Awards

Awards are the closest thing to peer review in journalism. Judged by panels of editors and reporters, they serve to recognize distinguished achievement and reinforce the highest and evolving standards of the profession. Here’s a running list of honors our journalists have received.

2023 Izzy Award

To: Liza Gross

For: Something in the Water


2022 SABEW Best in Business Awards

Category: Health & Science, Small Division

Winner

To: Liza Gross and Anne Marshall-Chalmers

For: Something in the Water


2022 Shaufler Prize in Journalism

First Place

To: Aydali Campa

For: The Superfund Next Door


2022 AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Award

Category: Science Reporting – Small Outlet

Silver Award

To: Liza Gross and Anne Marshall-Chalmers

For: A California Water Board Assures the Public that Oil Wastewater Is Safe for Irrigation, But Experts Say the Evidence Is Scant 


2022: Society of Environmental Journalism Annual Awards for Reporting on the Environment

Category: Outstanding Beat Reporting, Small Market

First Honorable Mention

To: Katie Surma

For:


2022: Society of Environmental Journalism Annual Awards for Reporting on the Environment

Category: Outstanding Beat Reporting, Small Market

Third Honorable Mention

To: Phil McKenna and James Bruggers

For:


2022: Society of Environmental Journalism Annual Awards for Reporting on the Environment

Category: Outstanding Beat Reporting, Large Market

Second Honorable Mention

To: Hal Bernton, The Seattle Times, and Judy Fahys and James Bruggers, Inside Climate News

For:


2022: Society of Environmental Journalism Annual Awards for Reporting on the Environment

Category: Outstanding Student Reporting

Second Honorable Mention

To: Nicholas Portuondo, Northwestern University, published by Inside Climate News

For: As the Gulf of Mexico Heals from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Stringent Safety Proposals Remain Elusive


2022 North American Agricultural Journalists Glenn Cunningham Writer of the Year

To: Georgina Gustin

For: The Amazon is the Planet’s Counterweight to Global Warming, a Place of Stupefying Richness Under Relentless Assault


Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists

Category: Climate/Environment Single Story

Winner

To: James Bruggers, Amy Green, Phil McKenna, and Robert Benincasa

For: EPA Struggles to Track Methane Emissions From Landfills. Here’s Why It Matters


2022 North American Agricultural Journalists Writing Contest

Category: Feature

First Place

To: Georgina Gustin

For: The Amazon is the Planet’s Counterweight to Global Warming, a Place of Stupefying Richness Under Relentless Assault


EPPY Awards 2021

Category: Best collaborative investigative/enterprise reporting (1 million or more unique visitors)

Finalist

To: NBC News, Inside Climate News and the Texas Observer

For: Super Threats


San Diego Press Club Excellence in Journalism Awards 2021

Category: Online and daily newspapers: Environment

First Place

To: David Hasemyer, Michael Kodas

For: Fueled By Climate Change, Wildfires Threaten Toxic Superfund Sites


San Diego Press Club Excellence in Journalism Awards 2021

Category: Online and daily newspapers: Series

Second Place

To: David Hasemyer, Lisa Olsen

For: Super Threats


2021 Green Eyeshade Awards

Category: Politics Reporting/Online

First Place

To: James Bruggers

For: Faith, Environmental Justice and Climate in the Southeast’s Pivotal Senate Races


2021 Best in Business Awards Honorees

Category: Explanatory: Small Division

Honorable Mention

To: Feng Hao, Katrina Northrop, Lili Pike and Phil McKenna

For: Hot Molecules


2021: Society of Professional Journalists NYC Deadline Club

Category: Science, Technology, Medical or Environmental Reporting

Finalist

To: Feng Hao, Katrina Northrop, Lili Pike and Phil McKenna

For: Hot Molecules


2020: New York Press Club Awards

Category: Consumer Reporting (Online)

Winner

To: Sabrina Shankman

For: Fumes in South Portland


2020: Society of Professional Journalists, Deadline Club (NY)

Category: Reporting by Independent Digital Media

Winner

To: Anna Belle Peevey, Neela Banerjee and Adrian Briscoe

For: American Climate


2020: Society of Environmental Journalists 

Category: Outstanding Beat Reporting 

First Place

To James Bruggers

For: “Holding the Powerful to Account for the Environment”


2020: Headliner Awards 

Category: Digital Presentation of a Single News Topic

Third Place

To Anna Belle Peevey, Neela Banerjee, Adrian Briscoe

For: American Climate


2020: Headliner Awards

Category: Best Blog

First Place

To Sabrina Shankman

For: Fumes in South Portland


2020: North American Agricultural Journalists Awards

Category: Best Feature Writing

First Place

To Georgina Gustin

For: Ravaged by Drought, a Honduran Village Faces a Choice: Pray for Rain or Migrate


