Environmental Studies

Two Communities, Two Hazards and the Two Award-Winners Reporting Them

Two outstanding features — one on air pollution from a local coke plant in Pennsylvania, another on deaths from a shellfish toxin in Alaska, and both focused on public health, neglected communities and environmental justice — are the subject of the new Inside Story Q&A. Society of Environmental Journalists’ award-winners Nancy Averett and Zoya Teirstein share their reporting insights and advice.

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Early Toxics Release Inventory Data Can Yield Scoops

In a few weeks, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will officially release the latest year’s Toxics Release Inventory. But as Reporter’s Toolbox explains, you can get ahead of the data — and possibly generate some scoops. That’s because EPA quietly releases incomplete preliminary data months earlier. Top tips on making sense of the early data, along with nine smart story leads.

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"EPA To Protect Alaska’s Bristol Bay, Blocking Major Gold Mine"

"The Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday that it would restore protections for Alaska’s Bristol Bay, blocking the construction of a massive and controversial gold mine near the world’s largest sockeye salmon run."

Source: Washington Post, 09/10/2021

From 4% to 45%: Biden DOE Lays Out Ambitious Blueprint for Solar Power

"The Biden administration on Wednesday released a blueprint showing how the nation could move toward producing almost half of its electricity from the sun by 2050 — a potentially big step toward fighting climate change but one that would require vast upgrades to the electric grid."

Source: NYTimes, 09/09/2021

Dutch Watchdog Tells Shell to Stop ‘Carbon Neutral' Greenwashing Ads

"In the Netherlands, officials ruled that Shell has to halt ads that claim customers can render their fuel purchases “carbon neutral” by paying for carbon offsets. The reasoning is pretty straightforward: Shell has, uh, no proof that their claims were true."

Source: Earther, 09/06/2021

Judge Rebuffs Red States' Challenge To Biden's 'Social Costs' Of Carbon

"A federal judge rejected a challenge from 12 states with Republican attorneys general that attempted to block the Biden administration from using certain figures to calculate the climate benefits of rules it puts forward, known as the "social costs" of greenhouse gases."

Source: The Hill, 09/01/2021

"Group’s Allegations of Destroying Records Spur EPA Investigation"

"The EPA says it will fully investigate allegations from a public interest group that it illegally destroys the original versions of its internal communications and draft documents once they’re edited, according to an agency spokesman."

Source: Bloomberg Environment, 08/30/2021

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