2008 Internship Project Descriptions
Conservation Council of North Carolina
Conservation Council of North Carolina
is a statewide advocacy organization working as the political
arm of the environmental community to preserve, protect, and
enhance the quality of life for North Carolinians. We do this
by: advocating for positive changes in environmental policies
at the state legislature; holding legislators accountable
for their decisions that impact the environment; mobilizing
voters to advocate for sound environmental policies; and electing
candidates who will prioritize the environment.
www.conservationcouncilnc.org
Project
4: Civic Engagement Collaboration
Project Proposal 1
Legislative & Administrative Work
for the NC Environmental Community
Project Description: North Carolina's
environment has faced an unprecedented assault including loss
of open space and farmland to sprawling development patterns,
dramatic increase in urban/mountain air pollution, and water
pollution and public health impacts stemming from waste produced
at industrial-scale hog operations. At the same time, well-financed
and coordinated lobbying efforts of industry groups have far
out-manned and outspent environmental groups in getting access
to policymakers. North Carolina's environmental community
is building its capacity for improved communication and advocacy
to produce consistent pro-environment policy results on a
statewide level. This intern will work with the Conservation
Council of North Carolina (CCNC) to increase the environmental
community's ability to influence policymaking and to achieve
success on specific environmental decisions.
The intern will work directly with the Conservation
Council of North Carolina's lobbyist at the General Assembly
of North Carolina in Raleigh. This is an opportunity to become
intimately involved in the policy-making arena, offering a
first hand look at the political process as well as presenting
opportunities for policy analysis on a broad array of issues.
This year, CCNC will be involved on strategies to improve
environmental enforcement within the state; a variety of water
and air quality issues; transportation issues; health in public
schools; and a number of other critical environmental issues.
There will be an opportunity to develop a strategic document,
in terms of organizations, policy, and campaign strategies,
on a specific issue to position the environmental community
for the legislative session.
Responsibilities: Daily activities will
include attending session and committee meetings at the General
Assembly and working closely with CCNC lobbyist. The intern
will assist CCNC with developing memoranda on key legislative
issues for the conservation community, as well as make contact
with key decision-makers at the legislature. The intern will
help "watchdog" the policy process, following specific issues
of concern to the environmental community, and helping develop
defensive strategies to deal with unexpected issues/legislation
being pushed by our opponents. The intern will also assist
in communicating with the members of CCNC's Lobbying Advisory
Council, a collection of environmental and community groups
across the state. The intern will also assist in the publication
of the "Hotlist," a weekly e-newsletter to legislators on
environmental issues.
Qualifications: Desired qualifications
include: substantive knowledge of environmental issues, strong
writing and communication skills, and general working knowledge
of computers. The position will often require professional
attire.
Location: 112 S. Blount St., Raleigh,
NC
Supervisor: Mike Nelson, Director of
Governmental Relations, Conservation Council of NC, 919-839-0020
Additional Information: This position
offers unique opportunities and benefits: working on a variety
of critical environmental issues; direct experience with North
Carolina legislative and administrative structures; analyzing
and developing public policy on timely issues; communicating
with a variety of environmental groups in NC; and utilizing
research, writing, networking, and message development skills.
Additionally, the position will provide an opportunity to
work at the grassroots level, with local groups and environmental
activists, as well as an opportunity to interact with legislators,
both formally and informally. CCNC will work closely with
intern to develop a suitable Master's Project, as needed.
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Project Proposal 2
Environmental Enforcement and Rulemaking
Project Description: Environmental enforcement
programs in North Carolina have rarely received adequate attention,
financial resources, or political support to protect the public
from violations of our natural resource laws. Examples of
inadequate enforcement of existing environmental laws and
related enforcement data analyses reveal ongoing trends that
threaten public health and the environment, ranging from children
playing in sewage sludge to communities threatened by toxic
emissions from hazardous waste incinerators, and many others.
Responsibilities: This intern will work
with the Conservation Council of North Carolina (CCNC) to
support our ongoing Environmental Enforcement Campaign. The
Campaign is aimed at achieving administrative and legislative
remedies for North Carolina's enforcement of existing environmental
laws, and at raising public awareness of the issue. The intern
will work directly with CCNC's Enforcement Coordinator to
review existing enforcement policies, research ongoing enforcement
activities, monitor administrative rulemaking actions at the
Environmental Management Commission, and develop strategies
to further the Campaign goals. The intern will also assist
CCNC's lobbyist at the General Assembly in researching, developing,
and seeking support for proposed enforcement legislation.
A primary focus for the year will include an analysis of sedimentation
and erosion control enforcement. Sediment is the number one
pollutant, by volume, in North Carolina, but sedimentation
control programs are understaffed, underfunded, and not always
provided adequate oversight to be effective. Public access
to enforcement data so that polluters can be held accountable
for their actions, understanding the economic impacts of inadequate
enforcement programs, and engaging the media and the public
in these issues are all key components of our enforcement
program that the intern will be able to assist with.
Qualifications: Desired qualifications
include substantive knowledge of environmental issues, strong
writing and communication skills, GIS experience, general
website design experience, and general working knowledge of
computers. The position will occasionally require professional
attire. This position offers unique opportunities and benefits:
working on a critical issue that impacts all categories of
environmental issues; analyzing and developing public policy
on timely issues; communicating with a variety of environmental
groups in NC; and utilizing research, writing, networking,
and message development skills. Additionally, the position
will provide an opportunity to develop campaign and communication
strategy skills.
Location: The Conservation Council of
NC office at 112 S. Blount Street Raleigh, NC.
