Podcast appearances and mentions of judith enck

A new report from Beyond Plastics estimates that New Yorkers could save $1.3 billion over just one decade if the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act is adopted. We hear from three speakers: Judith Enck, President of Beyond Plastics and former Region 2 EPA Administrator; Senator Pete Harckham, the lead Senate sponsor; and Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger. The report — called "Projected Economic Benefits of the New York Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act" — outlines substantial cost savings, reduced packaging waste, and higher recycling rates from adoption of the bill into law. The staggering amount of single-use packaging waste is not only bad for the environment and public health, but it is also a huge waste of taxpayers' dollars. By Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

A press conference was held at the State Capitol on Wednesday March 19 to promote the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act. We hear from the lead sponsors, Senator Pete Harckham and Assemblymember Deborah Glick, Chairs of the Environmental Conservation Committees, Kathy Nolan of the Physicians for Social Responsibility NY; and Judith Enck of Beyond Plastic.

With the news that President Donald Trump signed an executive order to reverse a federal push away from plastic straws, Judith Enck, founder of Beyond Plastics, professor at Bennington College and former EPA Region 2 administrator, provides the broader state of plastic pollution in the United States, which efforts from former President Joe Biden actually worked and what the current president could rollback.

On Tuesday, January 28, the NYS legislature held a twelve hour hearing on the environmental and energy issues in Governor Hochul's proposed state budget. Many expressed concerns about the slowing down of climate action by the Hochul administration, including the ongoing delay in implementing some form of carbon pricing. In part two of our coverage, we hear from Laurie Wheelock, Executive Director of the Public Utility Law Project; Helen Mancini of Fridays for the Future NYC; and Judith Enck of Beyond Plastics. By Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

Nov. 26, 2024 - We explore what the second Trump administration could mean for environmental policies impacting New York, with the help of Judith Enck, a regional administrator for the EPA in the Obama administration and president of the advocacy group Beyond Plastics.

On Saturday, November 9 elected officials, city residents and environmental leaders gathered on the banks of the Hudson River near the BASF toxic waste site in the City of Rensselaer to express strong opposition to a new incinerator project. A New Jersey company called Harbor Rock is eyeing the property to incinerate river sediment from the bottom of the Hudson River and possibly other rivers and New York Harbor. In part one of Hudson Mohawk's coverage, we hear from Jessica Welshans, a local resident, and Judith Enck, former regional administrator for the federal EPA. By Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine. Audio provided by Sonja Stark.

June 3, 2024 - We consider the need to reduce single-use plastic packaging waste and the legislative response being debated at the Capitol with Judith Enck, president of Beyond Plastics and a former regional administrator for the EPA.

With the state legislature returning to Albany through early June, a key issue is whether they will pass the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act. Localities and taxpayers are stuck footing the bill for managing the growing flood of packaging waste. From a May 2 news conference, we hear from Judith Enck of Beyond Plastics; Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger; and Jumaane Williams, the NYC Public Advocate. This has been Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

Listeners call in to share an honest assessment of the single-use plastics in their lives and Judith Enck, founder of Beyond Plastics, professor at Bennington College and former EPA Region 2 administrator, rides along to share tips and trick on how to reduce plastic use.

One of the biggest environmental issues in our modern world is plastic, which has become integral in the manufacturing of everything from electronics to furniture. Our reliance on plastic has led to a recycling crisis: A vast amount of plastic that winds up in our recycling bins isn't actually recyclable, and ultimately winds up in landfills.Large companies have committed to reducing plastic packaging and cutting back on waste. But there's still no good way to scale up the removal of plastic that already exists. Waste-eating bacteria and enzymes have been shown to work in lab settings, but the scale-up process has a long road ahead.Judith Enck, former EPA regional administrator and founder of the organization Beyond Plastics, has dedicated her career to advocating for making plastics more recyclable and keeping toxic chemicals out of the manufacturing process. She joins guest host Maggie Koerth to talk about why plastics are such a difficult environmental issue to solve, and what makes her feel hopeful this Earth Day.Transcripts for this segment will be available the week after the show airs on sciencefriday.com. Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.

Judith Enck, founder of Beyond Plastics, professor at Bennington College and former EPA Region 2 administrator, talks about a new effort to keep New York State accountable to reduce single use plastics. Then, listeners call in to share an honest assessment of the single use plastics in their lives.

The Justice Center of Rensselaer County is holding the Robert J. Doherty Memorial Lecture on Environmental Justice on Sunday, April 14 at 1:00 PM, at the U Albany School of Public Health, 1 University Place, Rensselaer NY. The event will feature Judith Enck of Beyond Plastics and Dr. David Carpenter. Also speaking will be Bob Welton for the Rensselaer Environmental Coalition about the Dunn Landfill; Joe Ritchie for Lights Out Norlite; Barbara Heinzen for the Clean Air Coalition of Greater Ravena - Coeymans; and Greg Campbell-Cohen of TIMBER about lead pipe replacement in Troy. Noreen McKee of the Justice Center speaks with Mark Dunlea of Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

New research in the New England Journal of Medicine, showing that microplastics are linked to increased heart attacks and strokes. Doctors and environmentalists called upon state legislator leaders to pass the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act. We hear from Judith Enck of Beyond Plastics, pediatrician Dr. Phil Landrigan, and Dr. Sandra Selikson. With Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

On Thursday, January 18, state lawmakers and advocates held a news conference calling for the adoption of the state Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act. The bill will reduce plastic packaging by 50% over 12 years to dramatically reduce waste, improve recyclability of packaging, and slash greenhouse gas emissions associated with plastic (which are currently on track to outpace the emissions from coal by 2030). In part 2 of our coverage, we hear from Judith Enck of Beyond Plastics as well as the responses by her and Senator Harckham, one of the bill's leader sponsors, to questions from reporters. By Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

This week we interview Judith Enck, President of Beyond Plastics, to learn more about the organization's new report, “Chemical Recycling: A Dangerous Deception,” that takes aim at a growing form of plastics reprocessing called “advanced recycling.” While often portrayed as a climate-smart solution to plastics waste, the truth surrounding “advanced recycling” is that it is an energy-intensive, heavily polluting industry. Despite industry claims, chemical recycling produces a dirty form of fuel and chemical byproducts that require expensive refining processes to convert them into new plastics. It's more of a public relations campaign designed to prolong the life of fossil fuel-based plastics, according to Beyond Plastics' latest report.

Beyond Plastics and IPEN (the International Pollutants Elimination Network) released “Chemical Recycling: A Dangerous Deception,” a critical examination of the technology's long history of failure and the threats it poses to the environment, human health, and environmental justice. The report precedes the upcoming United Nations international plastics treaty talks, to be held in Nairobi, Kenya, from November 13 to 19, 2023. We hear from Judith Enck of Beyond Plastics and Lee Bell, IPEN science policy advisor and the lead author of the report. With Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine (husband of Judith Enck).

In this special episode of Upwell hosted by Hannah Fine, Only One's Senior Director of Campaigns, we speak with Judith Enck. She's the founder and president of Beyond Plastics, an extraordinary organization at the forefront of the global movement to end plastic pollution.In the conversation, we dive into environmental justice and the plastic pollution crisis, exploring the toxicity of plastic production, the wasteful packaging landscape, and what people can do to protect the environment and join the fight against plastics. 

Amid demands for higher pay and a shorter workweek, the United Auto Workers are likely to strike when the union's current contract expires next week. University of Michigan Ross School of Business professor Erik Gordon joins us. And, New York City, attempting to reign in the short-term rental market, has placed new rules on Airbnb properties. Roben Farzad, host of public radio's "Full Disclosure," joins us. Then, while Americans often diligently sort and recycle plastics at home, only 5% of plastics in the U.S. can actually be recycled. Judith Enck of the non-profit Beyond Plastics joins us to talk about plastic pollution and solutions to it.

