Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility

The administration fired 25,000 probationary federal employees from all across the government. Now, as it reopens federal hiring, the focus is on whether applicants fit Trump’s priorities, not merit. https://ow.ly/N0qr5101ktw

The Washington Post reports that the Trump administration is spending more than $343,000 on surveillance cameras at federal monuments and construction sites in Washington, D.C. This raises serious questions about Interior’s growing use of surveillance technology. https://ow.ly/I7fP51008yk

On Monday at 1pm ET, join PEER leadership for an short, candid online discussion on how we're preparing for what comes next, whatever the outcome of the midterms. https://ow.ly/eckx50ZYAGp

Interior is seeking to reopen approvals for two offshore wind projects that are already permitted, including one that has been delivering electricity to New England for months and is projected to power over 350,000 homes. https://ow.ly/Tinb50ZZIsE #CleanEnergy #RenewableEnergy

Following a PEER complaint, EPA agreed that its claims that two widely used “forever chemicals” had been phased out of domestic production were false, and it has corrected its websites. Read more from the @us.theguardian.com 👇 www.theguardian.com/environment/...

With the midterm elections quickly approaching, what comes next for PEER's work? On Monday, October 26 at 1:00 pm ET, join Executive Director Tim Whitehouse and General Counsel Joanna Citron Day for a short, candid online discussion on how we're preparing. Register today 👇 https://ow.ly/h0f950ZY6I8

EPA enforcement records that have been difficult to obtain are now searchable in one place. A new portal from PEER, the Environmental Data & Governance Initiative, and ToxicDocs.org brings together EPA inspection reports, notices of violation, and related documents. www.eyesonenforcement.org

From fighting to keep public lands out of the data center business to challenging efforts to waive environmental reviews for orbital data centers, here's how PEER is fighting back. https://ow.ly/lUU450ZVxtq

PEER has obtained documents that raise serious questions about Freedom 250 and the questionable practices of its financial sponsor, the National Park Foundation. Congress should step in with oversight. https://ow.ly/e7j150ZVSTJ #Freedom250

The Trump administration is reportedly considering transferring more than 17,000 acres of Bureau of Land Management land for at least 12 proposed data centers. We're urging Congress to stop it. https://ow.ly/Kb1Y50ZVqOt #ArtificialIntelligence #PublicLands

The Department of the Interior appears to be preparing for another major reorganization, and it has provided little public information about what will change or why. https://ow.ly/eqJu50ZTJ53 #PublicLands #NationalParks

Federal officials can wrongfully withhold public records—but who holds them accountable? PEER found that the Office of Special Counsel has never used its authority to pursue discipline for FOIA violations since 1979. That needs to change. https://ow.ly/z6TK50ZTuG1 #FOIA #GovernmentTransparency

PEER has filed a FOIA lawsuit against the USFS over the agency's use of NDAs for public employees. This NDA policy fails to include legally required whistle blower protection provisions, a violation of federal law. https://ow.ly/ayI750ZTgAN

The Trump administration is attacking our national forests from every direction. Western Lands and Rocky Mountain Advocate Chandra Rosenthal breaks down how PEER is fighting to protect our forests, from defending roadless forests to standing up for forest science. https://ow.ly/24v350ZQMo1

EPA admitted that two of the most widely-used forms of “forever chemicals” are still being manufactured and imported in the U.S. This admission comes In response to a PEER complaint. https://ow.ly/YvgM50ZQZ9g #PFAS #ForeverChemicals

A USDA plan would push national forests toward more off-road and motorized traffic while removing the standards that protect wildlife, water, and other forest users. PEER and Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics submitted comments opposing the plan. https://ow.ly/7L1O50ZQBar

We're excited to welcome Isabelle Dietz as PEER's Staff Counsel! Isabelle brings litigation experience and a demonstrated commitment to public service. Prior to joining PEER, she served as a trial attorney for the Department of Justice’s Tax Division. https://ow.ly/FgIh50ZPGgE

