EPA bans CNN, AP from covering summit on chemicals, ‘forcibly’ removes reporter

It's another example of the agency's antagonism towards the press under the Trump administration.

NATASHA GEILING
MAY 22, 2018, 12:11 PM

On Tuesday morning, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt greeted a crowed of nearly 200 at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. The attendees were there for a national summit on polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances — also known as PFAS, a class of chemicals linked to potentially serious health impacts with long-term exposure.

But absent from the summit’s introductory statement were reporters from several news outlets, including the Associated Press, CNN, and E&E News. One reporter with the Associated Press was allegedly forcibly removed from the EPA headquarters after trying to enter to report on the summit.

SEJ.ORG
@sejorg
 @epa seems open to business, but closed to public and press https://twitter.com/jsmithhopkins/status/998938617501413377 …
11:02 AM - May 22, 2018

The altercation reportedly occurred after EPA security told the reporter that they could not enter the building to report on the summit. When the reporter asked to speak to a public affairs representative with the EPA, a security guard reportedly “grabbed the reporter by the shoulders and shoved her forcibly out of the EPA building.”

Source
https://thinkprogress.org/epa-bans-reporters-chemical-summit-38df2278334a/