By Kate Furby, Michigan Public
The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit PBS; Michigan Public, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; and The Narwhal who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water. This independent journalism is supported by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. Find all the work HERE.
The EPA is being sued this week by Elin Warn Betanzo, a water safety engineer who was also instrumental in the Flint water crisis investigation.
Warn Betanzo was a former member of the National Drinking Water Advisory Council (NDWAC), which advises the EPA on drinking water. She had about two years left on her contract, when she signed a petition criticizing the EPA and Administrator Lee Zeldin.
“When I joined the National Drinking Water Advisory Council, I committed to protecting public health, not to giving up my right to speak out for safe drinking water. The government is punishing me for speaking out against policies that endanger the public. And I’m not just fighting for myself. I’m fighting for the rights of all government employees and the safety of our drinking water,” said Warn Betanzo.
She believes the EPA is retaliating against her for signing the petition because it was critical of the Trump administration. In an email, the EPA stated it does not comment on pending litigation. Warn Betanzo is suing for a violation of her First Amendment rights and the Whistleblower Protection Act, among others.
“I’m challenging one of the largest sweeping, unconstitutional actions against federal employees in modern history. The Trump EPA is using their zero tolerance policy to intimidate EPA scientists from doing their jobs to protect Americans. So this is my story, but it’s also the story of many others,” said Warn Betanzo.
Warn Betanzo was one of 620 signers of the petition. Over a hundred other EPA employees were also allegedly suspended for signing.
