tim Whitehouse writes about the importance of recognizing how the fate of our work protecting public employees and the environment is dependent on our ability to combat the rise in authoritarianism and promote democratic values in our country. Read More »