Plastic is just about everywhere, and there’s going to be a lot more of it. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development expects global plastic use to triple by 2060. So what are we to do with all the waste? Tossing empty iced coffee cups, peanut butter jars and blueberry containers into a recycling bin might seem like the obvious solution. But while the plastics industry has been working hard to promote recycling as a fix since the ’70s, it turns out our recycling systems are not equipped to handle the various plastics we use. “Think of your own home. On top of your washing machine, you probably have a bright orange, hard plastic detergent bottle. And then in your refrigerator, you might have a squeezable clear ketchup bottle. Those two plastic containers cannot be recycled together,” said Judith Enck, founder of Beyond Plastics and former regional administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. On the show today: the fundamental problems with plastic recycling and the ubiquitous chasing-arrow symbol, and what we should do about it. Then, we’ll discuss Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo’s visit to China, and why it may be time for Chinese officials to make a visit of their own. And is Yahoo is making a comeback? Later, we'll hear some listeners' thoughts on robotaxis. And this week's answer to the Make Me Smart question comes from one of the economists behind our favorite nerdy econ game, Tradle. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Plastic Recycling Doesn’t Work and Will Never Work” from The Atlantic “Toward a circular economy: Tackling the plastics recycling problem” from The Conversation “The recycling myth: A plastic waste solution littered with failure” from Reuters “Decades of public messages about recycling in the US have crowded out more sustainable ways to manage waste” from The Conversation “The Plastics Industry’s Long Fight to Blame Pollution on You” from Tahe Intercept “What a reporter learned after cataloging her plastic use for a week” from Marketplace “UN Agency Provides Path to 80 Percent Reduction in Plastic Waste. Recycling Alone Won't Cut It” from Inside Climate News “U.S. Does Not Want to ‘Decouple' From China, Raimondo Says” from The New York Times “How Yahoo is coming back from the dead” from Axios We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. You can reach us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Plastic is just about everywhere, and there’s going to be a lot more of it. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development expects global plastic use to triple by 2060. So what are we to do with all the waste? Tossing empty iced coffee cups, peanut butter jars and blueberry containers into a recycling bin might seem like the obvious solution. But while the plastics industry has been working hard to promote recycling as a fix since the ’70s, it turns out our recycling systems are not equipped to handle the various plastics we use. “Think of your own home. On top of your washing machine, you probably have a bright orange, hard plastic detergent bottle. And then in your refrigerator, you might have a squeezable clear ketchup bottle. Those two plastic containers cannot be recycled together,” said Judith Enck, founder of Beyond Plastics and former regional administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. On the show today: the fundamental problems with plastic recycling and the ubiquitous chasing-arrow symbol, and what we should do about it. Then, we’ll discuss Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo’s visit to China, and why it may be time for Chinese officials to make a visit of their own. And is Yahoo is making a comeback? Later, we'll hear some listeners' thoughts on robotaxis. And this week's answer to the Make Me Smart question comes from one of the economists behind our favorite nerdy econ game, Tradle. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Plastic Recycling Doesn’t Work and Will Never Work” from The Atlantic “Toward a circular economy: Tackling the plastics recycling problem” from The Conversation “The recycling myth: A plastic waste solution littered with failure” from Reuters “Decades of public messages about recycling in the US have crowded out more sustainable ways to manage waste” from The Conversation “The Plastics Industry’s Long Fight to Blame Pollution on You” from Tahe Intercept “What a reporter learned after cataloging her plastic use for a week” from Marketplace “UN Agency Provides Path to 80 Percent Reduction in Plastic Waste. Recycling Alone Won't Cut It” from Inside Climate News “U.S. Does Not Want to ‘Decouple' From China, Raimondo Says” from The New York Times “How Yahoo is coming back from the dead” from Axios We want to hear your answer to the Make Me Smart question. You can reach us at makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

On Thursday, July 27, environmental groups delivered 27,570 petition signatures to EPA's DC office, calling for a ban on toxic vinyl chloride, the carcinogenic chemical used to make PVC plastic that was intentionally spilled and burned in East Palestine after the train derailment disaster in February 2023. We hear first from Heather McTeer Toney of Beyond Petrochemicals followed by Daniel Winston of River Valley Organizing; Chris Walton of the Hip Hop Caucus; Judith Enck of Beyond Plastics; and Jessica Conard, a resident of East Palestine Ohio. By Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

Beyond Plastics recently held a webinar on Plastics & The Future Of Our Planet: A Conversation With Bill McKibben and Elizabeth Kolbert. We hear first from Judith Enck, founder of Beyond Plastics and a former regional EPA administrator, followed by Betsy and then Bill. Bill McKibben is the co-founder of 350.org and The Third Act and wrote the pivotal book The End of Nature. Betsy Kolbert is an award winning journalist, having won the Pulitzer Prize for the Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History. This has been Mark Dunlea for the Hudson Mohawk Magazine (husband of Judith Enck) You can hear the full hour long program at https://www.youtube.com/live/g2G5nc16xvg?feature=share

With the legislative session scheduled to end this Thursday, Environmental Chairs State Senator Pete Harckham and Assemblymember Deborah Glick held a press conference on Monday June 5 to urge passage of their recently rewritten Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act. The legislation would reduce packaging, including plastic packaging, by half over the next 12 years; Ban certain toxic chemicals from being used for packaging; and, Prohibit so-called chemical recycling from being counted as recycling. We hear from Senator Harckham; Assemblymember Glick; Adrienne Esposito of Citizens Campaign for the Environment; Judith Enck of Beyond Plastics; and Bobbi Wilding, Clean and Healthy New York

INTERVIEW STARTS AT 10:12 This week Patti and Doug discuss how heat impacts health, PFAS in food pesticides, and toxics at home and at work. Then former EPA Region II Administrator Judith Enck talks about the politics of plastics, and why legislation is required to force companies like Coca Cola to do the right thing,

The replacement of lead water service pipes recently became a major issue in the City of Troy. In a new report Beyond Plastics warns of the human health risks of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, recommending state and local officials avoid using the material for their communities' water pipes. The Biden administration and Congress is providing $15 billion to municipalities that need to replace toxic lead service lines. Judith Enck of Beyond Plastics, former Region 2 EPA Administrator, speaks at the news conference releasing the report. By Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine. Dunlea and Enck have been married for 41 years.

Judith Enck is an environmental policy expert and former EPA Regional Administrator. She will be talking about the East Palestine train derailments and toxic spills in our waterways. Planet Philadelphia airs 4:00-5:00 PM 1st & 3rd Friday/month on WGGT-LP 92.9 FM in Philadelphia & gtownradio.com. Podcasts of show are available after broadcast. www.planetphiladelphia.com| @planetphila --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kay-wood9/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kay-wood9/support

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are WAMC's Alan Chartock, faculty at Bennington College, President of Beyond Plastics, and former EPA regional administrator Judith Enck, immigration attorney and Partner with the Albany law firm of Whiteman Osterman & Hanna, Cianna Freeman-Tolbert, and President and CEO of The Business Council of New York State Heather Mulligan.

Former EPA administrator Judith Enck says the agency failed to come up with a comprehensive plan after the train derailment, leaving people desperate for answers.

The Bigger Better Bottle Bill and the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Act were the focus of a rally at the State Capitol on Feb. 15. We hear from Ryan Carson of NYPIRG; Assemblymember Glick and Senator May; Judith Enck of Beyond Plastics; and Ryan Castalia, Executive Director of Sure We Can. By Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are WAMC's Alan Chartock, President of Beyond Plastics, and former EPA regional administrator Judith Enck, Preceptor in Public Speaking for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University Terry Gipson, President and CEO of The Business Council of New York State Heather Mulligan, and Albany Country District Attorney David Soares.

Ward Stone, who served as the state's wildlife pathologist for over four decades, died this week. Roger Downes of the Sierra Club said, "Ward shone a light on environmental threats long before others could notice them and gave a science-based voice to nature in times of crisis when few other state officials would listen. He always chose to pursue environmental justice first before pointless bureaucracy." We hear from Lynne Jackson, Judith Enck and Ward. By Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are WAMC's Alan Chartock, UAlbany Lecturer in Africana Studies Jennifer Burns, faculty at Bennington College, President of Beyond Plastics, former EPA regional administrator Judith Enck, and Siena College Professor of Economics Aaron Pacitti.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are WAMC's Alan Chartock, faculty at Bennington College, President of Beyond Plastics, former EPA regional administrator Judith Enck, immigration attorney and Partner with the Albany law firm of Whiteman Osterman & Hanna, Cianna Freeman-Tolbert, and Albany County District Attorney David Soares.

