NPS

Senior Counsel

Jeff serves as Senior Counsel to PEER, where he specializes in civil service, scientific integrity, and whistleblower protection issues. Jeff was PEER’s Executive Director from 1997 to 2019 and its Pacific Director from 2019 to 2025. Previously, he was the Policy Director and a staff attorney at the Government Accountability Project, representing whistleblowers from both the public and private sectors. Before coming to DC, Jeff worked in California state government for 17 years, mostly in the State Legislature as counsel to various committees where he drafted hundreds of laws on topics ranging from energy conservation to the rights of employed inventors. Jeff served stints as a deputy district attorney and an appellate court clerk. He is a graduate of the California Correctional Officers Academy.

Op-Ed | The Park Service Has Lost Its Conservation Compass

by Jeff Ruch | May 17, 2021
The Park Service has cut programmatic work on conservation of species like endangered sea turtles - what will it take for NPS to turn itself around ...

Yellowstone’s Thermal Features vs. Expanded Bandwidth

by PEER | April 21, 2021
Plan to Bury 187 Miles of Fiber Optic Cable May Damage Park “Hot” Spots ...

Comments on Environmental Assessment (EA) for Yellowstone fiber optic cable proposal

by PEER |
DESCRIPTION: Public Comments on the Environmental Assessment (EA) for Diamond Communication’s 187-mile fiber optic cable proposal for Yellowstone National Park urging Yellowstone to reject Diamond’s application for a right of way (ROW) in Yellowstone TO: National Park Service FROM: ...

Opinion on E-Bikes 03/31/2021 (PDF)

by PEER | March 31, 2021
DESCRIPTION: Judge’s Opinion on Rulemaking for E-Bikes in National Parks – Case 1:19-cv-03629-RC, Document 33 TO: PEER (Plaintiff) and National Park Service (Defendant) FROM: Judge Rudolph Contreras, United States District Court DATE: March 31, 2021 TAGS: NPS, e-bikes ...