More Resources for Digging Into the Gulf Spill Story

September 22, 2010–Despite the new, apparently unwritten law against digging journalistically into the impacts of the spill, there are information resources here that may help you dig into other oil/environment stories as well.

Where's BP's Blowout Preventer? Justice Department Won't Say

September 8, 2010–The FBI's effort to inspire confidence by trying to hide the 300-ton, five-story-high, object of national interest might have backfired.

Coast Guard Spill-Response Database Offers Near-Real-Time Story Leads

August 25, 2010–The National Response Center, a single call-in facility for the reporting of all kinds of oil and chemicals leaks, spills, and discharges, puts all the data online in a form than can be queried or downloaded.

Poynter Webinar on Oil Spill Coverage: There's Still Time

August 25, 2010–The August 24, 2010 Webinar for journalists offered tips for better coverage of the Gulf oil spill and related issues. You can replay it online.

Pipelines Spill Millions of Toxic Gallons Each Year

August 18, 2010–A round-up of resources: from the recent Enbridge spill in Michigan to multiple spills over time by Houston-based Plains All American Pipeline; hearings of the US House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials; availability of pipeline maps; Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration info on safety standards, inspections, stakeholder communications; and much more. 

Enviros File FOIA Suit for Salazar Contacts with Oil Lobbyists

July 14, 2010–The Center for Biological Diversity requested documents from the Department of the Interior on May 18, 2010, but received no response.

Whistleblower Switches Sides, Spills Story on BP Press Blockade

July 14, 2010–An ex-BP security contractor hired to shoo reporters off of public beaches claims he was fired by BP after he took pictures of equations showing how dispersants were being used in the Gulf.

Many Petroleum Companies Routinely Emit Significant Toxics

July 7, 2010–The University of Massachusetts Political Economy Research Institute's "Toxic 100 Air Polluters" indicates 4 of the worst 12 air polluters are petroleum companies. You can use this resource to look at other groupings of companies, such as utilities, or drug, chemical, or metals manufacturers, or to look at any of the individual companies.

Natural Gas Hazards Drawing Federal Attention

July 7, 2010–After hearing for years about public concern over the adverse health and environmental effects of hydraulic fracturing used to increase production of natural gas, US EPA has begun a process (including 4 public meetings in July; CO, NY, PA, TX) to decide what the issues are and how to address them.

TOOLBOX: Database May Reveal an Oil Spill Near You

June 30, 2010–Every spill report coming in to the NRC goes into a database which is, for the most part, publicly accessible. You can query the database online, or download it for use in your own computer-assisted reporting project.