Internal calendars from the US Environmental Protection Agency show top officials meeting dozens of times with companies like Bayer, BASF and Dow — while giving little time to public health and environmental groups. Critics say the influence has shaped policy rollbacks and even altered a high-profile health report. The agency says it’s simply doing its job and engaging stakeholders.
TNL managing editor Brian Bienkowski breaks down what you need to know.
Read the full story: FOIA records reveal EPA leaders frequent meetings with industry lobbyists
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Brian Bienkowski is the managing editor of The New Lede. He is a veteran journalist with more than 15 years of experience covering the environment and human health. Prior to joining TNL, he was the senior editor of Environmental Health News for nearly a decade where he oversaw the newsroom and two regional bureaus. He was also the founder, producer and host of the Agents of Change in EJ podcast from 2020 to 2024.
Bienkowski has received multiple awards for his editing and reporting, including honors from the Association of Health Care Journalists, Columbia Journalism School, Hunter College and the Society of Environmental Journalists. He has a masters in environmental journalism from Michigan State University and lives in northern Michigan.
September 29, 2025 @ 3:23 pm
We are finally getting somewhere with the Pharmaceutical industry as they have a pass on people being injured from their vaccines and now the chemical companies want the same thing? This is another horrendous assault on Americans and Humanity. So the chemical companies will now be able to use the crap that has been banned for years due to harm and they don’t have to label it??? Something is wrong with our Leaders and our Society, BIG TIME!