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are WAMC's Alan Chartock, faculty at Bennington College, Founder of Beyond Plastics, former EPA regional administrator Judith Enck, Tetherless World Professor of Computer, Web and Cognitive Sciences at RPI and Founding Director of the Future of Computing Institute at RPI Jim Hendler, and Siena College Professor of Economics Aaron Pacitti.

Today, on the Hudson Mohawk Magazine: We begin with testimony from the Senate hearing on the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act by Judith Enck, the former EPA Regional Administrator. Then, Roaming Labor Correspondent Willie Terry brings us coverage from "A Union Brews at Starbucks." Later on, H Bosh Jr brings us a Triple E's segment with returning guest Tatum Hughes who will talk about her work as a nurse. After that, Brea Barthel reports from last weekend's Interfaith Holiday Justice and Peace Circle at Freedom Square and speaks with organizations and participants. Finally, H Bosh Jr brings us another dose of Triple E's with Bill Bastuk on justice reform.

Back in the days when bands like Led Zeppelin or The Who toured America, teens lined up overnight at ticket booths, hoping for great seats when the window opened. As time went on, the queue moved to the telephone and ultimately online. All the while, one company increased its grip on the live-event market. That company is Ticketmaster.  But that could change thanks to Taylor Swift. Having waited years to see her live again, millions of fans were blocked by a combination of crushing demand, technical breakdown and the ascendance of bot-buyers who funnel tickets to a secondary market that charges sky-high prices. (In the 20th century, they were called scalpers.) As reporter Augusta Saraiva explains, this consumer calamity infuriated Swift's fans, many of whom are swimming in cash saved up during the pandemic and desperate to spend it, regardless of the shaky economic landscape. This strange state affairs already has a name: “Swiftonomics.” Lawmakers have seized on the popular outrage, uniting with fans against what many have long alleged to be Ticketmaster's monopoly power. Host Stephanie Flanders speaks with Bloomberg industry analyst Eleanor Tyler about how the debacle, and its growing political exploitation, may be the tipping point for increased antitrust regulation that finally breaks Ticketmaster's spell over the live event marketplace. Then we dive headlong into a different thicket: how recycling doesn't work as advertised. Consumers may feel better about mass consumption because there's a blue bin for everything, but the hard truth is they're fooling themselves. Most of the plastics, clothes and other items they seek to recycle wind up in landfills or dumped on the developing world. Along the shoreline of Accra, Ghana, what locals call “dead white people's clothes” can be found in piles up to six feet high.  Reporter Natalie Pearson explains that while fast-fashion chains like H&M and Zara encourage recycling, only a small fraction of their clothes will ever be remade into new items. Bloomberg recently surveyed the problem in Accra, where some 40% of the imported clothes end up as trash, and in the Indian state of Gujarat, where roughly one-third have no use. Finally, Flanders sits down with Bennington College Senior Fellow and visiting faculty member Judith Enck, a US Environmental Protection Agency official during the Obama administration, to discuss just how broken the recycling system is, and how it could be made to work better.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever wonder what actually happens to all the plastic you dutifully toss in the recycling bin? Kit Chellel, an investigative reporter for Bloomberg, set out to answer that very question. And what he found out is…well we're not gonna give it away.  Then, Wes picks up with reporter Matthew Campbell, who went to see for himself where a lot of that plastic piles (and piles and piles) up.This episode also features Judith Enck, president of Beyond Plastics, who explains why it's so hard to recycle this stuff. Learn more about this story here: https://bloom.bg/3tqqP4p Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK  Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at bigtake@bloomberg.net.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's conversation is with Judith Enck, a former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator, the founder of Beyond Plastics, and a visiting professor at Bennington College. In 2009, Judith was appointed by President Barack Obama as the Regional Administrator of the EPA, where she oversaw environmental protections in New York, New Jersey, eight Indian Nations, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands – in addition to managing a staff of 800 and a $700M budget.Judith has also served as Deputy Secretary for the Environment in the New York Governor's Office, and Policy Advisor to the New York State Attorney General.Now, Judith is the founder and president of Beyond Plastics, an organization based out of Bennington College that is on a mission to end plastic pollution through education, advocacy, and institutional change. I can't think of many more pressing and important topics in today's society than the environmental crisis – and I was shocked to hear some of the grim statistics and information Judith shared about where we're at and where we're heading if we don't turn this thing around. However, as you'll hear Judith share, there is still hope – and it starts with all of us “doing what we can, where we are, with what we have”. -----Please support our partners!We're able to keep growing and creating content for YOU because of their support. We believe in their mission and would appreciate you supporting them in return!!To take advantage of deals from our partners, head to http://www.findingmastery.net/partners where you'll find all discount links and codes mentioned in the podcast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Norlite hazardous waste incinerator and aggregate facility in Cohoes is approaching 2 years with expired permits, and the DEC has not released any updates since February 2022. Lights Out Norlite held a briefing about shutting the plant down for local residents on Sept. 15 at the Saratoga Sites public housing complex the City is demolishing after moving all the residents out. We hear from LON organizer Joe Ritchie; area resident Shamari Stephen; and former EPA regional administrator Judith Enck. By Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Network.

The theme of this year's annual Solidarity Committee of the Capital District Annual Labor Day Picnic was Organize at Work. In part one, Doug Bullock introduces long-time activist Mark Mishler, who is organizing a union among state legislative employees. We then here from Judith Enck of Beyond Plastics who was recognized as the Environmental Activist of the Year. By Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine

Several dozen people with Zero Waste Capital District, Beyond Plastics, Rensselaer County Women for Change, and Watervliet Huddle rallied in front of the Market 32 supermarket in Albany on July 23 to protest the excessive single-use plastic packaging. Speakers at the press conference at the event include Marc Thurston of Zero Waste Capital District, Sally Lauletta of the Watervliet Huddle and Rensselear County Women for Change, and Judith Enck of Beyond Plastics, the group which coordinated a national day of action with events in 15 communities. By Mark Dunlea of Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

The recent decision from the Supreme Court limits the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. It's being described as a ‘gut punch' by some environmental activists.   Judith Enck, a former EPA regional administrator, joined Errol to react to the ruling, explain how the Biden administration can move forward despite it and discuss what it means for New York. Enck summed up the situation as “a gift to the fossil fuel industry and really bad for our lungs.” And as the president of Beyond Plastics, Enck talked about the importance of recycling and policies that reduce single-use plastics.   JOIN THE CONVERSATION Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to YourStoryNY1@charter.com

Mark Reardon welcomes the President of Beyond Plastics, Judith Enck to discuss her article in the Atlantic, "Plastic Recycling Doesn't Work and Will Never Work"   © 2021 KFTK (Audacy). All rights reserved. | (Photo by Natalie Behring/Getty Images)

Hour 3: Heather Mac Donald, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute shares on her latest piece titled, "BLM is Silent on the Top Killer of Black Kids." Then, President of Beyond Plastic, Judith Enck shares on her piece in the Atlantic titled, "Plastic Recycling Doesn't Work and Will Never Work." Later, Mark brings you the Audio Cut of the Day!

Advocates gathered at the State Capitol on May 18th to observe the 40th anniversary of the Bottle Bill and to urge lawmakers to increase the deposit to 10 cents and to expand it to include other containers such as wine, liquor, and noncarbonated beverages. We hear from Ryan Carson of NYPIRG; Judith Enck of Beyond Plastics; As. Engelbright and Sen. May; and the Redemption Association. With Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

As the NYS legislative session heads to an early June finish, one of the outstanding issues is whether they will pass an Extended Producer Responsibility law which has previously been pushed by both the Senate and the Governor. Environmentalists and lawmakers held a news conference at the Capitol to announce the introduction of a stronger EPR bill by Assemblymember Englebright, Chair of the Assembly Environmental Committee. In this report we hear from Judith Enck of Beyond Plastics, Assemblymember Englebright, and Ryan Carson of NYPIRG who is coordinating the effort to expand the Bottle Bill on its 40th anniversary. By Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

We all agree that corporations need to have some skin in the game when it comes to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), green design and taking their packaging back for reuse or recycling – but the devil is truly in the details. There's good EPR and bad EPR. Kirstie Pecci of the Conservation Law Foundation and Judith Enck of Beyond Plastics have been working intimately on EPR in several states this legislative session, as well as deposit-return systems for beverages (e.g. “bottle bills”). Dive deep with these policy experts on the nuances of EPR for packaging that ensures a shift to a circular economy and prevents harmful recycling practices. Resources:Beyond PlasticsConservation Law FoundationEPR Resources from UpstreamBottle Bill Resources from Upstream

On this edition of Green Street, Patti and Doug talk with former EPA Region II Administrator Judith Enck, whose new nonprofit organization Beyond Plastics is championing Extended Producer Responsibility legislation to make polluters pay! For this and other Green Street shows, visit our website www.GreenStreetRadio.com or follow us on Spotify.

Judith shares her work, motivation, and vision on a problem everyone sees killing people and wildlife, but shies from applying themselves to, maybe because we value our polyester clothes, bottled water, laptops, and such. Have we lost the ability to imagine the world before plastic was invented?Her perspective, vision, and plans are common sense, sadly not common, yet, but she's working to bring us there. We do not need to use as much plastic as we do.Beyond Plastic's mission, from its web site:Launched in January 2019, Beyond Plastics is a nationwide project based at Bennington College in Bennington, Vermont, that pairs the wisdom and experience of environmental policy experts with the energy and creativity of college students to build a vibrant and effective anti-plastics movement. Our mission is to end plastic pollution by being a catalyst for change at every level of our society. We use our deep policy and advocacy expertise to build a well-informed, effective movement seeking to achieve the institutional, economic, and societal changes needed to save our planet, and ourselves, from the plastic pollution crisis.Their goals:It will take changes at every level of our economy and civil life to stem the tide of plastic pollution. Individuals need to be moved to act in their personal lives and take action as part of a growing movement; corporations need to feel the pressure to initiate changes in their purchasing and packaging habits; governments need to impose bans and adopt laws that require extended producer responsibility; and new manufacturing of plastic has to be prevented from spreading. Beyond Plastics seeks to educate the media, policymakers, and the public on the plastic pollution crisis; encourage businesses to eliminate single-use plastics; train students to become leaders in the anti-plastics movement; and help block new plastic manufacturing and plastic burning facilities.Judith's pageBeyond PlasticThe Story of PlasticThe New Coal report from Beyond Plastics See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

La COP 26 termine son tour de piste ce vendredi et, avec des broutilles dans son escarcelle, on ne peut pas dire que l'état de santé de la planète va bonifier. Que du contraire ! À moins d'un revirement total ces prochaines heures (voir notre prochaine chronique pour le bilan final), cette COP 26 que l'on disait cruciale pourrait bien être la dernière car les nombreuses ONG qui y participent avec l'espoir de faire basculer les multinationales et les politiciens dans une véritable prise de conscience environnementale, s'en retournent chez elles passablement cocufiées ! Car, tenez-vous bien, en stratèges machiavéliques qu'elles sont avec la bénédiction des politiciens, comme il se doit, les industries pétrochimiques et des combustibles fossiles font croire qu'elles ont compris la leçon et jurent devenir « vertes », alors qu'elles sont déjà à l'œuvre pour contourner ces prétendues bonnes et pieuses résolutions. La preuve vient d'en être donnée par Judith Enck, chercheuse et membre de l'Agence de protection de l'environnement américaine qui déclare que ces industries construisent déjà de nouvelles usines à, je la cite, « un rythme stupéfiant », des usines de plastiques dans le but de transformer les produits pétrochimiques. Or, ce qu'il faut savoir, c'est que l'industrie plastique émet davantage de gaz nocifs et recrachera quelque quarante millions de tonnes de CO₂ supplémentaires par rapport à la situation actuelle. Ce camouflage se réalisera donc de mèche avec les politiciens. La COP 26 était bien le rendez-vous des trompeurs et des cocufiés !

Stand Up is a daily podcast. I book,host,edit, post and promote new episodes with brilliant guests every day. Please subscribe now for as little as 5$ and gain access to a community of over 800 awesome, curious, kind, funny, brilliant, generous souls Check out StandUpwithPete.com to learn more On Today's show I recap the last 24 hours in news for the first 30 minutes or so.  at 36 mins in I start my latest talk with Dr Arthur Caplan is currently the Drs. William F and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor and founding head of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU School of Medicine in New York City. Prior to coming to NYU School of Medicine, Dr. Caplan was the Sidney D. Caplan Professor of Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine in Philadelphia, where he created the Center for Bioethics and the Department of Medical Ethics. Caplan has also taught at the University of Minnesota, where he founded the Center for Biomedical Ethics, the University of Pittsburgh, and Columbia University.  He received his PhD from Columbia University Follow Dr Caplan on Twitter and let him know you heard him here! 1:07 Judith Enck founded Beyond Plastics in 2019 to end plastic pollution through education, advocacy, and institutional change. Passionate about protecting public health and the environment, she teaches classes on plastic pollution as a Senior Fellow and visiting faculty member at Bennington College, and was recently a Visiting Scholar at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. Judith has held top influential positions in state and federal government. Appointed by President Obama, she served as the Regional Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, overseeing environmental protections in NY, NJ, eight Indian Nations, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands – in addition to managing a staff of 800 and a $700M budget. Previously, Judith served as Deputy Secretary for the Environment in the New York Governor's Office, and Policy Advisor to the New York State Attorney General. She was Senior Environmental Associate with the New York Public Interest Research Group, served as Executive Director for Environmental Advocates of New York and the Non-Profit Resource Center, and is a past President of Hudson River Sloop Clearwater. Judith appears on a weekly public affairs radio show on a local NPR affiliate, the Roundtable on WAMC in Albany, NY. Judith lives in upstate New York with her husband, where they built their passive solar home with their own hands and with lots of support from friends and family.  She designed her town's rural recycling program. She is a proud parent and enjoys reading and following the news in her spare time. Check out all things Jon Carroll Follow and Support Pete Coe Pete on YouTube Pete on Twitter Pete On Instagram Pete Personal FB page Stand Up with Pete FB page

Today, on the Hudson Mohawk Magazine, We begin with another segment on the Poestenkill community meeting on PFOA contamination, this time with Judith Enck, the former EPA Regional administrator. Then, for our peace bucket, we talk to John Amidon about Upstate Drone Action's work to free whistleblower Daniel Hale. Later on, we hear from Kiani Conley-Wilson about her race of Troy City Council in District 5. After that, we hear from Willie Terry about a mass food distribution that took place in Troy on September 22. Finally, Andrea talks with Opalka's Curator Amy Griffin about the Exhibition "Pieced Together" at Albany Library's Pine Hill Branch.

In January 2021, PFOA,–a toxic “forever chemical”–was found in drinking water wells at the Algonquin Middle School and nearby residential wells in Poestenkill. A community meeting was held on September 27th at the Poestenkill VFW to address the problem. The order of the speakers: Eric Wohlleber, Poestenkill Town Board member and host. Judith Enck, former EPA Regional Administrator and resident of Poestenkill Bob Brunet, Poestenkill Public Health Coordinator Michele Baker, NY Water Project and resident of Hoosick Falls Gary Ginsberg, NYS Department of Health Sean Mahar, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Longtime Poestenkill resident and former US EPA region 2 administrator Judith Enck spoke at a community meeting on September 27, 2021 about the discovery of PFOA chemicals in drinking water at Algonquin Middle School and surrounding homes. The full meeting audio is here: https://soundcloud.com/mediasanctuary/poestenkill-pfoa-september-27-2021/s-pXODmVwJLm5

PFOA, a toxic “forever chemical” has been found in January 2021 in drinking water wells at the Algonquin Middle School in Poestenkill and nearby residential wells. A community meeting was held on September 27th at the Poestenkill VFW to address the problem. We hear an introduction from Eric Wohlleber of the Poestenkill Town Board. We then hear a question from resident Paula Heilmann, with responses from Sean Mahar, Chief of Staff for NYS DEC and Judith Enck, a local resident who is a former EPA Regional administrator who dealt with PFOA in Hoosick Falls. We finish with a comment by local resident Suzanne Sennett. By Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Radio Network.

Lights Out Norlite and allies held a press conference on Wednesday, July 28th and delivered a letter signed by 122 organizations calling on DEC and the Cuomo Administration to deny the Norlite hazardous waste incinerator in Cohoes NY a renewal of their permits to pollute. We hear from Joe Ritchie, Lights Out Norlite; Patricia Sibilia, League of Women Voters; and, Judith Enck, former EPA Regional Administrator. By Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Radio Network.

On this Summer Friday, we've put together many of our recent conversations about climate change and where individual actions can be effective: Earth Day science panel: Laura Helmuth, editor-in-chief of Scientific American, Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, professor and chair in Earth Sciences, Life & Environmental Sciences Department at the University of California-Merced, and Sir David King, founder and chair of the Centre for Climate Repair, talk about the climate emergency we're living in, and where we go from here. Steven Mufson, business of climate change reporter at The Washington Post, talks about the role of electric vehicles in meeting the U.S. climate goals, President Biden's proposed boost to the industry in his infrastructure plan, and the practicalities of shifting from gas-powered vehicles to electric ones. Plus, Paul Greenberg, author of Four Fish and his newest, The Climate Diet: 50 Simple Ways to Trim Your Carbon Footprint (Penguin Books, 2021), shares his experience with an electric vehicle in Manhattan. Seth Blumsack, professor of Energy and Environmental Economics and International Affairs and director of the Center for Energy Law and Policy at Penn State University, talks about the status of rooftop solar panels and the power grid. Marielle Anzelone, botanist and founder of NYC Wildflower Week, talks about biodiversity and why it matters to the health and future of the planet, even in urban areas. As parents and kids emerge from the pandemic, the climate crisis has come into focus for many, causing anxiety especially among kids. Mary DeMocker, author of The Parents' Guide to Climate Revolution: 100 Ways to Build a Fossil-Free Future, Raise Empowered Kids, and Still Get a Good Night's Sleep (New World Library, 2018), talks about how to help kids deal with their climate anxiety and empower them along the way. Judith Enck, founder of Beyond Plastics, visiting professor at Bennington College, and former EPA Region 2 administrator, talks about which plastics are actually recyclable, and answers callers' questions on the topic. These interviews were edited slightly for time, the original versions are available here: The Climate Emergency (Earth Day, April 22, 2021) Covering Climate Now: Electric Vehicles (April 19, 2021) Covering Climate Now: Rooftop Solar (April 20, 2021) Remote Learning: Urban Biodiversity (May 24, 2021) Talking to Kids About Climate Anxiety (May 19, 2021) All About Plastics and Recycling (April 23, 2021)

In Luke Weber's weekly segment of the Tonko Tuesday rallies, he covers Judith Enck's guest appearance and speech.

After a week of listeners documenting their plastic use with the #PlasticChallenge, Judith Enck, founder of Beyond Plastics, visiting professor at Bennington College, and former EPA Region 2 administrator, talks about which plastics are actually recyclable, and answers your questions on the topic.

This episode features a “power hour” with three experts working across the political spectrum from federal to state to local policy. Listen to Yinka Bode-George from the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators, Judith Enck from Beyond Plastics, and UPSTREAM’s own Miriam Gordon to learn what 2021 holds for plastics policy under the new Biden administration. You’ll learn about what types of plastics and packaging-related bills are being introduced, including the  federal Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act. You’ll also get some good old fashioned policy wonkery about extended producer responsibility for packaging and deposit-return systems for beverage containers. And how reuse policy is moving forward at the city and state level – even during the pandemic. You can also check out the video of this episode on our YouTube Channel.Helpful resources to dig in more: National Caucus of Environmental Legislators​Beyond Plastics​UPSTREAM’s Reuse Learning Hub​Reuse Acceleration Policies​More information on the National Reuse Network and the Government Reuse Forum​Covid Safety Resources​BFFPPA summaryPlastic-Free PresidentFederal Stimulus & Other Funding ReportCourse (open to all): Beyond Plastic Pollution with Judith Enck ​A Story of Plastic Virtual Film Screening & Panel Discussion

This episode is dedicated to plastic and its effects on the environment. I sat down with Alexis Goldsmith: National Organizing Director for Beyond Plastic. Beyond Plastic was founded by Judith Enck; a Regional EPA Administrator under President Obama. It's a nonprofit dedicated to eliminating single-use plastic and changing the way we use plastic entirely. We talked about the plastic creation process, its effect on the environment, and how common microplastic is (we eat a credit card worth a week!). She brought facts and expertise to talk about all that is plastic and its detrimental impact. *Footnote from Alexis: "At around 9:30, I say that Methane is 89 times more potent than Carbon. It's actually 30x, so I misspoke. The 89 number is also repeated at 11:49." Beyond Plastic - https://www.beyondplastics.org/ The Way Podcast - Website - Twitter - Instagram Introduction guitar taken and copied from Aiden Ayers at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UiB9FMOP5s Intro and Outro voiceover by - https://threeinterestingthings.captivate.fm

On Thursday, a group of residents near the Norlite hazardous waste incinerator held a press conference where they publicly released a letter sent to the NYS Inspector General calling for an investigation into two DEC officials. In this segment, you will hear former EPA Regional Administrator, Judith Enck. Emails obtained via a FOIL request show that former DEC Region 4 Director Keith Goertz knew Norlite was incinerating AFFF as early as March 2019. Since the public learned that Norlite burned 2.4 million pounds of AFFF, DEC has maintained that it didn't know about the AFFF burning until late 2019 and that as soon as they learned about it, they immediately directed Norlite to stop burning AFFF and initiated a permit review. But the April 2019 emails from Keith Goertz, the former DEC Region 4 Director, show that he knew Norlite was incinerating AFFF after he made an informal request for sampling to determine whether the AFFF was being destroyed. Residents have sent a letter to the NYS Inspector General calling for an investigation into the actions of Keith Goertz, former DEC Regional Director for Region 4 (2014-2020) and Joseph Hasdershbeck, who was the DEC full-time onsite monitor at Norlite for 15 years until 2020.

Hello Capital Region! This is the Hudson Mohawk Magazine on WOOC-LP 105.3 FM Troy and WOOS-LP 98.9 FM Schenectady broadcasting from The Sanctuary for Independent Media in Troy, NY. Today HMM’s Elizabeth Press sat down with Rob Gavin to analyze last week’s acquittal of former Rensselaer County DA, Joel Abelove Then, my cohost Alexis asked former EPA region II administrator, Judith Enck, for an update on the Norlite incinerator and clean air legislation And later on, the annual Empty Bowls event has not been cancelled - but it will be at the Troy Waterfront Farmer’s market in October. HMM’s Corinne Carey has the story. After that, our roaming labor correspondent honors the late peace activist, Kevin Zeese. Finally, part two of my cohost Erika’s interview with Susan Wells of the organization, Stars for Troops. But first, here are some of today’s headlines

A letter sent by Trump EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler threatens to pull EPA Region 2 headquarters out of lower Manhattan, after Attorney General Bill Barr designated NYC as an "anarchy" zone. HMM's Alexis Goldsmith spoke to former EPA Region 2 Administrator, Judith Enck, about the issue. Photo: EPA.gov.