2020: Health Care Research and Journalism Awards

Category: Digital Media 

Finalist

To David Hasemyer and Paul Horn with NBC News Digital

For: Military Fights a Deadly Enemy: Heat


2019: AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards

Category: Online

Silver Award

To Nicholas Kusnetz

For: The Impossibly Cute Pika’s Survival May Say Something About Our Own Future


2019: Editor & Publisher EPPY Award

Category: Best Collaborative Investigative/Enterprise Feature

Finalist

To David Hasemyer with NBC News Digital

For: Military Fights a Deadly Enemy: Heat


2019: John B. Oakes Award for Distinguished Environmental Journalism

Winner

To Georgina Gustin, Neela Banerjee, John H. Cushman Jr. and Paul Horn

For: Harvesting Peril


2019: Sigma Delta Chi Awards, The Society of Professional Journalists

Category: Online Column Writing (Independent)

Winner

To Sabrina Shankman

For: The Fumes in South Portland


2019: Sigma Delta Chi Awards, The Society of Professional Journalists

Category: Informational Graphics (Newspaper Circulation 1-100,000, Regional Magazine, Non-Daily Publication or Online Independent)

Winner

To Paul Horn and staff

For: Harvesting Peril


2019: Walter Sullivan Award for Excellence in Science Journalism (American Geophysical Union)

Category: Features

Finalist

To Georgina Gustin, Neela Banerjee, John H. Cushman Jr.

For: Harvesting Peril


2019: New York Press Club

Category: Special Event Reporting – Internet

Winner

To James Bruggers, Dan Gearino and ICN Staff

For: Environment Reporting Network


2019: North American Agricultural Journalists Association

Category: The Glenn Cunningham Ag Journalist of the Year Award

Winner

To Georgina Gustin, Neela Banerjee, John H. Cushman Jr.

For: Harvesting Peril


2019: Deadline Club, NYC Chapter of The Society of Professional Journalists

Category: Science, Technology, Medical or Environmental Reporting

Finalist

To Georgina Gustin, Neela Banerjee, John H. Cushman Jr., Paul Horn and Anna Belle Peevey

For: Harvesting Peril


2019: Society of American Business Editors and Writers Awards

Category: Explanatory (small)

Winner

To Georgina Gustin, Neela Banerjee, John H. Cushman Jr., Paul Horn, Anna Belle Peevey

For: Harvesting Peril

—————————————

Category: Government (small)

Winner

To Neela Banerjee, Sabrina Shankman, Nicholas Kusnetz, Paul Horn and Anna Belle Peevey

For: Dangers Without Borders

—————————————

Category: Health/Science (small)

Honorable Mention

To Sabrina Shankman

For: Surrounded by Oil Fields, an Alaska Village Fears for Its Health


2019: North American Agricultural Journalists Association

Category: Best Series

First Place

To Georgina Gustin, Neela Banerjee, John H. Cushman Jr.

For: Harvesting Peril

—————————————

Category: Best Feature

First Place

To Georgina Gustin, Neela Banerjee, John H. Cushman Jr.

For: Harvesting Peril


2018: Editor & Publisher EPPY Award

Category: Best News or Event Feature with under 1 million unique monthly visitors

Finalist

To ICN’s staff

For: Choke Hold


2018: San Diego Press Club Awards

Category: Online and Daily newspapers, General News

First Place

To David Hasemyer

For: It Took This Coal Miner 14 Years to Secure Black Lung Benefits. How Come?  (Part of Choke Hold)

Category: Online and Daily newspapers, Investigative Reporting

—————————————

Second Place

To David Hasemyer

For: Instrument of Power: How Fossil Fuel Donors Shaped the Anti-Climate Agenda of a Powerful Congressional Committe (Part of Choke Hold)

Category: Online and Daily newspapers, Environment

—————————————

Second Place

To David Hasemyer

For: This Tiny California Beach Town Is Suing Big Oil. It Sees This as a Fight for Survival.


