Scientific Integrity Policy
Environmental Protection Agency Activity
PFAS in Plastic Containers Should Not Be Confidential
Groups Urge EPA to Inform the Public of the Presence of Unsafe PFAS in Fluorinated Containers
PEERMail | We Are Suing to Prevent Further PFAS Contamination
Handling or using fluorinated containers could be a significant pathway for unsafe human exposure to PFOA and other PFAS.
Tens of Millions of Plastic Containers Treated with Fluorine Gas Leach Toxic PFAS Chemicals into Art and Cleaning Supplies, Food, and Other Household Products
Nonprofit Organizations File Suit Against Inhance Technologies to Stop Violations of U.S. EPA Regulations
EPA Cannot Retrieve Text Message Content
New “Deprovisioning Process” for Employees to “Wipe” Mobile Devices
EPA Scientific Integrity Program Lacks Integrity
Unable to Document Claimed Successes; Complaints Pending Since 2015
COMMENTARY | Why This Mining Permit Should Fail
Should an agency's misbehavior invalidate their decisions? When it comes to mining permits in Minnesota, PEER thinks so.
Letter to EPA Region 8 – Next Steps on Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment – 11-11-2022 (PDF)
DESCRIPTION: Letter to EPA Region 8 Administrator KC Becker requesting meeting on Colorado Department of Public ...
Substantial PFAS Contamination Found in Pesticides in Colorado
Threat to Food Chain Justifies Colorado Ban of All Pesticides Containing PFAS
Colorado Balks at EPA Ozone Reducing Recommendations
State Resists Reforms Identified by Whistleblowers and Confirmed by EPA
COMMENTARY | EPA Continues to Exempt the Most Widespread Bee- and Bird-Killing Insecticides
EPA continues to fail to regulate bee and bird killing pesticides, particularly those used to coat crop seeds.
Fumigant Decision Shows EPA Science at Its Worst
EPA Doubles Down on Mistakes Despite Whistleblower and IG Critiques
Boeing’s Weak Santa Susana Cleanup Triggers Lawsuit
Sweetheart Deal Negotiated Behind Closed Doors Violates CEQA Mandates
EPA Says Hunters Point Will Never Be Fully Cleaned
EPA Plans to Ignore Prop P Mandate and Its Own Superfund Standards
PEERMail | Shocking News on Pesticides
PEER is urgently asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to ban the use of PFAS in pesticides
COMMENTARY | “Climate Smart” Agriculture Requires Better Environmental Assessments
USDA should skip playing the markets and allow for greater public input as it develops its climate programs
Substantial PFAS Contamination Found in Pesticides
Threat to Food Chain Justifies Ban of All Pesticides Containing PFAS
PEERMail | Save the EPA
On September 20, 2022, thousands of people from around the country will take part in a rally outside of the EPA ...
Food Supply Chain Imperiled by PFAS-Laden Barrels
EPA Confirms PFAS in Fluorinated Containers Leach into Contents
COMMENTARY | The Worst Kind of Backroom Deal
It is time to work to stop the Manchin-Schumer side deal to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
EPA’s Belated PFAS Pesticide Ingredient Ban Does Little
Banning a Dozen Inert Ingredients Does Not Stem PFAS Agricultural Spread
COMMENTARY | PFAS Contamination Study Yields Frightening Results
Environmental contamination of PFAS has exceeded a new planetary boundary or environmental limits within which ...
EPA Routinely Ignores Chemical Risk Calculations
Workers imperiled by failures to flag serious known hazards.
EPA Corrupted Pesticide Risk Assessment to Aid Industry
IG Found Managers Trampled Standard Procedures to Diminish Cancer Risk
COMMENTARY | Environmental Whistleblowers and the Need for Change at EPA
Environmental whistleblowers may not grab the nation's attention but they are vital to creating meaningful ...
