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Rob Verchick headshot

Robert Verchick

Board President; Gauthier - St. Martin Eminent Scholar Chair in Environmental Law

Robert Verchick | December 31, 2016

For 2017: Grit, Hope, and Cher’s Feathers

My, but the year 2016 has been a humdinger, a whopper, a real sockdolager. Donald Trump is measuring drapes for the White House. His allies in the Republican Party hold both chambers of Congress. At the state and local levels, Democratic influence is at historic lows. Did I mention there are more than a hundred […]

Robert Verchick | March 23, 2016

Cuba Libre: The Link Between Freedom and Environmental Health

Earlier this week in Havana’s Gran Teatro, President Obama urged Cubans in this new century to keep their eyes on the prize of “sustainable prosperity.” His remarks focused on the foundational role of political freedom, but not before underlining the importance of environmental protection too. That’s no surprise. Economic growth in Cuba will depend heavily […]

Robert Verchick | February 22, 2016

Justice Scalia and the American Eco-Kulturkampf

Justice Antonin Scalia’s Supreme Court chair sits empty, draped in black wool to honor a man whose intellect and fire-breathing keyboard helped reshape the nation’s political landscape. Depending on how things go, that chair could be empty for a while. Unlike more recent nominations to replace a Justice, a nomination from President Obama could reorient […]

Robert Verchick | December 1, 2015

Support CPR on Giving Tuesday

In August I commemorated the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by pedaling along the self-guided “Levee Disaster Bike Tour.” I began beneath the muscular oaks along New Orleans’ Bayou St. John and threaded my way around potholes and waterfowl to pay my respects at three prominent levee-breach sites.  The ride gave me a chance to reflect […]

Robert Verchick | September 22, 2015

VW Scandal: Can Anyone Still Doubt the Need for Regulation?

Center for Progressive Reform President Robert R.M. Verchick issued the following statement today in response to the burgeoning Volkswagen emissions scandal: With the Volkswagen emissions scandal, hard on the heels of the GM settlement, can anyone doubt the importance of strong regulation and tough enforcement? One automotive giant let a safety problem fester for a […]

Robert Verchick | September 22, 2015

Dear Jeb: Crippling Federal Agencies Will Not Keep America Safe!

Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush released a plan meant to make it harder for federal agencies to make rules that protect public health and the environment. That might help some big corporations. But it makes everyday Americans much less safe. The idea is to jam up the federal rule making process with so many requirements that hardly […]

Robert Verchick | August 3, 2015

How Does the Clean Power Plan Measure Up?

  Against intense pressure from the coal industry to tie Americans to dirty fuels forever, the Obama administration has surged forward in the battle to fight climate change. The Clean Power Plan rule, released today by the EPA, promises serious cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, while giving states the flexibility and incentives they need to reduce […]

Robert Verchick | July 2, 2015

CPR President Rob Verchick on BP’s Settlement Today

Today’s BP settlement is great news for the Gulf Coast economy, which still suffers mightily from the damage BP and its contractors caused. The President and his Department of Justice deserve credit for hammering out this deal, and keeping their focus on the victims of what the President rightly calls the “worst environmental disaster America has […]

Robert Verchick | June 29, 2015

Michigan v. EPA: Still Hope for the Mercury Rule

Today the Supreme Court blocked a key effort by the Obama administration to keep unsafe levels of mercury and other toxins from spilling into our air. The ruling, issued in Michigan vs. EPA, is a loss for the EPA and public health advocates. But the damage can be contained and will hopefully not prevent the agency from […]