2018: Edward R. Murrow Awards Regional, RTDNA

Category: Hard News (Small Digital News Organization)

Winner

To ICN’s staff

For: Choke Hold


2018: Sigma Delta Chi Awards, The Society of Professional Journalists

Category: Informational Graphics (Newspaper Circulation 1-100,000, Regional Magazine, Non-Daily Publication or Online Independent)

Winner

To ICN’s Paul Horn and staff

For: Choke Hold


2018: Excellence in Financial Journalism Awards, NYSSCPA

Category: Video (Large)

Winner

To The Weather Channel Digital and InsideClimate News

For: Killing Clean


2018: Deadline Club, NYC Chapter of The Society of Professional Journalists

Category: Independent Digital Media

Finalist

To ICN’s Neela Banerjee, David Hasemyer, Marianne Lavelle and freelancers Robert McClure and Clark Hoyt (editor)

For: Choke Hold


2018: National Headliner Awards

Category: Online Beat Coverage (news organization not connected to print or broadcast)

Second Place

To ICN’s staff

For: Choke Hold


2018: Society of American Business Editors and Writers Awards

Category: Health/Science (small)

Winner

To ICN’s Neela Banerjee, David Hasemyer, Marianne Lavelle and freelancers Robert McClure, Brad Wieners and Clark Hoyt (editor)

For: Choke Hold

—————————————

Category: Government (small)

Winner

To ICN’s Nicholas Kusnetz

For: Industry Lawsuits Try to Paint Environmental Activism as Illegal Racket

—————————————

Category: Explanatory (small)

Honorable Mention

To ICN’s Neela Banerjee, David Hasemyer, Marianne Lavelle and freelancers Robert McClure, Brad Wieners and Clark Hoyt (editor)

For: Choke Hold

—————————————

Category: Investigative (small)

Honorable Mention

To Sabrina Shankman

For: As Hilcorp Plans to Drill in Arctic Waters, a Troubling Trail of Violations Surfaces


2018: Scripps Howard Awards

Category: Topic of the Year, “Divided America”

Finalist

To Meera Subramanian

For: Finding Middle Ground: Conversations Across America


2017: San Diego Press Club

Category: Online and Daily newspapers, Environment

Winner

To ICN’s David Hasemyer

For: With Bare Knuckles and Big Dollars, Exxon Fights Climate Probe to a Legal Stalemate (Part of Choke Hold investigative series)


2017: San Diego Press Club

Category: Online and Daily newspapers, Politics/Government

Winner

To ICN’s David Hasemyer

For: In California Clean Air Fight, Environmental Justice Takes a Leading Role


2016: EPPY Award

Category: Best Redesign/Relaunch with under 1 million unique monthly visitors

Winner

For: InsideClimate News’ website


2016: Online Journalism Association

Category: Al Neuharth Innovation in Investigative Journalism Award, Small Market

Winner

To: ICN’s Neela Banerjee, John H. Cushman Jr., David Hasemyer, and Lisa Song

For: Exxon: The Road Not Taken


2016: Society of Environmental Journalists

Category: Kevin Carmody Award for Outstanding In-depth Reporting, Small Market

Winner

To ICN’s Neela Banerjee, John H. Cushman Jr., David Hasemyer, and Lisa Song

For: Exxon: The Road Not Taken


2016: John B. Oakes Award

Winner

To ICN’s Neela Banerjee, John H. Cushman Jr., David Hasemyer, and Lisa Song

For: Exxon: The Road Not Taken


2016: Pulitzer Prize

Category: Public Service

Finalist

To ICN’s Neela Banerjee, John H. Cushman Jr., David Hasemyer, and Lisa Song

For: Exxon: The Road Not Taken


2016: Robert F. Kennedy Award

Category: New Media Winner

Winner

To ICN’s Neela Banerjee, John H. Cushman Jr., David Hasemyer, and Lisa Song

For: Exxon: The Road Not Taken


2016: White House Correspondents’ Association

Category: Edgar A. Poe Award for news coverage of regional or national importance