EPA Flunks PFAS Chemistry Test
New Advisories Ignore Precursors That Transform into Most Toxic Fluorinated Chemicals
EPA Takes First Baby Steps on PFAS
Nonregulatory Health Advisories on Just Four of Thousands of PFAS
Gaping Hole in Biden PFAS Strategy
Documents Show EPA Has No Consistent Definition of PFAS
COMMENTARY | New Mexico Dairy Farmers’ Toxic Fight
A new Mexico Dairy farmer who lost his entire herd to PFAS contamination is yet another tragic example of the ...
Public Comment on Polymet Mine Permit – Fond du Lac Band’s Objection – 06-16-2022 (PDF)
PEER’s comment to the Army Corps of Engineers regarding the Fond du Lac Band’s Objection to the Proposed Clean ...
COMMENTARY | Fighting Government Secrecy
Government agencies are coming up short in their stewardship of environmental information, and that is having real ...
Letter to EPA and Colorado DPHE- Review of Civil Rights Compliance – 05-09-2022 (PDF)
DESCRIPTION: PEER letter on state of Colorado’s air permitting program with regard to EPA’s nondiscrimination ...
COMMENTARY | EPA’s Myth of Scientific Integrity
The EPA keeps paying lip service to scientific integrity but reality, and the experiences of scientists at EPA, is ...
PEERMail | Getting a Grip on Toxic Chemicals
As thousands of communities throughout the country find their water and food contaminated on with PFAS, the ...
EPA Sued Over Failure to Explain Its Narrow PFAS Definition
EPA’s Definition Misses Many Toxic and Persistent Chemicals
Letter to Sec. Deb Haaland – NODAP at Dept of Interior – 04-19-2022 (PDF)
DESCRIPTION: PEER letter to Secretary Deb Haaland on Interior's continued use of the harsh personnel policy known ...
EPA Scientist Survey Yields Horrific Results
Scientist Feedback Scathing, Not Shared with Staff
Lack of Scientists Dooms EPA Chemical Reviews
Crippling Staff Shortage in Chemical Safety Work Continues in 2022 Budget
COMMENTARY | EPA Sets Low Bar on Chemical Safety – And Trips Over It
EPA staff are under pressure, and often retaliated against, to remove chemical hazard information and to keep ...
“Garden Pathway” Needed for Toxic Cleanups
Safe Fruit & Vegetable Cultivation Should Be EPA Remediation Yardstick
COMMENTARY | EPA Releases PFAS Contamination Information
After PEER FOIAs and a lawsuit, EPA releases a trove of information on PFAS contamination throughout the United ...
“Forever Chemical” Disposal Becoming Eco-Nightmare
EPA Data Depict Vast Uncontrolled and Spreading Web of PFAS Waste
COMMENTARY | Startling New EPA Data on PFAS Waste Disposal
Recently obtained data from EPA documents what is likely only a small fraction of the generation and disposal of ...
EPA Belatedly Posts Industry Chemical Safety Warnings
PEER Suit Prompts EPA to Unearth Over 1,300 Industry Chem Substantial Risk Reports
EPA’s Lax Methane Stance Decried
EPA’s 100-Year Standard for Methane Minimizes Climate Change Impact
Pollution Prosecution Plunge Continues under Biden
EPA Criminal Referrals, Prosecutions, and Convictions Not Rebounding
EPA Tunes Out Industry’s Chemical Safety Alarms
Lawsuit to Excavate 1,200+ Buried Industry Chemical Hazard Reports
Expertise Gaps Plague EPA Chemical Assessments
EPA Lacks Plan to Fill or Retain Critical Scientific Specialist Positions
EPA Hid Cancer Danger of “Green” Chemical It Promotes
Auto Workers and Consumers Exposed without Any Health Warnings
EPA Sued Over Refusal to Regulate Corrosive 9/11 Dust
Suit Seeks Redress for 9/11 First Responders Suffering Respiratory Injuries
COMMENTARY | Curing EPA’s Culture of Corruption
Instead of wasting resources to stamp out dissent, EPA needs to clean up corruption in its management chain.
