water

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.

COMMENTARY | U.S. Geological Survey Labs Must Cure Culture of Reprisal

by Jeff Ruch | October 5, 2022
Third party review will help prevent future scientific scandals at the U.S. Geological Survey by providing a safe channel for USGS scientists to report problems without fear of reprisal ...

Florida Pollution Enforcement Fell into COVID Coma   

by PEER | September 15, 2021
Inspections and Eco-Compliance Tumbled in 2020 among Enforcement Gaps ...

Florida’s Clearwater Awash in Sewage Violations

by PEER | March 11, 2021
More than 400 Sewage Overflows in Last Five Years; Almost No Enforcement ...

Florida Issues Drinking Water Safety Citations 

by PEER | January 21, 2021
Delray Plagued by Persistent Contamination with Partially Treated Sewage ...

More PFAS Found in Maryland Water and Seafood  

by PEER | November 16, 2020
Maryland Must Set Health Standards for Toxic “Forever Chemical ...