Supervisors: Robin Smith, Enforcement
Coordinator, Conservation Council of NC, 828-689-2347 Carrie
Clark, Executive Director, Conservation Council of NC, 919-839-0006
Additional Information: As part of the
investigation of local sedimentation enforcement there is
a potential for travel to various regional DENR offices across
the state. Topics for a Master's Project could include: As
part of the investigation of local sedimentation enforcement
there is a potential for travel to various regional DENR offices
across the state. Topics for a Master's Project could include:
- An analysis of the effectiveness of delegated sedimentation
programs in the NC, including solutions to address inadequate
enforcement and if desired graphical/GIS comparison of sedimentation
enforcement implemented by the State versus those delegated
to local programs.
- A comparative analysis of North Carolina's sedimentation
laws to other states with similar soil types (clay) and
recommendations for legislative changes.
- Designing a enforcement website with an interactive GIS
component that allows the public access to sedimentation
enforcement information.
- Evaluating the economic impacts of best management practices
(BMP) of sedimentation and erosion control and the resulting
economic impacts associated with stream degradation.
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Project Proposal 3
Muddy Water Watch Intern
Project Description: : The Muddy Water
Watch (MWW) project is a community-based, citizen training
project designed to reduce sediment pollution--the number
one pollutant in NC streams and rivers. The project was created
in direct response to citizen complaints about sediment related
impacts they could see in their own neighborhoods. The program
provides education, training workshops and support that will
give citizens the necessary tools to actively engage with
local governing bodies, policymakers and developers on issues
concerning clean water in their communities. Conservation
Council is focusing on collecting information and data in
order to assess county level government sediment control programs
which have the designated authority to implement state sedimentation
and erosion control rules. A final report detailing the effectiveness
of these locally designated programs will guide future legislative
or other efforts to improve sedimentation control programs
at the state level.
The intern will provide support for the MWW
project by: working with citizen volunteers, collecting and
analyzing data gathered by volunteers, writing reports, researching
municipal sedimentation programs and general administrative
tasks related to the overall project.
Responsibilities: Intern will work with
volunteers in the field and by phone; participate in community
volunteer workshops; collect, organize, and analyze data from
citizen volunteer reports. Intern may also collect data and
interview local program staff across the state.
Qualifications: : Experience with computer
administrative programs like Word and Excel. Some educational
background in environmental issues and/or community engagement
work. Some volunteer experience is preferred.
Location: 112 S. Blount Street, Raleigh,
NC
Supervisor: Brownie Newman, Political
Director, PO Box 7544, Asheville NC 28802, 828-243-0107.
.Additional Information: There will be
an opportunity to visit and work with Riverkeeper programs
in six or more NC watersheds. There will be an opportunity
to participate in community festivals such as Neuse River
Days. There is potential for developing a Master's Project
around water ecology, pollution, environmental enforcement
efforts, civic engagement, or community health.
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Project
Proposal 4
Civic Engagement: Voting for the Environment
Background Information : Conservation Council
of North Carolina is a statewide advocacy organization working
as the political arm of the environmental community to preserve,
protect, and enhance the quality of life for North Carolinians.
We do this by: advocating for positive changes in environmental
policies at the state legislature; holding legislators accountable
for their decisions that impact the environment; mobilizing
voters to advocate for sound environmental policies; and electing
candidates who will prioritize the environment.
Project Description : North Carolina is
a state undergoing rapid demographic and political transformation.
Until recently, North Carolina was a predominantly rural state
and had been dominated by the Democratic Party for decades.
With the rapid growth over the past two decades, North Carolina
has quickly grown into a predominantly urban state and the
political parties are now at parity. Due to the gerrymandering
of legislative districts, future control of the North Carolina
Legislature will be largely determined by fate of 10- 20 key
districts across the state. In addition, with the growing
national awareness of the threat of global warming, environmental
issues are becoming part of the public political debate for
the first time in recent history.
It is important for the environmental community to have
a strong, organized presence in these key swing districts
so that we can ensure that environmental issues remain a part
of the political debate at the local level, as they have become
at the national level.
This intern will work with the Conservation Council of North
Carolina (CCNC) to increase the environmental community's
ability to influence the public political debate, and organize
effectively at the local level to ensure strong civic engagement
amongst citizens who prioritize environmental issues. The
intern will work with CCNC's Director of Political Outreach
and Education on a variety of initiatives, including: working
with the media to raise environmental issues as part of the
public debate, outreach to citizens in key areas of our state,
including grasstop leaders and field work, researching campaign
finance and election information, organizing potential candidate
forums, and working with environmental and allied organizations
to engage our base across the state in the political process.
Responsibilities: The intern will assist
CCNC with: developing news articles and letters to the editor
aimed at inserting key environmental issues into the political
debate; doing civic engagement field work; developing direct
mail and other strategies to engage voters; outreach activities
and events across the state; etc.
Qualifications :
Desired qualifications include: substantive knowledge of environmental
issues, strong writing and communication skills, and general
working knowledge of computers. The position will often require
professional attire. "Political junkie" types will enjoy this
project. Experience in community organizing/ voter engagement
is desirable, but not required. In addition, intern will have
an ability to structure and manage his own work effort. Additional
skills in marketing, website development, public relations,
and/or media work welcome.
Location: 224 S. Dawson St. in downtown
Raleigh. It will also be fine for the intern to sometimes
work from his or her home.
Supervisor: Brownie Newman, Director of
Political Outreach and Education, 828-243-0107.
Additional Information : This position
offers unique opportunities and benefits: working on a variety
of critical environmental issues; direct experience with North
Carolina legislative and political structures; and utilizing
research, writing, networking, and message development skills.
There are opportunities for travel and networking throughout
North Carolina through ongoing CCNC events, social activities,
and meetings. CCNC will work closely with intern to develop
a suitable Master's Project, as needed.
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