Under Lee Zeldin’s leadership, EPA has instituted a culture of fear, destroyed its science and environmental programs, and betrayed its mission. From defending fired EPA staff to fighting PFAS pollution in court, learn how PEER is fighting back. https://ow.ly/OxTt50ZNAnY

EPA refused a request from PEER and the Free Information Group (FIG) seeking its Final Impact Assessments for its use of high-impact AI tools, along with other information on its use of AI in its chemicals program. PEER and FIG are now appealing that decision. https://ow.ly/ulro50ZNUz6

EPA is calling its addition of microplastics to the official “Contaminant Candidate List” a "historic action." But here's the problem: not one of the more than 200 chemicals EPA has placed on the list since 1998 are currently regulated. https://ow.ly/AH9K50ZISqp #ForeverChemicals #Microplastics

The FAA is proposing to waive all major environmental protection requirements for commercial space launches and other activities. PEER joined a group of environmental and scientific organizations, represented by Earthjustice, in calling on the FAA to reject this proposal. https://ow.ly/5tV150ZHN5v

Opened 49 years ago, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System has already been operating 19 years past its projected life expectancy. Now the Trump administration wants to renew its right-of-way for another 30 years, and the public only has 15 days to comment. https://ow.ly/nO3m50ZGBCy

In its voluntary guidance, EPA failed to issue numerical limits on how much PFAS sewage sludge used as fertilizer can contain before it's spread on farms, gardens, and lawns. Today, PEER filed formal comments insisting that EPA set enforceable limits. https://ow.ly/VzS750ZFFzB #foreverchemicals

CBP paused border infrastructure work in Big Bend amid bipartisan backlash, but that doesn't explain why billions in taxpayer dollars went to these contracts in the first place. We're calling on DHS to investigate. https://ow.ly/tli050ZBuho #BigBend

When historians look back at the unraveling of Interior, they'll likely start with the budget and staffing cuts, and Secretary Burgum spending hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on Trump's vanity projects. But that's only part of the story. https://ow.ly/bT5s50ZAZjT #PublicLands

Congress designated the Old Spanish Trail as part of the National Trails System more than two decades ago. That designation requires the development of a Comprehensive Management Plan to coordinate land use — and the plan is long overdue. https://ow.ly/RXAT50ZzVgU #OldSpanishTrail #PublicLands

The FCC's Space Bureau approved a commercial satellite that will reflect sunlight back to Earth at night. PEER and allies filed a formal Application for Review asking the FCC to reverse the decision. https://ow.ly/MZUA50Zy4vi #Satellites #SpaceTech

As corporate cash increasingly shapes our nation’s political system, it is critical that the judiciary stays accountable to the public, not personal financial interests. peer.org/commentary-e... #SupremeCourt #CourtReform

We've filed comments opposing the Office of Personnel Management's proposed rule that would make it easier for agencies to place federal employees who may face layoffs into indefinite paid leave without any way to challenge it. https://ow.ly/kFcP50ZuiVi

💧 A new report by PEER and Waterkeepers Florida finds that the majority of Florida's waterways are failing to meet state water quality standards while enforcement of the state's environmental laws remains far below historical levels. https://ow.ly/1h4v50ZtPoF #Florida #WaterPollution

A proposed rule from the Office of Management and Budget would dramatically expand political control over how the federal government awards grants — not just for science, but for education, conservation, public health, and disaster relief too. https://ow.ly/W9TH50Zsla5

We've submitted comments opposing an OPM/MSPB draft rule that is part of an effort to strip protections from federal workers and convert the civil service from a nonpartisan body into one that answers to the political leaders of the moment. https://ow.ly/52sp50ZrXfM

We've filed comments calling on the Office of Management and Budget to withdraw its proposed overhaul of the federal grantmaking system, warning that the rule would institutionalize political cronyism, destroy American science, and threaten the separation of powers. https://ow.ly/jSoX50ZmZwU