Winner

To ICN’s Neela Banerjee, John H. Cushman Jr., David Hasemyer, and Lisa Song

For: Exxon: The Road Not Taken


2016: Society of Professional Journalists

Category: Sigma Delta Chi Award for Informational Graphics

Winner

To ICN’s Paul Horn

For: Exxon: The Road Not Taken


2016: Society of American Business Editors and Writers Awards

Category: Digitial Investigative, Division I

Co-Winner

To ICN’s Neela Banerjee, John H. Cushman Jr., David Hasemyer, and Lisa Song

For: Exxon: The Road Not Taken


2016: National Press Foundation

Thomas L. Stokes Award for Best Energy Writing

Winner

To ICN’s Neela Banerjee, John H. Cushman Jr., David Hasemyer, and Lisa Song

For: Exxon: The Road Not Taken


2016: The Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting

Finalist

To ICN’s Neela Banerjee, John H. Cushman Jr., David Hasemyer, and Lisa Song

For: Exxon: The Road Not Taken


2016: The Izzy Award

Winner

To ICN’s Neela Banerjee, John H. Cushman Jr., David Hasemyer, and Lisa Song

For: Exxon: The Road Not Taken


2016: Scripps Howard Awards

Category: Environmental Reporting

Winner

To ICN’s Neela Banerjee, John H. Cushman Jr., David Hasemyer, and Lisa Song

For: Exxon: The Road Not Taken


2016: The Knight-Risser Prize

Category: Western Environmental Journalism

Winner

For: Big Oil, Bad Air


2016: Society of Environmental Journalists

Category: Kevin Carmody Award for Outstanding In-depth Reporting, Large Market

Winner

For: Big Oil, Bad Air


2015: John B. Oakes Award

Finalist

To ICN’s Lisa Song, David Hasemyer, CPI’s Jim Morris and The Weather Channel’s Greg Gilderman

For: Big Oil, Bad Air


2015: Society of Environmental Journalists

Category: Outstanding Feature Story

Second Place

For: Meltdown: Terror at the Top of the World


2015: Loeb Awards

Category: Explanatory Reporting

Finalist

For: Big Oil, Bad Air


2015: Livingston Awards

Category: National Reporting

Finalist

For: Meltdown: Terror at the Top of the World


2015: Society of Professional Journalists

Sigma Delta Chi Award for Informational Graphics

Winner

To ICN’s Lisa Song and Paul Horn

For: Big Oil, Bad Air


2015: National Press Foundation

Thomas L. Stokes Award for Energy Writing

Winner

To ICN’s Lisa Song, David Hasemyer, CPI’s Jim Morris and The Weather Channel’s Greg Gilderman

For: Big Oil, Bad Air


2015: Investigative Reporters & Editors Award

Category: Large Multimedia

Finalist

To ICN’s Lisa Song, David Hasemyer, Susan White, Zahra Hirji, Paul Horn, Lance Rosenfield, Sabrina Shankman, Marcus Stern, John Bolger, Hannah Robbins

For: Big Oil, Bad Air


2015: Association of Health Care Journalists Award

Category: Large Investigation

Winner

To David Hasemyer, Lisa Song and Jim Morris

For: Big Oil, Bad Air


2015: San Diego Press Club

Category: Daily newspapers and websites, General News

Winner

To David Hasemyer

For: Fired: Texas Oil and Gas Regulators Say They Tried to Enforce Rules, Lost Jobs


2015: San Diego Press Club

Category: Daily newspapers and websites, Environment

Winner

To David Hasemyer, Zahra Hirji

For: In Fracking’s Wake: Open Pits Offer Cheap Disposal for Fracking Sludge, but Health Worries Mount


2014: Editor & Publisher EPPY Award

Category: Best Investigative/Enterprise Feature on a Wesite

Winner

To David Hasemyer, Lisa Song and Jim Morris

For: Big Oil, Bad Air


2014: Deadline Club, NYC Chapter of The Society of Professional Journalists

Category: Reporting by Independent Digital Media

Winner

To Katherine Bagley and Maria Gallucci

For: Bloomberg’s Hidden Legacy: Climate Change and the Future of New York City


2013: Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting

Winner

To Elizabeth McGowan, Lisa Song, and Dave Hasemyer

For The Dilbit Disaster


2013: Rachel Carson Environment Book Award, Society of Environmental Journalists

Winner

To Elizabeth McGowan and Lisa Song

For The Dilbit Disaster


2013: Society of Professional Journalists, San Diego Pro Chapter

Category: Daily Reporting and Writing, Environmental Story

Winner

To David Hasemyer

For “Nation’s First Tar Sands Mine Stirs Water, Environmental Fears Out West


2013: Deadline Club, NYC Chapter of The Society of Professional Journalists

Category: Reporting by Independent Digital Media

Winner

To Elizabeth McGowan and Lisa Song

For The Dilbit Disaster


2012: The Aronson Award for Social Justice Journalism

Winner

To Elizabeth McGowan, Lisa Song, and Dave Hasemyer

For The Dilbit Disaster


2012: John B. Oakes Award for Distinguished Environmental Journalism

Honorable Mention

To Elizabeth McGowan, Lisa Song, and Dave Hasemyer

For The Dilbit Disaster


2012: Scripps Howard Foundation

Category: Environmental Reporting

Finalist

To Elizabeth McGowan, Lisa Song, and Dave Hasemyer

For The Dilbit Disaster