"Environmental Protection Agency employees are being told not to participate in events hosted by one of the nation’s premier environmental legal associations, according to a letter reviewed by Bloomberg Law.

The letter, dated Sept. 24 and signed by EPA Deputy Administrator David Fotouhi, tells the agency’s political leadership that “it is no longer in the Agency’s interest for employees to participate in their official capacity in any conference, program or other event organized by the Environmental Law Institute.”

The letter further states “EPA employees should not accept invitations to or participate in” events such as ELI’s Climate Judiciary Project or annual awards dinner.

Recent reports, congressional hearings, and congressional oversight efforts have raised “significant concerns with ELI’s alleged efforts to inappropriately influence the judiciary, including judges presiding over environmental litigation matters, in an ex parte fashion under the guise of ‘education’,” according to the letter."

Stephen Lee reports for Bloomberg Environment September 25, 2025. [2]