Sep 26, 2025, 7:15am - 9:30am
From Policy to Practice: Navigating Shifts in Federal and State Environmental Policies
Program Overview
Over the past several years, there have been major changes in environmental policies at the federal level, as well as here in Ohio. Among these changes include precedent-setting U.S. Supreme Court rulings that have impacted federal agency rulemaking (e.g., Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo1), new budget plans that have shifted priorities for the federal government2 and in Ohio3, the elimination of federal programs and jobs that were originally created to protect environmental and community health4, and the limiting of the breadth of the National Environmental Policy Act5, the Clean Water Act6, and the Endangered Species Act7, among a plethora of additional changes. Certainly, environmental professionals have found themselves operating within a new policy landscape.
Join this breakfast panel to hear from Ohio-based environmental law and policy specialists about critical takeaways for environmental professionals. This event is designed for environmental professionals who do not specialize in environmental law but whose work is directly affected by it. Whether your focus is on water resources, land management, wildlife conservation, energy systems, or community health, this panel will offer a clear and practical breakdown of recent legal and policy changes. Experts from the Midwest Biodiversity Institute, The Nature Conservancy, and the Ohio Environmental Council will translate complex developments into actionable takeaways, helping you understand how these shifts may influence your ability to plan, implement, and advocate for environmental initiatives across Ohio and beyond.
The breakfast panel (8:00 to 9:30 a.m.) will be held at the Ohio Union Great Hall. Immediately after, consider attending the Ohio Environmental Council’s Public Interest Environmental Law Conference. Then, we invite you to return to the Ohio Union from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. for one of the first U.S. screenings of the new documentary Revealed: How to Poison a Planet, featuring a Q&A session with famous environmental attorney Rob Bilott.
This event is free for students and livestream attendees thanks to generous gifts from EPN's Annual Sponsors, including ENGIE North America, Ohio State Energy Partners, the Sustainability Institute at Ohio State, the Ohio EPA, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife, Del-Co Water Company, and the Ohio State University Facilities Operations and Development.
1: Supreme Court of the United States, “Loper Bright Enterprises et al. v. Raimondo, Secretary of Commerce, et al.” (2024) Link here.
2: Office of Management and Budget, “Fiscal Year 2026 Discretionary Budget Request.” (2025) Link here.
3: Office of Governor Mike DeWine, “Governor DeWine signs FY’26–’27 operating budget.” (2025) Link here.
4: The Impact Project. (2025) Link here.
5: U.S. Department of Energy, “Energy Secretary Announces Updated NEPA Procedures to End Permitting Paralysis and Unleash American Energy.” (2025) Link here.
6: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Administrator Zeldin announces EPA will revise Waters of the United States rule.” (2025) Link here.
7: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service & National Marine Fisheries Service, “Rescinding the definition of ‘harm’ under the Endangered Species Act.” (2025) Federal Register, 90(73), 16102–16105. Link here.
Agenda
7:15 a.m. Doors open at Ohio Union Great Hall; Coffee served for in-person attendees.
7:30 a.m. Breakfast buffet served for in-person attendees.
8:00 a.m. Livestreaming service begins for virtual attendees. Tim Haab, PhD, director, Ohio State’s School of Environment and Natural Resources provides welcome remarks.
8:05 a.m. Bella Shorr, Environmental Policy Major, OSU School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR), outlines event themes from the perspective of a current student and future environmental attorney.
8:10 a.m. A series of presentations and a moderated panel discussion to provide a roadmap for how environmental practitioners can interpret important changes to policies, agencies, and programs at the federal and state levels, featuring:
- Chris Yoder, Research Director, Midwest Biodiversity Institute (MBI)
- Trent Dougherty, Executive Director, MBI; Partner, Hubay Dougherty
- Nathan Johnson, Senior Attorney for Land and Water, Ohio Environmental Council
- Mary Turocy, Director of Policy and Government Relations, The Nature Conservancy Ohio
- Moderator: Ramiro Berardo, PhD, Professor of Environmental and Natural Resources Policy, SENR
9:10 a.m. Live audience Q & A session for both in-person and virtual audiences
9:25 a.m. Harrison Fried, PhD, Director, Environmental Professionals Network, provides closing remarks.
9:30 a.m. Chris Tavenor, JD, General Counsel, Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) introduces topic themes and agenda for extended conference sessions.
