ProfNet Experts Available on Trump’s Environmental Policy, Broadband Privacy, More

NEW YORK, April 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network who are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area.

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EXPERT ALERTS

• Broadband Privacy Issue
• How Lawsuits May Be the Ultimate Unraveling of the Trump Presidency
• How the Gorsuch Vote on Friday May Change the Supreme Court Forever
• UK's Process of Withdrawal From European Union
• YouTube Advertisers Boycott

EXPERT ROUNDUP

• Trump's Environmental Policy (16 experts)

MEDIA JOBS

• Reporter, Washington Newsletter – The Wall Street Journal
• Social Media Director – WNYC
• Capital Markets Reporter - Debtwire

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

• Can I Use That Picture? 3 Rules to Ensure Your Blog Isn't Breaking Copyright Rules
• Freelancers: Here's the Quick and Dirty Guide to Getting Your Taxes Done Right
• Blog Profiles: Outdoors Blogs

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EXPERT ALERTS:

Broadband Privacy IssueMark Grabowski, Esq.
Internet Law and Ethics Professor, Communications Department
Adelphi University, Garden City, N.Y.
"There's lots of misinformation about this -- although it's still not good news. In short, nothing is changing. You didn't have online privacy to begin with, so you're not losing anything. The FCC had recently adopted new privacy rules that were set to go into place, but the new legislation stops that from happening. No, someone can't buy your specific internet history. That's a myth. A VPN won't entirely shield your privacy, either – that's another myth. What's going to happen is you're going to see more and more targeted ads when you surf online. So, for example, if your kid's teacher emails you that he's struggling in algebra, you might see ads about tutoring services. If you do a Google search for flights to Paris, expect to see ads from airlines and hotel websites. Deregulation of internet service providers has been a disaster for Americans. ISPs haven't delivered the promises they made when they begged Congress to end common carriage regulations in the '90s. Twenty years later, we've gone from being a pioneer in internet service to now lagging behind developing countries in terms of access, cost, speed, privacy protections and more. And this situation will probably continue to get worse. It looks like net neutrality is next on the chopping block."
Website: http://www.adelphi.edu
Contact: Kali Chan, [email protected]

How Lawsuits May Be the Ultimate Unraveling of the Trump PresidencyJames GoodnowLegal & Political Commentator
Fennemore Craig
"Allegations about Trump and sexual misconduct are in the news again. This time it's because Summer Zervos, a former 'Apprentice' contestant who alleged Trump made improper advances, is suing Trump for defamation. This week, Trump's lawyers indicated they will seek to have Zervos' claim dismissed because they claim Trump is immunized from state court suits because he is president. Will Trump's argument carry the day? Probably not. In 1997, the United States Supreme Court held unanimously in Clinton v. Jones that Bill Clinton could be sued while in office for acts allegedly committed before he assumed office. The case related to allegations of sexual harassment from former Arkansas state employee Paula Jones. In the case, the Supreme Court rejected Clinton's claims that he was immune, noting: 'The separation-of-powers doctrine does not require federal courts to stay all private actions against the President until he leaves office.' So why is Trump challenging this seemingly clear case?"
ProfNet Profile: http://www.profnetconnect.com/james.goodnow
Bio: https://lambergoodnow.com/legalcommentator/
Contact: Terence J. Murnin, [email protected]

How the Gorsuch Vote on Friday May Change the Supreme Court ForeverJames GoodnowLegal & Political Commentator
Fennemore Craig, Phoenix
"This Friday, April 7, is shaping up to be a huge day in our country's history, and to borrow a line from Senator Mitch McConnell, whether or not Judge Gorsuch gets his new robes 'really depends on our Democratic friends.' How will this week unfold? Going nuclear? Three Democratic Senators have indicated they will break party ranks and support President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch and oppose filibuster -- nearly half the number needed to avoid the 'nuclear option,' the changing of the Senate rules to allow confirmation by a simple majority. With Republicans having a 52-48 edge in the Senate, the question is whether Senate Majority Leader McConnell can woo the five additional votes needed to get to 60. Based on the current landscape, it's not looking good. Democrats now have enough votes to filibuster the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court."
ProfNet Profile: http://www.profnetconnect.com/james.goodnow
Bio: https://lambergoodnow.com/legalcommentator/
Contact: Terence J. Murnin, [email protected]

UK's Process of Withdrawal From European UnionRaj BhalaAssociate Dean for International & Comparative Law; Rice Distinguished Professor, School of Law
University of Kansas
Bhala can discuss the triggering of Article 50, which officially begins the UK's process of withdrawal from the European Union (Brexit), and international trade and political negotiations now set to take place: "The United Kingdom is about to embark on the most complex set of negotiations it has encountered since the era of decolonization, when it withdrew from countries across the British Empire. Unlike that era, which spanned several decades, now the UK has limited time: two years. Also unlike that era, the UK is dealing with the entire world – that is, the other 163 members of the World Trade Organization. Finally, its previous colonial withdrawal did not threaten the integrity of the UK itself. Now, its future as a 'United' Kingdom is in peril. For America, the ramifications with its closest ally, its special relationship, cover economic, political, military and national security matters. For Americans, a pillar of their post-Second World War, post-Cold War world is changing."
Bhala has authored dozens of journal articles and books, including "TPP Objectively: Law, Economics, and National Security of History's Largest, Longest Free Trade Agreement," "Understanding Islamic Law (Shari'a)," "Modern GATT Law" and "International Trade Law: An Interdisciplinary, Non-Western Textbook."
Contact: Mike Krings, [email protected]

YouTube Advertisers BoycottRobert J. ZafftPrivacy and Technology Attorney, Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C. (St. Louis)
Business Ethics Teacher, Washington University in St. Louis
"The suspension of their advertising on YouTube by blue-chip brands like PepsiCo, Johnson & Johnson, Walmart and Starbucks due to concern over automated ad placements reflects a maturing of social media and society. Current YouTube technology cannot adequately screen the content, and the brands worry that automated ad placements will pair their brands with content that promotes terrorism, racism, violence, or other messages highly offensive to customers. For a long time, publishers have acted like hotel owners who happily collect rent while turning a blind eye to unsavory or illegal goings on in the rooms they let. Now, the advertisers who foot the bill have begun to say, 'That's no longer good enough.' And it's not just the problem of YouTube owner Google, which has vowed to address the issue. Brand risk will likely move down the food chain, affecting other publishers, ad networks and ad buyers. Social media will likely get faster and more effective at naming and shaming businesses involved."
Zafft is able to discuss the ethics surrounding this matter, as well as a possible solution involving "collaborative filtering," as a collective response to the problem: "Collaborative filtering would assess content by looking at who posts it and who watches it. Collaborative filtering improves with the number of companies and publishers that participate. If top publishers and ad networks wire into the same filtering system, they can say to ad buyers and consumers, 'Our system may not be perfect, but it's the best there is, and we are working hard with others to improve it.' This answer may go a long way to diminishing or defusing brand risk."
Contact: Randy Labuzinski, [email protected]

EXPERT ROUNDUP: Trump's Environmental Policy (16 experts)

With President Trump signing a sweeping executive order that rescinds at least six Obama-era executive orders aimed at curbing climate change and regulating carbon emissions, following are experts who are available for interviews on President Trump's environmental policy:

Climate Change and IdeologyLawrence HamiltonProfessor of Sociology
University of New Hampshire
Hamilton's recent research (see link below) explores what the general public knows and believes about the environment, climate change, and science, and how their perceptions relate to education and are shaped by political orientation (see video link below). His body of work involves research that integrates data from social and natural-science domains. "Many people now are inclined toward distrust of scientists, and outright rejection of scientific findings that contradict their political beliefs," said Hamilton. He notes that long before the recent discussion of "alternative facts," people developed set views based on their ideology, even for straightforward physical facts such as whether the Arctic sea ice is melting. "Our research has shown that ideology whispers in people's ears," said Hamilton. "For some people, ideology has a dominant effect on how they answer survey questions, not just what they believe but who they will listen to, and how certain they feel about their knowledge."
Hamilton is available to discuss climate change and political views, knowledge and attitudes toward science, migration; resources and society in the Arctic (aka climigration).
Hamilton speaking about climate change and ideology: http://bit.ly/2lh4GDR
Research: http://tinyurl.com/koztxjy
Contact: Robbin Ray, [email protected]

Environmental and Economic IssuesInes Azevedo, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Engineering and Public Policy; Co-Director, Climate and Energy Decision Making Center
Carnegie Mellon UniversityDr. Azevedo can speak to the implications of President Trump's policies, why the power sector is a perfect candidate for emissions reductions, emissions, and the carbon intensity of the power sector: "Since 2005, the U.S. was able to reduce our emissions from the power sector by about 25 percent. However, given the current policies, we may soon see an increase, rather than a decrease, in the emission intensity of the U.S. power sector. Instead of taking a position as a leader, the United States is running the risk of being a forever laggard."Dr. Azevedo's research interests lie at the intersection of environmental, technical, and economic issues, such as how to address the challenge of climate change and to move towards a more sustainable energy system. She tackles complex problems in which traditional engineering plays an important role but cannot provide a complete answer. In particular, she has been looking at how energy systems are likely to be shaped in the future, which requires comprehensive knowledge not only of the technologies that can address future energy needs but also of the decision-making process followed by different agents in the economy. Dr. Azevedo has also been working on assessing how specific policies will shape future energy systems, especially in a carbon-constrained world.
Bio: http://www.cmu.edu/epp/people/faculty/ines-azevedo.html
Contact: Julie Walsh, [email protected]

Global SecurityJason BrozekAssociate Professor of Government, Stephen Edward Scarff Professor of International Affairs
Lawrence University
"The Trump administration's recent executive order to roll back climate policies and dismantle the regulatory framework for fossil fuels is a threat to global security. It is, unsurprisingly, a sharp break with the Obama administration's commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement, but President Trump is also ignoring the Defense Department's 2015 assessment that climate change represents a national security risk. According to the now-shelved report, environmental effects like shifting climate zones and rising sea levels will lead to disruptions and shocks for fragile governments around the world, as well as exacerbate tension and risk in conflict-prone regions."
Brozek writes on the intersection of environmental politics and international security, with a focus on freshwater and climate change.
Contact:  Rick Peterson, [email protected]

Legal ChallengesEthan ShenkmanPartner
Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer
"The EO is sweeping in scope, setting up a new policy review process focused on energy independence that will bring additional regulations within its sights. It raises as many questions as it answers, and presents both challenges and opportunities across all sectors. It is not the end point, but rather one step in a lengthy series of legal and administrative processes. The only certainty is that litigation will follow."
Shenkman is available to discuss all aspects of the executive order, including: Clean Power Plan, Clean Air Act/regulations, CEQ guidance, social cost of carbon, endangerment finding, administrative law/APA issues, future rulemaking processes, litigation/courts, Supreme Court, DOJ and EPA. He served for seven years as a political appointee in the Obama Administration. Most recently, he served as deputy general counsel at the US Environmental Protection Agency (2014-2017) and, prior to that, as deputy assistant attorney general at the US Department of Justice's Environment and Natural Resources Division (2010-2014). During his post at the EPA, Shenkman was responsible for Clean Air Act regulations and litigation.
Bio: http://www.apks.com/en/people/s/shenkman-ethan-g
Contact: Issara Baumann, [email protected]

