Overnight Energy: Scientists flee USDA as research agencies move to Kansas City area | Watchdog finds EPA skirted rules to put industry reps on boards | New rule to limit ability to appeal pollution permits
From: The Hill “EPA is always interested in improving its processes while maintaining environmental protection. Contrary to the speculation by certain parties, EPA is working to protect the public interest and transparently carry out its work,” an EPA spokesman said in a ...
The Interior Department is ignoring the rules on ‘acting’ officials
From: Washington Post “The July 8 editorial on the extreme number of vacancies in positions that require Senate confirmation, “Mr. Trump’s ‘acting’ government,” was a welcome indication of how badly he is flouting norms that have served our nation. The Constitution requires ...
Watch Out, Tortoise: Karen-Budd Falen Is in Charge.
From: Sierra “Like putting Genghis Khan in charge of a day-care center.” That’s how a spokesperson for Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility responded to Karen Budd-Falen’s appointment to be acting assistant secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks. It’s ...
How Secure Is Wilderness In The National Park System?
From: National Parks Traveler “Who controls the administration in Washington can impact candidates for wilderness designation. According to Buono, while the initial Park Service environmental impact statement that examined potential wilderness in the park units in Alaska found 16.9 ...
Philadelphia Explosion Underscores Danger of Refineries Using Hydrogen Fluoride
From: Truthout “Aging refineries are playing Russian roulette with American population centers,” said Tim Whitehouse, a former enforcement attorney with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in a statement, noting that more than 22 million people in the U.S. live near ...
This Chemical Kills. Why Aren’t Regulators Banning It?
From: New York Times “Last month’s spectacular explosions at a large Philadelphia oil refinery complex injured five workers, terrorized city residents and drove up gasoline prices. But the impact could have been vastly worse had the explosions triggered a release from the refinery ...
The Costs of #InstaTravel
From: Dope Magazine “PEER advocates for parks engaging in more comprehensive planning to ensure they have needed protections in place while setting aside more area to conserve wildlife and meet the rising demand for outdoor recreation and natural solitude. Ordinary travelers can help ...
EPA prosecutions haven fallen sharply, especially in New England, advocacy group says
From: The Boston Globe “Jeff Ruch, a director at the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, said the group based its analysis on EPA statistics. “Our point is that criminal enforcement activity is declining at EPA during this administration as measured by available ...
Lawmakers talk legislation in response to FOIA changes
From: The Hill “It would definitely be an amendment to FOIA, those aren’t that uncommon,” Kevin Bell, staff counsel for the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, on what shape a bill would have to take. “With an amendment there’s a lot of ground to cover. I think ...
Does size matter with lead in D.C. playground rubber? 7 On Your Side has the answer.
From: WJLA “Kevin Bell with Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility observed some of those samples gathered. He points out many larger tire shreds come from potentially more hazardous industrial tires. “These big tractor tires would have lead added to them specifically so ...
Philadelphia Explosion One in String of ‘Near Miss’ Accidents at Refineries Using Deadly Chemical
From: Desmog “On June 25, watchdog group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) filed a legal petition with the Environmental Protection Agency, asking the agency to prohibit the use of HF in refining and to require the phase-out of HF within two years. “[S]uch ...
Death on the trail: More Americans visit national parks, but fewer rangers on patrol
From: USA Today “The thin green line patrolling our national parks is in danger of snapping,” said Jeff Ruch, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, a nonprofit which advocates for public transparency and provides ...
Restore National Bison Range funds now
From: The Missoulian “In years past, groups such as Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) and the Blue Goose Alliance have successfully argued the case for continued federal oversight of the range. And it’s only right that federal oversight should attend any use ...
EPA bargaining proposal makes it easier to fire staff, rolls back telework, official time
From: Federal News Network “EPA Senior Labor Attorney Robert Coomber, in a June 24 email to agency and AFGE officials, said the agency had unsuccessfully attempted to bring AFGE to the bargaining table to negotiate a new Master Collective Bargaining Agreement for more than a year. ...
EPA Unilaterally Imposes New Union Contract Slashing Telework, Easing Firing
From: Government Executive “The Environmental Protection Agency has cut off negotiations with its primary union and informed the labor group it will unilaterally implement a new contract, stripping away many of the rights and privileges employees currently enjoy and setting up yet ...
With New ‘Imposed Contract,’ Trump’s EPA Tries to Neuter Worker Rights
From: Common Dreams “The Trump administration continued its attacks on federal workers this week with a new “agreement” that would kneecap the power of unions representing EPA employees. The development, as watchdog group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility ...
Critics slam EPA for rolling back union protections with latest contract
From: The Hill “In an email sent to agency staff earlier this week and obtained by The Hill late Tuesday, the agency announced it will implement a new contract that remains unsigned by the union itself. “It’s styled as a collective bargaining agreement, but there’s no agreement ...
New EPA rule could expand number of Trump officials weighing in on FOIA requests
From: The Hill ““It’s exceptionally difficult to litigate on the ‘basis of responsiveness.’ There is no record,” said Kevin Bell, staff counsel at Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility. “FOIA litigation is always pretty one-sided, there is no discovery … now ...
Trump Administration Is Suppressing Science and Public Opinion to Drill the Arctic Refuge
From: Center for American Progress “In December 2018, the Trump administration’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for oil and gas leasing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. The review was criticized for being ...
‘Failing and struggling’: How financial decisions hobbled the National Bison Range
From: The Missoulian “A 10-month investigation by the Missoulian charted a years-long funding crunch at this group of National Wildlife Refuges, one that began when the Fish and Wildlife Service kept $624,076 intended for the Bison Range Complex at its Denver Regional Office. Fish ...
CONNECT:
