On Tuesday, the Trump administration ordered a media blackout at the Environmental Protection Agency and will not allow staff to issue any new contracts or grants.

Although the orders are temporary, some expect they’ll have a big impact on EPA activities, including Dr. Peter Ward, who worked for 27 years with the United States Geological Survey as a research geophysicist and branch chief.

He joined us Wednesday because he was manning a booth at the American Meteorological Society Event in Seattle.