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EPA Launches New Online Regulatory Gateway

cmacdonald — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:16:52 -0500

Like many federal agencies, EPA does a lot of its work through the federal rulemaking process — which is notoriously tough to cover. If you already know a specific rule is in the works, then it's not quite so hard. But most of the time, journalists and others aren't sure which proposed EPA rules might affect a particular issue.

Help may be on the way. On Feb 18, EPA debuted its own new rulemaking gateway site.

Firearms Now Allowed in Parks; Rules Eased in Refuges

cmacdonald — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:14:22 -0500

As of Feb. 22, 2010, there are fewer restrictions on gun possession for nearly 1,000 units of the National Park and National Wildlife Refuge systems.

Educating your audience about the complicated new law will be a useful public service. It will also familiarize you with the people involved at your local facilities, what steps they are taking, and who you can contact if a shooting incident or other violation occurs.

New Fed Climate Change Site Consolidates Information

cmacdonald — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:14:13 -0500

NOAA has pulled together an extensive range of climate change information at a new URL that was announced Feb. 8, 2010:

NOAA Climate Services Portal; press release.

The site includes news, studies, reports, fact sheets, data, predictions, educational tools, an events calendar, and images. The agency says it will adapt the site in response to comments, so feel free to provide feedback.

USGS Minerals Report: A Tale of Economy and Environment

cmacdonald — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:18:26 -0500

The annual USGS report on minerals extraction, consumption, and value in the US, released Feb. 16, 2010, provides a takeoff point for numerous environmental stories.

Substantial drops in gravel, sand, cement, and gypsum extraction and consumption offer a different way to cover the economic impacts of the recession. Data on coal mining extraction and employment provide insights on stories related to climate change and air pollution. Inroads to environmental disturbance stories are offered by data such as the nearly 50% decline in iron ore production.

Who's Biking/Walking in Your State and City?

cmacdonald — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:20:36 -0500

Getting people to drive less and bike and walk more often is a key strategy in public policies aimed at curbing a host of ills: traffic congestion, climate change, obesity, and more. How does your state or city measure up in terms of biking and walking?

Catch Share: Fisheries Management Policy Controversy Heats Up

cmacdonald — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:41:32 -0500

Until now, US fisheries have operated mainly on a catch-it-while-you-can basis. In recent years, overall quotas for several key fisheries have been met in mere hours or days after the opening of the season — boats rush out all at once to catch as much as they can before the season's quota gets met and the fishery is closed. This not only increases business risk and the unpredictability of employment in the fishing industry: the rush approach to meeting fishery quotas often also leads to overfishing.

Detailed Organic Farm and Ranch Data Available

cmacdonald — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:37:14 -0500

USDA's first major national survey of U.S. organic farms was released Feb. 3, 2010, by the agency's Office of Research, Education, and Economics. The survey, which includes 14,540 farms and ranches that cover 4.1 million acres in 50 states, found highlights such as:

Group Is Releasing Improved Conservation Lands Information

cmacdonald — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:46:07 -0500

The Trust for Public Land is updating its online database that tracks a broad spectrum of conservation lands. The upgrade includes mapping and a finer level of detail, such as information at the county and parcel levels.

Study Suggests Important Tradeoffs for Algae Biofuel

cmacdonald — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:05:55 -0500

As the push for biofuels grows, it will be essential to dig into the devilish details for each fuel source.

In the case of algae, a study published Jan. 19, 2010, in Environmental Science & Technology highlighted several findings that some advocates may want to ignore or downplay, but which could be essential for a broader audience to be aware of as research and development continue.

100s of New Federal Datasets Released, Many Environmental

cmacdonald — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:26:46 -0500

Environmental reporters who use databases to find and build stories have a fresh windfall thanks to President Obama's efforts to open up the federal government.

On Jan. 22, over 40 federal agencies published hundreds of new datasets via the open government clearinghouse Data.gov. This includes three new datasets from EPA, PLUS many other datasets relevant to environmental issues.

Feb. 16 Briefing Helps Prep for Release of New US Ocean Policy

cmacdonald — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:56:19 -0500

The Obama administration is seeking to become the first to develop a national oceans policy that pulls in all the agencies dealing with oceans. The White House in June 2009 formed an Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force. That panel in December gave Obama a proposal for a "marine spatial planning" framework. The draft is likely to be finalized soon after the 60-day comment period closes in mid-February.