Legal ChallengesJeffrey GracerPrincipal (Partner)
Sive, Paget & Riesel
Gracer believes that President Trump's Executive Order undermining the climate change policies enacted by his predecessor will lead to years of litigation as states and cities continue passing their own environmental regulations, challenging federal policies. He points out that the EPA can't make decisions that are arbitrary and capricious, irrational, or unconstitutional; and lower courts are likely to be skeptical of wholesale efforts to walk away from the Supreme Court's mandate to protect public health and the environment. Gracer also believes that President Trump's policies will hurt American standing in the world on the issue of climate change, and cede a leadership role to other countries like China. "Despite the political theater last week at the EPA, it will take more than the stroke of a pen to undo the Obama-era rules," Gracer said.
Gracer is principal (partner) at New York City-based law firm Sive, Paget & Riesel, the oldest environmental law firm in the country. He has a vibrant domestic and international practice and is an expert in all state and federal environmental matters, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water, Clean Power, hazardous waste disposal, and brownfield cleanups. He is the founder of the Environmental Program at the Vance Center for International Justice at the New York City Bar, which focuses on providing pro bon advice on environmental issues around the world.
Bio: http://www.sprlaw.com/attorney/jeffrey-b-gracer/
Contact: Olivier Gibbons, [email protected]

Toxic Chemicals and the Ethics of RiskCarl CranorDistinguished Professor of Philosophy
University of California, Riverside
Generations of toxic chemicals in everyday use – from ingredients in cosmetics and paint to nonstick cookware and upholstery – have sickened or killed thousands of Americans. Why? Because most of these substances are not regulated by the federal government. And the legal system – which offers the only recourse for deaths or injuries resulting from toxic exposures – often fails to properly use science to identify and assess whether or not products are toxic. Says Cranor: "Laws that are supposed to protect citi­zens from toxicity-caused diseases accomplish this so poorly that we rarely read of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Occupational Safety and Health administration, or the Consumer Product Safety Commission taking action to better protect us."
Cranor is known globally for his research on the regulation of toxic substances, the ethics of risk, and the philosophy of law and science. His work has changed how scientific testimony is addressed in court cases, as well as aspects of regulation in California. He is the author of "Tragic Failures: How and Why We Are Harmed by Toxic Chemicals" (Oxford University Press, 2017), "Legally Poisoned: How the Law Puts Us at Risk from Toxicants," "Regulating Toxic Substances: A Philosophy of Science and the Law," and "Toxic Torts: Science, Law and the Possibility of Justice." He has served on science advisory panels (California's Proposition 65, Electric and Magnetic Fields, Nanotechnology, and Biomonitoring Panels), as well as on Institute of Medicine and National Academy of Sciences Committees.
Contact: Bettye Miller, [email protected]

Climate ChangeCameron P. Wake, Ph.D.
Research Professor in Climatology and Glaciology
University of New Hampshire
Wake is available to discuss climate change, health impacts, sustainability as it relates to climate change, the importance for preparedness and building community resilience, and distrust of scientists (see video link below). He leads a research program investigating regional climate and environmental change through the analysis of ice cores, instrumental data, and phenological records, with a focus on the northeast United States, the Arctic, and central Asia. His research on several regional climate assessments, like flooding, in the northeast United States has been shared with state and federal agencies and has been covered widely in the media. His recent climate change research looking at the New Hampshire seacoast had him commenting that "New Hampshire's climate is already changing and having an impact on people's lives. It's hotter and wetter, there are more extreme precipitation events, our sea levels are rising and our health is being affected."
Wake on climate change: http://bit.ly/2l5qd04
Contact: Robbin Ray, [email protected]

Climate Change ScienceNeil Leary, Ph.D.
Founding Director, Center for Sustainability Education
Dickinson College
Leary, a leader on international climate change studies and projects, is available to discuss climate change science, climate change risks, the Paris Agreement, carbon pricing, and carbon pollution reduction. He has conducted research on climate change risks and policies for 20 years and has brought Dickinson students to the UNFCCC climate conferences in Paris, Lima, Durban and Copenhagen to conduct research on transnational governance of climate change. Leary teaches courses on climate change, sustainable communities and sustainable campuses. He has been a participant in the 1995, 2001, 2007 and 2014 science assessments of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and has led international studies of climate change risks and adaptation that have involved more than 300 scientists from 50 countries. Before joining Dickinson, Leary served as senior scientist at the Global Change System for Analysis, Research and Training and as senior economist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. He has a Ph.D. in natural resource economics. Read his thoughts on climate change at his Huffington Post blog.
Blog: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/neil-leary
Website: http://www.dickinson.edu/info/20052/sustainability/2278/center_for_sustainability_education
Contact: Craig Layne, [email protected]

