Recent News Stories
The East Palestine Disaster Was a Direct Result of the Country’s Reliance on Fossil Fuels and Plastic. Boston Globe, February23, 2023
Environmentalists Fear a Massive New Plastics Plant Near Pittsburgh Will Worsen Pollution and Stimulate Fracking, Inside Climate News, October 16, 2022
New York Banned Plastic Bags Two Years Ago. Why Are They Still Everywhere?, NY Focus, Oct. 12, 2022
California Passed a Landmark Law About Plastic Pollution. Why Are Some Environmentalists Still Concerned?, Inside Climate News, Oct. 12, 2022
Neighbors hope state’s suit forces changes at Norlite plant, Spectrum, Oct. 12, 2022
The Race to Stop a Plastics Plant Scores a Crucial Win, Scientific American, Sept. 23, 2022
Bloomberg Takes on the Plastic Industry, E and E News, Sept. 21, 2022
To reduce plastic waste, make producers responsible for it (Guest Opinion by Judith Enck), Sept. 1, 2022
Beyond Plastics: Shifting The Waste Reduction Burden From Consumers To Producers, Forbes, June 27, 2022
Plastic Recycling Doesn’t Work and Will Never Work, Atlantic, May 30, 2022
U.S. plastics recycling rate slumps below 6 percent, analysis finds. Washington Post, May 4, 2022
Trash or Recycling? Why Plastic Keeps Us Guessing. NY Times, April 21, 2022
EPA finalizes its first national recycling strategy, Washington Post, Nov. 15, 2021
Plastic Is the New Coal, Says New Report, Sierra Club, Nov. 7, 2021
Plastic’s GHG emissions could outpace those from coal by 2030: report, Waste Dive, Oct. 25, 2021
Biden schools Trump on environmental justice during debate, Grist October 23, 2020
Burning ‘forever chemicals’ emerges as industry flash point, Waste Dive, October 19, 2020
Under Trump, Criminal Prosecutions for Pollution Dropped Sharply, NY Times, October 13, 2020
THE HOUSE JUST PASSED ANOTHER “SAVE OUR SEAS” ACT. HERE’S WHY IT WON’T., Intercept, October 7, 2020
State to test soil, water for PFAS around Norlite incinerator, Times Union, October 1, 2020
Investigating the burning of PFAS chemicals in Cohoes, CBS Albany, September 10, 2020
EPA Shuts Down Rahway Incinerator Test. NY Spotlight News, August 27, 2020
EPA Cancels Study To Incinerate PFAS Waste Near N.J. Fenceline Community, EWG August 26, 2020
Firefighting Foam Burn Ban Heads to Cuomo’s Desk. Spectrum News, June 10, 2020
OpED: Congress: Tell the Pentagon to halt incineration of toxic forever chemicals, The Hill, June 8, 2020
OpED: No, the Pandemic Isn’t an Excuse to Go Back to Single-Use Plastics, Newsweek, April 22, 2020
Churchill: Dump Doesn’t Belong Next to a School, Times Union, February 1, 2020
Bag the Loopholes, Say NY Environmentalists, Times Union, January 31, 2020
2020 could be the year of legislative boom – or bust – for national recycling policy, WaateDive, January 29, 2020
N.Y. plastic grocery bag ban starts March 1, some fear confusion, loopholes, Times Union, January 27, 2020
Booming Plastics Industry Faces Backlash as Data About Environmental Harm Grows, Inside Climate News, January 24, 2020
A Surge of New Plastic is about to Hit the Planet, Wired / Yale, January 20, 2020
Wasted Potential: The fiscal hazards facing New York City’s recycling program, Politico, January 9, 2020
Backlog of Superfund clean-ups Grows Under Trump, AP, Jan. 2, 2020
Puerto Rico’s Next Big Crisis is Water, HuffPost, Nov. 23, 2019
The Worlld’s Recycling Crisis is Wrapped in Plastic, Quartz, Nov. 4, 2019
We Can’t Solve the Plastic Crisis with Other Disposables, Truthout, October 21, 2019
Toxic PCBs Linger in Schools; EPA, Lawmakers Fail to Act, AP The Advocate (also Washington Post etc.) October 16, 2019
Former feds claim runoff is wiping out Great Lakes, The Blade, October 14, 2019
State Orders Upgrade at Rensselaer’s Dunn Construction Landfill, Times Union, October 10, 2019
Federal “Save our Seas” Bill Spurs Debate over Plastic Recycling, WasteDive, October 2, 2019
EPA Accuses California of Significant Air and Water Problems, NY Times, September 26, 2019
Tainted Water, Ignored Warnings, and a Boss with a Criminal Past, NY Times, August 24, 2019
Group led by Judith Enck Focuses on Plastic Pollution, Glen Falls Pot Star, July 25, 2019
Murphy administration throws down the gauntlet against serial polluters. NJ.com, editorial, April 1, 2019
Judge Restores Obama-Era Drilling Ban in Arctic, Associated Press, March 30, 2019
Coeymans gets Bethlehem, New Scotland support on clean air law, Times Union, March 27, 2019
Cement Plant Waste burning Letter Uncovered, Times Union, March 19, 2019
Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water Leave Military Families Reeling, NY Times, Feb. 22, 2019