Judith Enck is founder of Beyond Plastics and a Senior Fellow and Visiting Faculty member at Bennington College, as well as a former Regional Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for New York, New Jersey, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. In this episode Judith explains how advocacy, education, legislation, and individual action are all part of reducing plastic pollution in water. She discusses how the coronavirus pandemic impacted the amount of single-use plastic and lists several films that tell the story of plastics. Judith also talks about PFAS pollution in Hoosick Falls, NY, hurricane recovery and resilience, and damaging changes to water policy under the Trump administration. The waterloop podcast is brought to you by High Sierra Showerheads, the smart and stylish way to save water, energy, and money while enjoying a powerful shower. Use promo code waterloop for 20 percent off at www.highsierrashowerheads.com

Hello Capital Region! This is the Hudson Mohawk Magazine on WOOC-LP 105.3 FM Troy, WOOS-LP 98.9 FM Schenectady, WOOA-LP 106.9 FM Albany, and WCAA-LP 107.3 FM Albany., broadcasting from the Sanctuary for Independent Media in Troy, NY. Tonight, we highlight HMM Correspondent Ana Cowie interviewing Judith Enck, former region two administrator of the EPA, the founder of Beyond Plastics, and a longtime environmental activist, about the Albany County Clean Air Law. Next up, TripleE's host, H. Bosh Jr. speaks with Flerida Santana Johnas, who has a long career in the field of real estate finance and development. Then we hear from Hudson Mohawk Magazine Network Roaming Labor Correspondent, Willie Terry, who speaks with long-time activist, educator, and labor organizer David V. Walker at his home in East Greenbush, New York, about his life. Up next is Episode 7 of People’s Science, featuring Dr. Kisha Daniels, professor of education at Duke University with HMM producer Erin Blanding. For our final segment, HMM producer Anna Steltenkamp speaks with Lee Perry, the Chief Operations Officer, and Clayton Louis Ferrara, the Executive Director, of the United Nations Accredited NGO, IDEAS For Us. But first, some headlines:

HMM Correspondent Ana Cowie interviews Judith Enck, former region two administrator of the EPA, the founder of Beyond Plastics, and a longtime environmental activist, about the Albany County Clean Air Law. She discusses what the law is, what it will do if it's passed, and why it's important to show support. The Law will be voted on by the Albany County Legislature, on Monday, August 10th at 7:30 PM EST and there will be a public forum an hour before the vote at 6:30 PM EST. For more information on the vote and the public forum please visit: https://www.albanycounty.com/government/departments/county-legislature

Hello Capital Region! This is the Hudson Mohawk Magazine, broadcasting from the Sanctuary for Independent Media in Troy, NY. Today, you’ll hear from Bob Gangi (gan gee) of the Police Reform Organizing Project Then, Maureen Aumand discusses her new book, “Bending the Arc: Striving for Peace and Justice in the Age of Endless War” And later on, Mark Emanatian speaks about the Drive-Thru Food Pantry happening in Troy, New York on July 13th After that, Francis Magai talks about urban foraging Finally, you’ll hear Judith Enck’s testimony to the Environment Subcommittee of the US House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform. And here are some headlines.

On July 7, Judith Enck, former EPA Region 2 Administrator and founder of Beyond Plastics, gave testimony on the topic of Plastic Production, Pollution and Waste in the Time of COVID-19 to the Environment Subcommittee of the US House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform. "I completely reject that this is a cultural issue and it's up to you and me to move away from plastic. When you walk into a supermarket it's virtually impossible to walk away without plastic. We need to make less plastic." For a video of the full virtual briefing, visit https://youtu.be/mq0yjlewZmA.

Hudson Mohawk Magazine for July 3, 2020 featuring a rebroadcast of the virtual Norlite Town Hall Meeting produced by The Sanctuary for Independent Media on June 22, 2020. The Norlite incinerator in Cohoes has been burning toxic waste for decades. What is the health impact of their operations on the surrounding communities throughout the NY Capital Region, southwestern Vermont, northwestern Massachusetts, and beyond? Cohoes Mayor William T. Keeler, longtime Saratoga Sites apartment resident Joe Ritchie, Dr. David Carpenter of the Albany School of Public Health, Dr. David Bond from Bennington College, and former EPA Region 2 administrator Judith Enck came together online for a discussion of this important issue. TThe moderator is Hudson Mohawk Magazine correspondent Corinne Carey. This event was co-sponsored by Lights Out Norlite and the Hudson Mohawk Environmental Action Network. www.LightsOutNorlite.org

Judith Enck has devoted her career to protecting the environment. She has had a role in initiatives great — regional director of the United States Environmental Protection Agency under the Obama administration — and small: designer of her town’s rural recycling program. In this week’s podcast, Enck talks about some of her current causes, including her founding of Beyond Plastics. Her insights are valuable at a time when the current administration is making rollbacks in environmental protections, having cast such protections as harmful to business. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Though legislation has passed banning single use plastic bags from grocery stores and restaurants in NYS, it has been met with hurdle after hurdle. Since COVID put NYS on pause, the plastics industry has been heavily lobbying against the ban. We speak with the president of Beyond Plastics, Judith Enck, about the message that 122 social and environmental justice groups sent to DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. To learn more, go to www.beyondplastics.org

A sampling of three water bodies near the Dunn Landfill in Rensselaer found contamination for PFOS. PFAS are a family of chemicals with direct links to cancers, motor disorders in children, obesity, endocrine disruption, and liver and thyroid diseases. Rensselaer Environmental Action and PEER have called for DEC to ensure that the water supply is not being contaminated. In part one of our coverage of the March 14 news conference, we hear from Dave Ellis and former EPA regional administrator Judith Enck. By Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Radio Network.

On the 2nd of March a Press conference was held at the Legislative Office building in Albany regarding a law suit that was filed by the Sierra Club and others, the Defense Logistics Ageancy has awarded a contract for the removal, transportation, and incineration of AFFF from military installations at the Norlite Incinerator in Cahoes NY. HMM correspondent Andrea Cunliffe spoke with environmentalist Judith Enck, NY Senator Neil Breslin and Dr Laura Rabinow, water contamination PFOA scientist. and chief of Staff for Patricia A Fahy. Outro:WOOC will continue coverage of his situation . For more information, contact your local elected officials or the chair of environmntal conservation committee

In Episode 38, Spotlight 19 takes a deep dive into environmental issues in NY19, with a specific focus on the PFAS issue. PFAS are a group of chemicals used to produce firefighting foam and other heavy industrial products that are known carcinogens. Companies like Dupont and 3M are just some of the entities responsible for these chemicals. Spotlight 19's own Sajaa Tracy was fortunate to speak to Judith Enck, former Region 2 EPA Administrator who provides a primer on the PFAS issue. Sajaa also spoke with Representative Antonio Delgado, who appears on the show for the first time as our Congressman (after many appearances as candidate)! Congressman Delgado will talk about some of the legislation and work he has done on the PFAS issue.  Three ways to listen: Stream directly here or here, or download on your podcast app here!  To find out more about the environmental initiatives discussed by Judith Enck in the episodes, visit, follow her on at https://twitter.com/enckj and visit http://beyondplastics.org/  To sign up for Representative Delgado's newsletter and stay up to date about when he will be in a location near you, visit: https://delgado.house.gov/contact/newsletter-subscribe

In Episode 38, Spotlight 19 takes a deep dive into environmental issues in NY19, with a specific focus on the PFAS issue. PFAS are a group of chemicals used to produce firefighting foam and other heavy industrial products that are known carcinogens. Companies like Dupont and 3M are just some of the entities responsible for these chemicals. Spotlight 19's own Sajaa Tracy was fortunate to speak to Judith Enck, former Region 2 EPA Administrator who provides a primer on the PFAS issue. Sajaa also spoke with Representative Antonio Delgado, who appears on the show for the first time as our Congressman (after many appearances as candidate)! Congressman Delgado will talk about some of the legislation and work he has done on the PFAS issue.  Three ways to listen: Stream directly here or here, or download on your podcast app here!  To find out more about the environmental initiatives discussed by Judith Enck in the episodes, visit, follow her on at https://twitter.com/enckj and visit http://beyondplastics.org/  To sign up for Representative Delgado's newsletter and stay up to date about when he will be in a location near you, visit: https://delgado.house.gov/contact/newsletter-subscribe

On this episode, I speak with Judith Enck, who is currently the Senior Advisor at the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development and visiting faculty at Bennington College’s Center for the Advancement of Public Action. Judith began her work as an environmental activist when she was a student at State Rose College and her concern and work on environmental issues has continued to this day. In 2009, she was appointed Regional Administrator of Region 2 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by President Barack Obama. She stepped down from her EPA position on January 20, 2017. She is an esteemed environmentalist with roots in activism and in civil service. Her passion and determination to fight for those most affected by pollutants guides all of her work including teaching courses in CAPA at Bennington College, sharing her wealth of knowledge with the next generation fighting for climate justice.Judith Enck See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

If you’ve seen video or images of Michael Cohen, President Trump’s personal attorney, they’ve probably been set in locations that exude power and importance: Cohen berating a CNN anchor in a TV studio, for example, or striding across the sleek marbled interior of Trump Tower, or more recently, smoking cigars in front of Cohen’s temporary residence, the Loews Regency Hotel on Manhattan’s Park Avenue. But to understand how Michael Cohen arrived in those precincts, you need to venture across New York City’s East River. There, in a Queens warehouse district in the shadows of an elevated No. 7 subway line, is a taxi garage that used to house his law practice. The office area in the front is painted a garish taxi-cab-yellow, with posters of hockey players on the wall and a framed photo of the late Hasidic rabbi, Menachem Schneerson. Cohen practiced law there and invested in the once-lucrative medallions that grant New York cabs the right to operate. Or you could drive 45 minutes deep into Brooklyn, near where Gravesend turns into Brighton Beach. There, in a desolate stretch near a shuttered podiatrist’s office, you’d find a medical office. According to previously unexamined records, Cohen incorporated a business there in 2002 that was involved in large quantities of medical claims. Separately, he represented more than 100 plaintiffs who claimed they were injured in auto collisions. At the same time, in Brooklyn and Long Island, New York prosecutors were investigating what Fortune magazine called possibly “the largest organized insurance-fraud ring in U.S. history.” That fraud resulted in hundreds of criminal prosecutions for staging car accidents to collect insurance payments. Cohen was not implicated in the fraud. A distinctive pattern emerged early in Cohen’s career, according to an examination by WNYC and ProPublica for the Trump, Inc. podcast: Many of the people who crossed paths with Cohen when he worked in Queens and Brooklyn were disciplined, disbarred, accused or convicted of crimes. Cohen, 51, has always emerged unscathed — until now. Last week, his Rockefeller Center office was raided by federal agents, as were his home, hotel room, safety deposit box, and two cell phones. Cohen is under criminal investigation by federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York. According to court papers, investigators are examining whether he committed fraud and showed a “lack of truthfulness.” He and his attorneys did not respond to a lengthy set of questions emailed to them. Cohen’s lawyers have stated that he has done nothing improper. Cohen has attained national attention as the man who paid Stormy Daniels $130,000 to keep her alleged affair with Trump secret. He also negotiated a $1.6 million settlement with a woman impregnated by Trump fundraiser Elliott Broidy. (Cohen’s attorney told a judge on Monday that his only three legal clients over the past 15 months were Trump, Broidy and talk-show host Sean Hannity.) Cohen has for decades had close personal and professional relationships with many citizens of the former Soviet Union. He ended up as point men on Trump’s deals there and also turned up in the notorious Russia “dossier.” He has routinely been described as an indispensable man to Donald Trump. One indicator of that, according to the New York Times: President Trump is more agitated by what those New York prosecutors may find in Cohen’s files than he is by the wide-ranging investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller. Cohen, it seems, may hold some crucial secrets. What’s more surprising, perhaps, is the path he took to get to that point. *** Michael Cohen grew up in the Five Towns area of Long Island, N.Y., a heavily Jewish enclave. His father was a surgeon, according to media reports, and Cohen enjoyed a top-tier education, graduating from the private Lawrence Woodmere Academy, then moving on to American University. From there, it seems, Cohen’s educational trajectory turned in a different direction. He attended the Thomas M. Cooley School of Law in Michigan, which InsideHigherEd.com once wrote, “is known for admitting students other law schools would not touch.” In 1992, after law school, he returned to his home region and landed a job working for a personal injury attorney named Melvyn Estrin, who had an office on lower Broadway in Manhattan.  Estrin was the first in a series of colleagues who would run afoul of authorities. Within three years of Cohen’s arrival, Estrin was charged with bribing insurance adjusters to inflate damage estimates and expedite claims. He later pleaded guilty. Cohen was never implicated in any of the misdeeds. Estrin did not respond to a request for comment. He is still practicing law. Cohen continued to use Estrin’s address on legal filings as late as 1999, but he added several new addresses during this period, including 22-05 43rd Avenue, in Long Island City, Queens — the taxi garage. It was the headquarters of the New York branch of the empire of Simon Garber, a Soviet emigre who also has had cab companies in Chicago and Moscow. Charismatic and silver-haired, Garber released kitschy TV-style advertisements, in Russian, for his company. Over the years, Garber has been convicted of assault in New York, arrested for battery in Miami, and pleaded guilty in New Jersey to charges of criminal mischief involving him breaking into three neighbors’ homes, shattering glass doors, smearing blood all over, and taking a shower. In Chicago, his taxi fleet included wrecked vehicles with illegally laundered titles. Garber did not respond to a request for comment. (Two other attorneys had offices inside Garber’s offices in the early 2000s. One was forced to resign from the bar after he was accused of not turning money over to a client. The other was disbarred, in part for trying to steal money from the first lawyer.) In 1994 Cohen married Laura Shusterman, who was born in the Soviet Union. Her father, also a taxi entrepreneur, pleaded guilty to a felony, conspiracy to defraud the IRS, the year before. By the late 1990s, records show, Cohen had begun acquiring taxi medallions, licenses required by the City of New York to operate a yellow cab. The number of medallions has been strictly controlled for decades. Before the advent of services like Uber, they were particularly valuable, with their price peaking at over $1 million in 2014. Cohen co-owned some of the medallions with his wife, and indeed, his family and business relationships sometimes overlapped. Filings show his father-in-law once made a loan to Garber. And in 2001, Cohen borrowed money for one of his taxi companies, Golden Child Cab Corp., from one of the men convicted with Cohen’s father in law, Fima Shusterman, in the fraud against the IRS. Starting around 2000, Cohen was involved in scores of car insurance lawsuits, often on behalf of plaintiffs who claimed to have been injured in auto collisions and were seeking judgments to cover purported medical expenses. At this time, a wave of staged auto accidents, involving immigrants from the former Soviet Union who claimed to have been hurt, had led prosecutors to open a massive investigation. They dubbed it Operation Boris, an acronym for Big Organized Russian Insurance Scam. The prosecutorial push resulted in hundreds of convictions. Cohen also drew up incorporation papers for at least three medical practices, and three medical billing companies. One company Cohen registered in 2002, Avex Medical Care PRC, sued insurance companies nearly 300 times. The plaintiffs lawyer in almost all of these cases was David Katz, who was disbarred later for professional misconduct. The doctor who owned Avex was charged in 2003 with criminal insurance fraud connected with another medical business; the charge was dismissed. He’s now practicing medicine in New Jersey. Dr. Zhanna Kanevsky, the principal of Life Quality Medical, a clinic business that Cohen incorporated in 2002, surrendered her medical license after pleading guilty to writing phony prescriptions for 100,000 oxycodone and other pills. Once again, Cohen was never charged. *** In the early 2000s, Trump and Cohen became connected, fittingly, through real estate. Cohen started to transfer the wealth he’d gained from taxi medallions and insurance lawsuits to apartments in Trump buildings. Along with his parents, his in-laws, and Simon Garber, Cohen acquired eight units in Trump Palace, Trump Park Avenue, and Trump World Plaza. The man who operated out of a Queens taxi garage now owned apartments alongside the likes of Sophia Loren and Harrison Ford. Cohen also began to show political ambitions. In 2003, he ran for city council on Manhattan’s Upper East Side as a Republican. Even people close to his campaign weren’t sure why he ran. His own campaign biography provided few answers — or rather, disparate ones. He claimed at the time to own 200 taxi medallions, to be a member of the Friars Club, an avid stamp collector, and a member of the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s Inspector General advisory board. Cohen lost the city council race, but his donor list provides a snapshot of his network. He received contributions from his father, his father in law, and Bruce Winston, a son of the jeweler Harry Winston. A New York Republican with knowledge of Cohen’s 2003 campaign said Cohen told him then that he was Harry Winston’s in-house counsel at the time. The company says Cohen was never an employee. Court papers show Cohen was one of the lawyers who helped Bruce Winston, and his