Economic ImpactsGeoffrey HealDonald C. Waite III Professor of Social Enterprise
Columbia Business School
Heal, an expert in public policy on environmental issues, is available to discuss the economic impacts of Trump cutting the EPA's budget and his executive order eliminating many of Obama's climate change policies. He has conducted an extensive amount of research on the future on energy, as well as the impact of climate change.
Bio: http://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/cbs-directory/detail/gmh1
Contact: Diana DiNapoli, [email protected]

Energy and Environmental LitigationJoshua BelcherCounsel, Eversheds Sutherland (US)
Vermont Law School
Belcher is available to expand on the following topics: 1) Clean Power Plan: Following the EO, the EPA and DOJ asked for a freeze of current litigation over several rules while the EPA decides whether and how to revise and rescind the plan – it is highly likely that the court will grant the requests. In the meantime, regulated businesses can operate without the additional costs of complying with the plan. 2) Social Cost of Carbon: The EPA is expected to discontinue the use of the social cost of carbon metric. The Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases will be disbanded and policy documents associated with the metric withdrawn. 3) Federal Lands: The EO directs the Department of Interior to lift the moratorium on coal leasing on federal lands, which may not be subject to legitimate challenge in court. In contrast, the direction set forth by the EO to suspend and revise rules limiting hydraulic fracturing and regulating oil and gas operations on federal lands will require a full rulemaking process, which could take the better part of a year followed by several years of litigation.
Belcher has a national, multidisciplinary practice counseling clients in the utility, power and pipeline sectors. He represented Enbridge Inc. in the acquisition of a 103-MW wind project in West Virginia and he represented Freepoint Commodities in its joint venture with ArcLight Capital Partners to acquire certain storage terminals, refining units and marine infrastructure at the former Hovensa refinery in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Contact: Liz Rucci, [email protected]

Environmental LitigationCraig PendergrastPartner, Taylor English, Atlanta
University of Georgia School of Law
Pendergrast is available to expand on the following topics: 1) Clean Power Plan: Following the EO, the EPA and DOJ asked for a freeze of current litigation over several rules while the EPA decides whether and how to revise and rescind the plan – it is highly likely that the court will grant the requests. In the meantime, regulated businesses can operate without the additional costs of complying with the plan. 2) Social Cost of Carbon: The EPA is expected to discontinue the use of the social cost of carbon metric. The Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases will be disbanded and policy documents associated with the metric withdrawn. 3) Federal Lands: The EO directs the Department of Interior to lift the moratorium on coal leasing on federal lands, which may not be subject to legitimate challenge in court. In contrast, the direction set forth by the EO to suspend and revise rules limiting hydraulic fracturing and regulating oil and gas operations on federal lands will require a full rulemaking process, which could take the better part of a year followed by several years of litigation.
Pendergrast has 30 years of experience counseling clients to help them understand the complex world of environmental regulation, risk, consulting and liability. He has been following closely the fate of the Clean Power Plan, especially as it relates to carbon emissions.
Contact: Liz Rucci, [email protected]

Environmental PolicyDoug StruckAssistant Chair, Department of Journalism
Emerson College
As a journalist for more than 30 years, Struck covered major environmental disasters, including the Valdez oil spill for the Baltimore Sun, and has reported frequently from the Arctic for The Washington Post. He has been a foreign and national correspondent reporting from six continents and 50 states, a Harvard Nieman fellow and Pulitzer Prize finalist. At The Washington Post, he specialized in global warming issues in assignments ranging from the Northwest Passage and Greenland to melting glaciers on the Andes Mountains.
Bio: https://www.emerson.edu/academics/faculty-guide/profile/doug-struck/2812
Website: http://dougstruck.com
Contact: Douglas Struck, [email protected]

