IJNR Virtual Workshop for Journalists: Changes at the EPA

Changes at the EPA

Application period opens Mon, Sep 21 at noon eastern.

The Institute for Journalism & Natural Resources announces an online workshop for journalists, Oct 7-9, 2020, that will explore the past, present and potential future of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

During his campaign for president in 2016, Donald Trump promised to abolish the EPA “in almost every form” and, indeed, his time in office has seen an unprecedented number of proposed rollbacks of environmental regulations and an equally unprecedented relaxation of enforcement during a global pandemic.

Not all of those changes will stick, however, as legal challenges pile up and environmental groups, states and even industry push back against the dismantling of rules like methane emission regulations and fuel efficiency standards.

Over the course of this three-day workshop, journalists will hear from current and former EPA officials, state agencies, industry representatives, environmental historians and NGOs as we discuss what those changes look like in several communities, what a second term of the Trump Administration might mean for the agency and how a potential Biden Administration would change its direction.

Participants in the workshop will engage directly with experts, meet citizens from communities impacted by EPA decisions and receive training in online reporting tools for monitoring EPA regulations and enforcements in their coverage area.

• Application period will open at noon (Eastern) on Monday, September 21.
• Applicants must submit a resume and one clip via Submittable.

We will select 25 applicants. We will choose applicants in an effort to create a diverse cohort, with considerations including geography, outlet, race, gender, experience, and journalistic medium.

We will reserve 50 percent of workshop spots for journalists of color.

Registration is free. Accepted journalists will be sent a registration link.

Watch the recordings.