Today in the wake of the Environmental Protection Agency’s reckless actions, two former EPA officials Heather McTeer Toney, executive director of the Beyond Petrochemicals Campaign and Brandi Jenkins, deputy director of the Beyond Petrochemicals Campaign said the following:

“The EPA has declared open season for polluters,” said Heather McTeer Toney, executive director, Beyond Petrochemicals. “It is not hyperbole to say people will die because of what Lee Zeldin and the Trump Administration announced today. These actions make America less healthy and less safe. Whether you can see smokestacks from your porch or not, this industry license to kill will affect you. Pollution doesn’t care who you voted for or where you live.

“The Trump Administration is selling us out and trying to convince us it’s something we wanted. These rollbacks will serve to prop up industries that can only survive as long as our leaders are willing to let them pollute our communities, endanger our health, and bankrupt our future.”

“Don’t be fooled, the average person will not benefit from today’s actions,” said Brandi Jenkins, deputy director, Beyond Petrochemicals.“No one voted for this, in fact, 86% of Americans oppose weakening the EPA.

“Americans have an inherent right to clean air, clean water, and clean land. For more than 50 years, we have depended on the EPA to protect us. Today’s actions are not only irresponsible, they are cruel. This is a disgraceful step backward and a reversal of the public service the EPA once represented.”

Heather McTeer Toney served as Regional EPA Administrator for Region 4 from 2014-2017. Brandi Jenkins served with the EPA for more than 20 years, most recently as Director of Public Affairs in Region 4.

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About Beyond Petrochemicals:

Launched by Bloomberg Philanthropies in September 2022, Beyond Petrochemicals: People Over Pollution aims to halt the rapid expansion of petrochemical and plastic pollution in the United States. The campaign draws on the success of the Beyond Coal campaign, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, and Bloomberg’s Beyond Carbon campaign, to turbocharge existing efforts led by frontline communities to block the rapid expansion of 120+ petrochemical projects concentrated in three target geographies – Louisiana, Texas, and the Ohio River Valley. The campaign also works to establish stricter rules for existing petrochemical plants to safeguard the health of American communities. To date, Beyond Petrochemicals has helped raise awareness and lead timely collaboration efforts using its four pillars of community leadership, data and research, legislation and litigation, and stakeholder engagement to accelerate its goals. For more information, please visit us at beyondpetrochemicals.org and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.