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fired Kip Tyler after he raised the need to monitor for microplastic pollution in the permit for the first aquaculture project in federal waters. PEER is representing Tyler in challenging his dismissal. https://ow.ly/QJ6h50ZmUe0

Is our legal system ready to grant rights to nature? Keith Kozloff, a former federal environmental economist, outlines the Rights of Nature movement's history and makes a case for establishing the legal rights of nature in the United States. https://ow.ly/Jsgx50ZkKOZ #RightsOfNature

We are part of a coalition of environmental and scientific organizations, represented by Earthjustice, who today filed a petition asking the FCC to complete a comprehensive environmental review before licensing satellite-based data centers. https://ow.ly/wb1o50ZlJ5p

The conservation success in recovering Pacific gray whales is now at risk due to accelerating mortality from multiple threats, including ship strikes and reduced food sources. As of July 6, 145 gray whale stranding deaths have been reported. https://ow.ly/R7xh50Zl7jg

America's 250th birthday should be a moment that brings us together. Unfortunately, what should be a nonpartisan celebration has become a growing scandal: secrecy, political favoritism, and the diversion of significant taxpayer funds and resources to Freedom 250. https://ow.ly/sukL50ZjKPI

OSC Senior Counsel Charles Baldis allowed the Office of Personnel Management to keep asking federal job applicants to write essays on how they would further President Trump's policies. He has now been nominated to serve as the next Special Counsel. https://ow.ly/PPaE50ZiHl9

The number of industrial chemical accidents is increasing — and the Trump admin wants to weaken accident prevention requirements and eliminate the Chemical Safety & Hazard Investigation Board, the only federal agency charged with investigating the cause of these accidents. https://ow.ly/hRt150ZibPv

The number of tourist overflights across San Francisco parks will remain unchanged and will not be subject to environmental evaluation, according to a decision in a lawsuit brought by a coalition of groups led by PEER. https://peer.org/court-declines-to-limit-sf-bay-area-park-overflights/

PEER's Executive Director testified before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution about Freedom 250, a partisan, private entity started by Trump to plan America's 250th. Millions of taxpayer dollars have been spent on Freedom 250, without transparency. https://ow.ly/e47x50ZhhMt

Public employees who protect the environment need your support now more than ever. PEER has their back — providing free legal defense, exposing wrongdoing inside federal agencies, and fighting for environmental protections. Join the fight. Every dollar you give is matched. peer.org/doubletrouble

We're suing the Department of the Interior for refusing to release documents on how it's implementing an order to scrub "disparaging" American history content from national parks, monuments, and other public lands. https://ow.ly/qb4150ZcLmf

Today, PEER filed comments with the Office of Personnel Management urging the agency to withdraw its proposed government-wide nondisclosure agreement (NDA) for federal employees. https://ow.ly/Y4Vz50Zci7e #PublicEmployees #FederalEmployees

PEER Executive Director Tim Whitehouse breaks down the actions Congress must take to ensure our country remains a nation of laws that values the environment and respects a merit-based civil service. https://peer.org/government-chaos-demands-a-congressional-oversight-agenda/ #oversight

We're excited to welcome Michele Boyd to PEER's Board of Directors! Michele has more than 20 years of experience in energy and environmental issues across the government, non-profit, and for-profit sectors. https://ow.ly/ia3g50Zav4b

Trump’s scandal-plagued “Great American State Fair” and other USDA supported events celebrating America’s 250th anniversary may be inappropriately using government employees and resources for partisan events and evading ethics restrictions. https://ow.ly/uGPY50Z9pyN #Freedom250

In a training video obtained by PEER, EPA staff scientists are counseled to short-circuit statutorily required scientific examinations of hazards posed to the environment and public health. https://ow.ly/xgGF50Z8RAB #ChemicalSafety #TSCA

Lead ammo used for hunting is poisoning wildlife and threatening the health of people who eat game meat. PEER has joined a coalition of animal welfare and public health groups petitioning the state of Colorado to ban it. https://ow.ly/HiZJ50Z7Jep #hunting