Continued Events After the Breakfast
10:15 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. The OEC Ohio Public Interest Environmental Law Conference takes place at the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. The OEC Ohio Public Interest Environmental Law Conference is separate from this EPN breakfast event; you must register with the OEC directly to attend the law conference (OEC Law Conference Details and Registration: https://theoec.org/events/2025-ohio-public-interest-law-conference/).
5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Film Screening of Revealed: How to Poison a Planet, featuring a Q&A session with cast member Rob Bilott, J.D., Environmental Attorney, Taft Law Firm; Author, Exposure, and Juliana Huizenga, PhD, Senior Environmental Engineer, Cyclopure.
Click here for more information about the Evening Film Screening of Revealed: How to Poison a Planet
Breakfast Speakers
Chris Yoder, Research Director, Midwest Biodiversity Institute (MBI)
Chris Yoder is the Research Director at MBI, where he leads scientific efforts to monitor and assess aquatic ecosystems. He brings over 40 years of experience in fish taxonomy, distribution, and life history, and spent 25 years at the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, where he contributed to major water quality improvement initiatives. His expertise includes environmental policy at the state and federal levels, especially those related to water resource management. Chris holds an M.A. in Zoology from DePauw University.
Trent Dougherty, Executive Director, MBI; Partner, Hubay Dougherty
Trent Dougherty is an experienced attorney and nonprofit leader dedicated to environmental advocacy and policy in Ohio. He spent 17 years with the Ohio Environmental Council, serving as a lawyer, lobbyist, policy analyst, and Director of the Ohio Environmental Law Center. In 2021, he co-founded Hubay Dougherty, where he advises progressive nonprofits on legal and strategic matters including tax, labor, and election law. He also currently serves as Executive Director of MBI, a leading water quality research organization. Trent holds a J.D. from Capital University Law School and a B.A. in English from The Ohio State University.
Mary Turocy, Director of Policy and Government Relations, The Nature Conservancy Ohio
Mary Turocy is director of policy and government relations for The Nature Conservancy Ohio. She has more than 16 years of experience in policy, including more than eight years in civil rights advocacy and several years of experience as director of public affairs for the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. At The Nature Conservancy, Ms. Turocy is at the forefront of shaping and influencing conservation and public policy outcomes related to waters, lands, and climate change. Ms. Turocy received her MS from the London School of Economics and Political Science and her BA from Denison University.
Nathan Johnson, Senior Attorney for Land and Water, Ohio Environmental Council
Nathan Johnson is the Senior Attorney for Land and Water at the Ohio Environmental Council, where he brings deep legal and technical expertise in environmental law to bear on complex regulatory and policy issues. His work includes administrative rulemaking, permitting, and litigation, with a focus on public lands and water resources under frameworks such as the Clean Water Act, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and Ohio’s environmental regulations. Nathan provides strategic legal analysis on matters ranging from water quality standards to environmental impact assessments. He holds a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and a dual B.A. in History and Philosophy from Denison University.
Ramiro Berardo, PhD, Professor of Environmental and Natural Resources Policy, OSU School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR)
Ramiro Berardo, PhD, is a Professor of Environmental and Natural Resources Policy at The Ohio State University’s School of Environment and Natural Resources. His research focuses on how policy actors, both governmental and nongovernmental, interact within complex governance systems to address shared environmental challenges. He studies the formation of social capital through formal rules, collaborative forums, and informal norms, and how these dynamics influence policy outcomes. Dr. Berardo earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from Florida State University and his B.S. in Political Science from the Catholic University of Córdoba (Argentina).
SENR Student Spotlight
Bella Shorr, Student, OSU SENR
Bella Shorr is a second year OSU student double majoring in Environmental Policy and Philosophy, Politics, Economics. She is currently pursuing environmental policy research under the Social Determinates of Health Research Project at OSU and has previously interned at The Moebius Nature Center in her hometown of Aurora, Ohio. She spent her 2025 summer studying and volunteering at the Ohio Sea Grant’s Stone Laboratory, where she analyzed algae samples, gathered live fish and bug samples, and practiced communicating scientific knowledge to the general public at Ohio State’s Lighthouse. She is also the treasurer for two Ohio State Student Organizations, Musicians Collective and Chrysalis Club, where she manages the finances for both clubs and coordinates on and off campus events that allows students to pursue their interests, either in entomology or music, with others that have similar passions.
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