“Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today introduced the Congressional Whistleblower Protection Act, a bill to strengthen protections for congressional whistleblowers who share information about fraud, waste and abuse with Congress. The bill is supported by the Government Accountability Project, Project on Government Oversight, Public Citizen, National Security Counselors, National Whistleblower Center, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility,...

“[I delivered these comments at the July 28, 2021 webinar titled “Toxic Chemicals, Whistleblowers, and the Need for Reform at EPA” cosponsored by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), NY PIRG, and EDF. [A recording of the webinar is available here.]  The webinar followed on whistleblower disclosures in a complaint filed by PEER and the...

“More than two decades after initial steps were taken, and after a federal judge ordered action, the National Park Service and Federal Aviation Administration finally are seeking public input on air tour management plans proposed for some of the country’s national parks. Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility brought the lawsuit that the judge acted on.”...

“Two of our whistleblower clients appeared on the Science Friday show/podcast to discuss the below: Earlier this month, four whistleblowers from the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) chemical safety office went public with allegations of intimidation and downplayed chemical risks, stating: “The Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention is broken… The entire New Chemicals program...

“Known as ‘forever chemicals,’ PFAS chemicals used in products such as non-stick pans and stain repellents have long confounded scientists for their ubiquity in the environment – so commonplace that they show up in the blood of humans and animals in the furthest reaches of the earth, including polar bears in Greenland. PFOA and PFOS,...

“More than 300 green groups, businesses and nonprofits today called on the National Park Service to prohibit single-use plastics at its 423 park sites. Earlier this month, House appropriators criticized NPS for doing nothing to reduce plastic waste since the Trump administration in 2017 scrapped an Obama-era policy that gave individual parks permission to ban...

“You recently spoke out against the allegation that PFBS [perfluorobutane sulfonic acid] risk assessments had been tampered with. You were quoted saying, “They are the product of biased political interference” that stands to erode the trust that the American public has in EPA and “our ability to protect their health and the environment.” As far...

“The assistant director of the city’s Utilities Department has surrendered his plant operator’s license following a complaint he obtained the license under “false pretenses.” A watchdog group, the Tallahassee-based Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), reported to the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) that Juan Guevarez falsified his experience to obtain the license.” Read...

“Whistleblowers responsible for completing chemical risk assessments have come forward with allegations that their reports have been and continue to be “improperly altered to completely eliminate or minimize risk calculations,” according to a complaint filed by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) on behalf of four scientists who work in EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety...

“Public viewings of Kemp’s ridley sea turtle hatchling releases are back! The first public releases in two years are scheduled at the Malaquite Visitor Center at Padre Island National Seashore on July 23-24 and Aug. 4-6. Public releases are also under scrutiny and could be canceled in the future due to budget concerns. The program...