daughter, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, in a legal action challenging Deutsche Bank’s conduct as trustee of Harry Winston’s estate. Their petition failed. (For her part, Wolkoff, a friend of Melania Trump’s, later became the highest-paid contractor for Donald Trump’s inauguration, taking in an eye-popping $26 million, and sparking a backlash.) It’s unclear when Cohen and Trump first met, but the two were publicly linked in February 2007. The New York Post published an article then about an attorney who was purchasing large numbers of apartments in Trump buildings. “Trump properties are solid investments,” Cohen told the Post. Trump returned the compliment, declaring Cohen to be a wise investor. “Michael Cohen has a great insight into the real-estate market,” he told the Post. “He has invested in my buildings because he likes to make money — and he does.” Three months later, Cohen became an executive vice president at the Trump Organization, with the same job title as Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric Trump. Cohen was never a traditional in-house lawyer for Trump. He has been described as both a “fixer” and a “dealmaker” — and it seems he embraced both roles. “He did jobs for Donald that no one else would do,” said one person who worked with Cohen, “especially not a lawyer. He did a lot of these jobs.” Still, even after Cohen had joined the Trump Organization, he harbored personal political dreams. In 2010, Cohen mounted a second unsuccessful campaign, this time for the New York State Senate. Among his donors in that race were shipping magnate Oleg Mitnik and tobacco tycoon and New York real estate man Howard Lorber, one of Donald Trump’s closest friends. Cohen continued to expand his role within the Trump universe. It had become simultaneously global, national and highly local. The Trump Organization’s business model had shifted, from building high-end Manhattan properties to scoping for international licensing deals, particularly in the former Soviet Union. Cohen, along with Trump’s adult children, headed up this effort. At a Trump Tower press conference in early 2011, Cohen took the public stage as an international dealmaker. “Seven months ago, at the request of a dear friend of mine from Georgia, Giorgi Rtskhiladze, I traveled to the Republic of Georgia to explore several real estate opportunities on behalf of Mr. Trump,” Cohen said in his unmistakable Long Island accent. He then introduced Trump and the then-president of Georgia, Mikhail Saakashvili. The ostensible purpose of the press conference was to talk up a planned tower in the city of Batumi, on the Black Sea coast. But most of the questions centered on Donald Trump’s possible run for President. Months earlier, Michael Cohen had helped set up a website called shouldtrumprun.com with the Long Island law firm Schwartz, Gerstman, and Malito. (David Schwartz is a long time Cohen friend and attorney who made several television appearances on Cohen’s behalf when the Stormy Daniels news broke.) Cohen also traveled to Iowa to explore the political terrain. Shouldtrumprun.com was billed as independent of Trump; otherwise Trump would have had to file papers with the Federal Election Commission on his own behalf. At the press conference, Trump was peppered with political questions. “Could you comment on the kind of feedback or what you took from the feedback from Mr. Cohen’s Iowa trip,” one reporter asked. “You could ask Mr. Cohen. You can speak to him,” Trump replied. But she pressed. “Are you encouraged by anything that you saw or read out of that? Trump couldn’t resist. “Well,” he said, “I mean the response has been amazing, actually.” Another response: A complaint was filed with the Federal Election Commission, alleging Trump had accepted “excessive or impermissible contributions from the Trump Organization, LLC” because shouldtrumprun.com was set up by an employee: Michael Cohen. Trump and Cohen were cleared of wrongdoing. One of the two commissioners who signed off on the ruling was Donald McGahn. McGahn later became Trump’s White House Counsel. There’s another piece of public work that Cohen was involved in that further shows the close links among Trump, Cohen, and the attorney David Schwartz. During the same time period of the Georgia deal and shouldtrumprun.com, Schwartz and Cohen were both working on a project called Trump on the Ocean, which aimed to construct a massive catering hall in the popular Jones Beach State Park on Long Island. Trump was so keen on this project that, unusually even for him, he called four governors and a state comptroller to lobby for it, according to former state officials. In at least one of the calls, he cited his generous donations as a reason to get the clearances he needed to move forward.   Trump put Cohen in charge of the negotiations. But some state officials balked at what they saw as an attempt to commercialize a state park, and Trump’s insistence that the state override its fire code so he could build a kitchen in the basement. The lobbying was contentious, said Judith Enck, the top environmental advisor for Govs. Eliot Spitzer and David Paterson (and later the chief of the Environmental Protection Agency for the New York region), who was involved in the negotiations. “That was not a typical discussion with a business that was trying to do business with the state of New York. It was aggressive,” Enck said. “There were efforts to go around me to get a better outcome in the discussion… I recall it as you know one of the most unpleasant experiences I had in the governor's office.” Misery, perhaps for a government official — but triumph for Trump, Cohen, and Schwartz. They got permission to begin construction. “GREAT JOB!” Trump wrote in a note to Schwartz. “I will hire your firm again!” Alas, it was all for naught in the end. Months later, the tail of the storm Sandy inundated Jones Beach and Trump walked away from the project. *** Three years later, when Trump made a run for the White House, Cohen continued to serve both as promoter and dealmaker. He frequently appeared on TV as a Trump surrogate, though he had no official campaign position. In one interview in the summer of 2016, Cohen refused to acknowledge that polls strongly favored Hillary Clinton. He badgered CNN anchor Brianna Keilar when she referred to Trump’s then-dismal poll numbers. “Says who?” Cohen shot back. “What polls?” The anchor, seemingly mystified, answered “all of them?” The clip went viral. Cohen’s truculent tendencies were also on display a year before that interview when he threatened Daily Beast reporter Tim Mak. Mak had resurfaced an old accusation made by Donald Trump’s first wife, Ivana, during their divorce proceedings, that Trump had raped her. (She later withdrew the allegation.) “I'm warning you,” Mak says Cohen told him, “tread very fucking lightly because what I’m going to do to you is going to be fucking disgusting.” Behind the scenes, Cohen was still attempting to make deals for Trump in the former Soviet Union. Cohen drafted a letter of intent with a Moscow investment company to build Trump World Tower Moscow. Cohen’s partner in the deal was Felix Sater, a Trump associate who had been convicted of assault and securities fraud and had widely reported connections to the Russian mob. “Let’s make this happen and build a Trump Moscow,” Sater wrote in an email to Cohen. “And possibly fix relations between the countries by showing everyone commerce and business are much better and more practical than politics.” In another email, Sater wrote, “Buddy our boy can become President of the USA and we can engineer it.” In a statement issued last summer, Cohen called this “puffery” and said Sater was prone to colorful language and salesmanship. Cohen’s activities drew the attention of Christopher Steele, a former British spy who was assembling raw intelligence on the Trump campaign for a private client (ultimately paid for by the Clinton campaign). The resulting collection of documents has become known as “the dossier.” Steele’s memo included the assertion that Cohen met with Russian contacts in Prague after damaging news emerged about Trump’s former campaign manager and an aide. “The overall objective had been ‘sweep it all under the carpet and make sure no connection could be fully established or proven,’” Steele wrote in a memo dated Oct. 19, 2016. In statements and court documents, Cohen has vociferously denied ever visiting Prague, even dispensing photos of his passport, with no Czech stamps visible, as putative proof. Cohen has filed two defamation lawsuits over the release of the dossier. But now McClatchy has reported that Special Counsel Robert Mueller has evidence that Cohen was in Prague in late summer 2016. (And the photographic “proof” Cohen offered may turn out to be moot, according to the McClatchy article, since he reportedly entered the Czech Republic from Germany, which would not have required him to pass through immigration or customs.) One thing that Cohen does not dispute: In October 2016, he was involved in fixing another problem, this time by paying $130,000 to porn star Stormy Daniels. Cohen asserts he did this on his own, with money he obtained from a home equity line of credit. When FBI agents searched Cohen’s offices on April 9, 2018, they were seeking evidence relating to the Stormy Daniels payment. They were also, according to the Washington Post, sifting through business records relating to Cohen’s taxi medallions. There may still be answers to be found in Queens.