COMMENTARY | To Regulate “Super Greenhouse Gases” Congress Must Act
Congressional action is needed reduce the use of Sulfur Hexafluoride, the most potent “super greenhouse gas” known ...
Letter to Charles Sams – NPS Voices Survey – 11-15-2021 (PDF)
DESCRIPTION: Letter to regarding the NPS Voices listening tour and report identifying culture of employee ...
COMMENTARY | Is EPA Playing with Funny Numbers in its Methane Proposal?
The EPA is undervaluing the short term Global Warming Potential of methane gas in its most recent regulation proposal.
EPA Employees Pan State of Scientific Integrity
Many in New Survey Report Misconduct, Retaliation, and Feelings of Futility
PEERMail | Reversing EPA’s Pesticide Failures
EPA needs good scientists who want to work in environments where they feel supported and respected, even in the ...
Letter to House Subcommittee – Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act – 10-26-2021 (PDF)
DESCRIPTION: Implementation of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act
TO: House Energy ...
EPA’s Pesticides Office Labeled as a Failure
Groups Push Array of Immediate Reforms
EPA’s PFAS Action Plan A Dud
Response Too Weak and Limited to Protect Public Health
PEERMail | From PFAS to Climate Change: Are we Moving Forward Yet?
While we have many reasons to be optimistic, the Biden Administration's environmental actions so far are falling short.
California May Have Second Most PFAS Sites of Any State
EPA Identifies 120,000 Potential PFAS Sites in U.S. – Far More Than Ever
EPA Identifies More Than 120,000 Potential PFAS Sites in U.S.
Limited Reporting and Growing Corporate Secrecy Blur Clearer Picture
Colorado May Have the Most PFAS Sites of Any State
EPA Identifies Around 120,000 Potential PFAS Sites in U.S. – Far More Than Ever
Revealed | EPA Data on potential PFAS Sites
The scale of potential PFAS problems is several times larger than previously understood - more than 120,000 ...
COMMENTARY | EPA Needs to Change Methane Rules
EPA now needs to update its rules for methane – and ground those rules in the 20-year outlook that the latest ...
EPA Science Integrity Program Is Beacon of False Hope
No Findings of Political Interference under Trump; Most Complaints Ignored
Webinar | Hair on Fire and Yes Packages!
Second in a series of webinars that examines how risk assessments for new chemicals have been improperly altered ...
Colorado AG Probe Confirms Air Pollution Failures
Pollution Permits Improperly Issued; Managers Took “Unjustified” Actions
PEERMail | Another Litmus Test for EPA
After years of EPA retaliation against employees, the Etzel case is shaping up to be a litmus test for the new EPA ...
Letter to David S. Ferriero – Records Act Violations – 08-26-2021 (PDF)
DESCRIPTION: Letter to David S. Ferriero regarding Federal Records Act Violations by the EPA
TO: David S. ...
EPA Illegally Destroying Internal Records
Assessments and Comments Routinely Overwritten, Obliterating Drafts
COMMENTARY | EPA’s Toxic Culture: Oversight Update
There have been several positive developments in PEER’s efforts to expose the corrupt culture within EPA’s new ...
PEERMail | EPA Corruption: New Revelations
EPA whistleblowers reveal a culture where scientific fraud and harassment are committed to serve the chemical industry.
EPA Scientists Should be Able to Consult with Colleagues
Bans on Internal Communication Undercut Scientific Quality and Integrity
Letter to Dr. Michal Freedhoff – Chemicals Division -08-10-2021 (PDF)
DESCRIPTION: Letter to Dr. Michal Freedhoff regarding the hardships in the New Chemicals Division at the EPA
TO: ...
EPA Chemical Reviews Corrupted by Industry Influence
Zero Chemicals Disapproved in Thoroughly Broken Risk Assessment Process
Letter to Representative DeGette – 08-03-2021 (PDF)
DESCRIPTION: Letter to Representative DeGette regarding the chemical industry’s influence over EPA’s ...