Bennington College to host initiative to combat single-use plastics. Bennington Banner, Nov. 19, 2018
Trump administration ‘worst ever’ on environment, former NY EPA official says, Syracuse.com, May 19, 2018
New Yorkers Rally Against Off Shore Drilling Plan, Seattle Times, February 16, 2018
Former EPA Administrator Wants more Dredging, Glens Falls Post Star, February 1, 2018
Puerto Rico Oversight Board Consides $860 Million WTE Project, Waste Dive, January 11, 2018
PFOA Healty Survey is Extended, Bennington Banner. Jan. 5, 2018
Opponents Cheer Demise of Cement Kiln Garbage, Times Union, 12/28/2017
Environmentalists Oppose Garbage Burn Proposal, WAMC, 12/28/2107
Environmental oversight to decline sharply in NY, PA with gutting of EPA, officials say, Gannett, December 16, 2017
Proposed Solid Waste Plan could mean Connecticut Waste Comes to Ravena, WTEN, Dec. 15, 2017
More than 700 Employees have Left the EPA since Scott Pruitt Took Over, Think Progress Dec. 14, 2017
Warming Trends Affecting State, Lockport Union-Star and Journal, December 1, 2017
Puerto Rican Crisis Ongoing Months after Hurricane Maria, Malyasian Digest, Nov. 30, 2017
Senate Gives Warm Reception to Bill that would Ban Burning of Storm Debris, St. Thomas Source, Nov. 30, 2017
Bernie Sanders Unveils Massive Puerto Rican Reconstruction Bill, Huffington Post, Nov. 29, 2017
St. John Update: Army Corps Says No Debris-Burning on Island; St. Thomas Source, Nov. 17, 2017
We cannot weaken the EPA as hurricanes are growing worse, by Judith Enck, The Hill, Oct 27, 2017
The Bad Decision That Will Haunt Puerto Rico For Decades, by Judith Enck and Ramon Cruz, Buzz Feed News, Oct. 27, 2017
Can This Republican Restore Integrity to Scott Pruitt’s EPA?, New Republic, October 20, 2017
Mapp Appoints Panel to Help Guide Hurricane Recovery, St. Thomas Source, Oct. 17, 2017.
Raw sewage contaminating waters in Puerto Rico after Maria, Seattle Times, Oct. 16, 2017, AP News
Former EPA Official, Long-time Activist, Judith Enck helping Virgin Islands Recover. Albany Times Union, Oct. 7, 2017
After Two Hurricanes, The US Virgin Islands Are Overwhelmed By Mountains Of Trash, BuzzFeed, October 4, 2017
Renewable Energy Investors See Opportunity in Puerto Rico’s Demolished Grid. NY Times, September 30, 2017
Fomer Regional EPA Director Fears Impact of Trump, Daily Gazette, Sept. 27, 2017
‘People Are Dying’: Puerto Rico Faces Daunting Humanitarian Crisis, Inside Climate News, Sept. 27, 2017
Puerto Rico’s Grid Needs a Complete Overhaul, CityLab, September 25, 2017
Landfill Mess in Puerto Rico Made Worse by Hurricanes, Buzz Feed News, September 24, 2017
Devastated Puerto Rico Tests Fairness of Response to Climate Disasters, Inside Climate News, September 23, 2017
Even Before Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico Was in Environmental Despair, Mother Jones, Sept. 20, 2017
EPA Cuts Could be Disastrous for Hurricane Recovery: Miami New Times, Sept. 7, 2017
Hauling Away Harvey Debris NY Times Sept. , Sept. 6, 2017
New Survey to Identify PFOA Problems, Spectrum TV, Aug. 29, 2017
Hurricane Harvey Also Major Pollution Disaster, New Republic, Aug. 25, 2017
NPR: Climate leakers should be Thanked
Climate Change Rally in Albany
Recordings
Former EPA official talks Supreme Court ruling, cryptocurrency mining, Spectrum, July 5, 2022
NYS DEC, DOH To Hold Public Meeting Wednesday On Norlite’s Operations In Cohoes WAMC NPR October 20, 2020
State, advocates seek public’s help to enforce plastic bag ban, NPR WXXI, October 19, 2020
Testimony to Congress on Plastics, July 7, 2020
Step one, Again, For Banning Plastics in New Jersey, NJ NPR, January 31, 2020
Environmental Activists Continue To Protest Proposed Tire Burning In Coeymans, WAMC, Jan. 2, 2020
Ethane Crackers Spark Pollution Concerns, Living on Earth, PRI, October 25, 2019
Judith Enck on Plastics, Capitol Pressroom, Sept. 30, 2019
Covering Climate Now, Plastic Challenge, Brian Lehrer Show WNYC, September 20, 2019
Exposing the Myth of Plastic Recycling, WBUR, September 20, 2019
Judith Enck on Plastics, Capitol Pressroom, September 17, 2019
Judith Enck on Plastics, WOOC, August 30, 2019
The Bag Ban and Beyond with Judith Enck, NCPR, July 29, 2019
Heaney Interviews Judith Enck, Investigative Report, June 9, 2018
Interview re Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, WOOC Troy Oct. 17, 2017
Capitol Pressroom with Susan Arbetter, September 5, 2017
Video speaking at Unitarian Church in Albany on Sept. 29 on Trump Assault on the Environment
WAMC Commentary www.wamc.org
The Harvey Weinstein Effect, November 15, 2017
Hurricanes and Climate Change, September 19, 2017
The Hoosick Falls Story July 18, 2017