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 ...
National Bison Range faces detailed planning process
From: The Missoulian “The plan for the Bison Range was mandated by a 2017 legal settlement between Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The planning process typically takes three to five years. But the Fish and Wildlife ...
Why DC pledges to test all playgrounds for toxic lead after prior ABC7 investigation
From: WJLA “There’s a lot at stake. In addition to lead poisoning which we’ve all seen the very tragic effects all over the country when we look at all the public outrage that happened with Flint Michigan with the water,” said Kevin Bell with PEER. Public Employees for ...
The Energy 202: Congress wants to know when Trump will fill all the vacant positions at Interior
From: The Washington Post “Many of the posts have been left unoccupied for so long that they are weighing on the mood of career staff. “We know that morale is very poor,” said Peter Jenkins, a senior counsel at Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), an ...
OAHS Artificial Turf Replacement Set for This Summer in Easton
From: Wicked Local Easton “Work is expected to begin on replacement of the artificial turf and track at Oliver Ames High School towards the end of June. The project should be completed by around Aug. 23. After a lengthy discussion with parents concerned about possible health risks ...
Government Watchdog Says State, DEP Misleading Public About Drinking Water Quality
From: Naples Daily News “Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, or PEER, released a report last week that says more than half of the state’s drinking water facilities have violations that aren’t being reported to the public by the Florida Department of ...