PEERMail | Whistleblowers Making a Difference
On Whistleblower Appreciation Day, we honor those who stand up for strong environmental protections and work for ...
Webinar | Toxic Chemicals, Whistleblowers, and the Need for Reform at EPA
New and dangerous chemicals are being approved at an alarming rate by EPA.
COMMENTARY | EPA’s Pesticide Office – A Plague on Us All
Reforming EPA’s thoroughly broken pesticide program is a bipartisan problem and will not happen without a powerful ...
PEERMail | Toxic Corruption at EPA
EPA is shirking oversight with new chemical approvals and a toxic workplace makes objecting to this corruption dangerous.
Letter to Michael Regan – transparency -07-08-2021 (PDF)
DESCRIPTION: Letter to Michael Regan regarding transparency and openness at the EPA – especially within the Office ...
Are EPA Scientists Allowed to Talk with a Reporter?
New Administrator Says Yes but Managers Say No – Go to Public Affairs
EPA Risk Assessments Doctored to Mask Hazards
Managers Remove Elements of Risk without Analysts’ Knowledge or Consent
Letter to Representative Ro Khanna – 06-28-2021 (PDF)
DESCRIPTION: Letter to Representative Ro Khanna regarding fraud and corruption in the Office of Chemical Safety ...
EPA Can Keep Formaldehyde Assessment Under Wraps
Under Recent Supreme Court Ruling, EPA May Withhold Entire Report
Letter to Michael Regan – pesticides – 06-15-2021 (PDF)
DESCRIPTION: Letter to EPA regarding the improper fast-tracked approval of pesticides containing PFAS and (up to ...
Letter to Scientific Integrity Task Force – 06-14-2021 (PDF)
DESCRIPTION: Letter to the Scientific Integrity Task Force regarding scientific integrity within the ...
Letter to Megan McCarthy – 06-11-2021 (PDF)
DESCRIPTION: Letter to Megan McCarthy regarding the 2021 Annual Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Report
TO: Air Quality ...
Letter to EPA Acting Regional Administrator Deb Thomas – 06-07-2021 (PDF)
Letter to the Acting Regional Administrator Deb Thomas regarding complaints within the Colorado Department of ...
Letter to Scientific Integrity Task Force – 05-27-2021 (PDF)
DESCRIPTION: Letter to Scientific Integrity Task Force regarding how the Scientific Integrity Policies mask ...
COMMENTARY | What is Going On with Colorado Air Quality?
Colorado has been undermining its own air pollution experts for years in favor of easing requirements for polluters.
Former EPA Children’s Health chief has whistleblower hearing next week – September 13 through 15
press advisory
Federal Action Needed to Cut Colorado Air Pollution
Illegal Cherokee Plant Emission Permit Worsens Environmental Justice Gap
Letter to Michael Regan – Cherokee Power Plant, Colorado – 05-10-2021 (PDF)
DESCRIPTION: Letter to Michael Regan regarding environmental justice issues around the Cherokee power plant in ...
Letter to Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser – Air Quality Standards – 05-07-2021 (PDF)
DESCRIPTION: Request to Expand Scope of Investigation by Special Assistant Attorneys General into Non-Enforcement ...
EPA Scientist Wins Award Amid Fight To Win Her Job Back
Dr. Etzel Seeks Return to Helm of Office of Children’s Health Protection
Webinar | EPA’s Broken Pesticides Program
Webinar on steps that the Biden administration must take to fix its broken pesticides program at the EPA.
Letter to the EPA Inspector General Requesting Review of Colorado Air Quality Non-Enforcement (PDF)
DESCRIPTION: Request for Review of Intentional Non-Enforcement of National Ambient Air Quality Standards by ...
Letter to Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment – Air Quality Standards – 03/30/2021 (PDF)
DESCRIPTION: Letter to Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment to request that Colorado meet all ...
Letter to Inspector General O’Donnell – 03-30-2021 (PDF)
DESCRIPTION: Letter to Inspector General O’Donnell regarding the violations of law, mismanagement, and abuse of ...