Environmental Policy IssuesKen BaerenklauAssociate Professor of Environmental Economics and Policy
University of California, Riverside
Baerenklau has served on the editorial boards for Land Economics, Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, and Water Economics and Policy. He has 14 years of professional experience working on a variety of environmental policy issues, including several related to water resource management. Representative projects include: policies for reducing nutrient emissions from agricultural operations; incentives to promote decentralized urban storm water capture; optimal long-term use of groundwater basins subject to salinization; effects of water quality degradation on outdoor recreation; demand and welfare effects of allocation-based water rates; and multiple on-going projects related to urban water pricing and conservation incentives.
Contact: Bettye Miller, [email protected]

Investment ImpactHardeep WaliaFounder & CEO
Motif
Walia, an expert on values-based investing, can speak to how Trump's executive action -- and larger environmental agenda -- will affect how people invest their money. Walia can pull from proprietary company data on impact investing trends (for example, 72% of investors are unaware if their investments such as mutual funds and 401(k)s hold companies that contradict their personal values and causes), as well as speak to how the Trump administration's agenda is causing values-based investing to surge.
Website: https://www.motifinvesting.com
Contact: Alexis Ganz, [email protected]

Politics and PolicyDavid KoniskyAssociate Professor, School of Public and Environmental Affairs
Indiana University
Konisky is a renowned environmental politics and policy expert whose research focuses on American politics and public policy, with particular emphasis on regulation, environmental politics and policy, state politics, and public opinion. Prior to joining IU, Konisky was an associate professor at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University and an assistant professor at the Harry S. Truman School of Public Affairs at the University of Missouri.
Bio: https://spea.indiana.edu/faculty-research/directory/profiles/faculty/full-time/konisky-david.html
Website: https://spea.indiana.edu/
Contact: Kemba Neptune, [email protected]

Public Health and Climate ChangeJennifer Li, MHS
Senior Director of Environmental Health and Disability
National Association of County and City Health Officials
Li is available to discuss the public health aspect of climate change. In her role with NACCHO, she oversees environmental health projects, including climate change, environmental health practice, environmental public health tracking, health impact assessment, health in all policies, healthy community design/built environment, food safety and defense, vector control, water quality, health and disability, etc. She also has experience in chronic disease, informatics, and preparedness. She is primarily responsible for ensuring that environmental health and disability programs and services at the local level are enhanced through NACCHO's activities, sustaining an effective knowledge base of current environmental and health and disability programs, policies and priorities among practitioners, representing environmental health and disability issues and priorities within strategic planning discussions, providing leadership for long-term planning related to NACCHO's work, and working to secure sufficient resources for NACCHO's environmental health and disability activities. She was recently quoted in Health Day on deaths related to extreme heat: http://tinyurl.com/khddrxl
Contact: Theresa Spinner, [email protected]

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OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:

Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line.

• CAN I USE THAT PICTURE? 3 RULES TO ENSURE YOUR BLOG ISN'T BREAKING COPYRIGHT RULES. It's among the first things you hear as a blogger: Use photos. People are receptive to images. Pictures also help break up lengthy blocks of text. But if you're new to blogging and just jump over to Google images, you could quickly find yourself in hot water. If you choose to go the free route, it can be difficult to discern the photos free for use and the ones that require attribution. So, before you snag an image off the web, keep these three things in mind: http://prn.to/2oFt5T8
• FREELANCERS: HERE'S THE QUICK AND DIRTY GUIDE TO GETTING YOUR TAXES DONE RIGHT. We're closing in on April 15, folks. If you freelance, there are a lot of ducks you need to get in a row to properly file taxes next week. Here's what you need to know: http://prn.to/2p0vVkK
• BLOG PROFILES: OUTDOORS BLOGS. Each week, PR Newswire's Audience Relations team selects an industry/subject and looks at a handful of sites that do a good job with promoting and contributing to the topic. This week, the team looks at outdoors blogs: http://prn.to/2oBp3uM

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