MIT Crowdsources "Landmen" Reports on Oil, Natural Gas Agents

cmacdonald — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:40:55 -0500

In any story about oil and natural gas leases, "landmen" eventually turn up. These agents of oil and gas companies show up on the doorsteps of property owners and local officials, and at community meetings. Their job is to negotiate leases on the best terms for their employer at the lowest price. And sometimes the things landmen say and do in the course of their work are rather suspect.

On Jan. 22, MIT's Center for Future Civic Media published a new service for crowdsourcing information about individual landmen:

Recovering Eagles Flock to U.S. in Winter

cmacdonald — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 10:52:40 -0500

February is a good time to report on the fate of the bald eagle, which was removed from the endangered species list in 2007, but remains protected by a number of laws. Wintering eagles can be observed in almost every state, providing good opportunities to engage your audience.

As one tool for identifying eagle-observation locations, the National Wildlife Federation provides a couple of lists that pinpoint at least one spot in every state except Hawaii where the big birds can typically be found.

Study Shows Managed Turf Is Net Greenhouse Gas Loser

cmacdonald — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:51:07 -0500

As the battle over climate change legislation slowly grinds into gear, it's likely that part of the struggle will be over credits given for various carbon sinks. In some circles, plant materials fall into that category. However, extensive evidence is suggesting that there are large variations in whether, and under what conditions, specific plants may truly be a carbon sink (see TipSheet of Jan. 6, 2010, for some of this evidence.

Will Appliance Rebates Match Cash for Clunkers?

cmacdonald — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:29:44 -0500

The Cash for Clunkers sequel is under way. Cash for Appliances is already operating in CT, DE, IL, IN, KS, ME, NJ, OR, RI, VT, and WI, and is scheduled to be rolled out in the remaining states and territories in February, March, and April.

AAAS Meeting Offers Chance To Catch Enviro Scientists

cmacdonald — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:19:46 -0500

Dozens of sessions on environmental topics are on the agenda at the 2010 annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), to be held Feb. 18-22 in San Diego.

Among the major topics that will be covered from numerous angles are climate change, energy, and oceans. In addition, there are sessions on drinking water, agriculture, toxic substances, nanotechnology, urban design, recycling, and wildfires.

For more information:

EPA Reports on Lake Conditions Nationwide

cmacdonald — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:26:30 -0500

More than 4 of every 10 US lakes are in only fair or poor condition, according to EPA's first national assessment using consistent criteria.

Man-made lakes tend to be in far worse condition than their natural cousins. Half of the lakes are home to fish whose flesh contains health-threatening concentrations of mercury. More than one-quarter of the lakes potentially pose a threat from algal toxins.

Local Auto Shows Offer Hook for Covering Green Vehicles

cmacdonald — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:03:44 -0500

The 2010 auto show season is already under way, with shows just wrapping up in Detroit, Salt Lake City, San Jose, and Greenville, SC. But there will likely be at least 30 more this year. If you're near one, it may be worth covering, since greener cars of many stripes are drawing more attention by manufacturers, consumers, and regulators.

A couple of starting points for information are:

Radon Action Month a Chance To Save Lives

cmacdonald — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:35:03 -0500

Every year, an estimated 20,000 Americans die of lung cancer caused by exposure to radon — a naturally occurring radioactive gas that often finds its way into indoor air. That's about half the number that die in car crashes. Yet detecting radon and remedying it are easy and inexpensive.

EPA has declared January National Radon Action Month. It's a good time for environmental reporters to look at the many specific ways radon impacts their audience and the things people can do to protect themselves.

EPA Proposes More Monitors for Airborne Lead

cmacdonald — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:54:00 -0500

EPA is proposing to modify certain provisions of the controversial update of the lead air quality standards approved in the waning days of the Bush administration.

The action was spurred in part by a petition filed in January 2009 after the rule was approved in November 2008. One of the driving forces behind the petition was the fact that decades of science on the adverse health effects of lead have been leading toward a conclusion that there may be no safe level of lead exposure.

Feds Release New Info on Climate-Plant Connections

cmacdonald — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 17:41:53 -0500

The plants that cover the globe interact with climate in many ways. As manmade climate change progresses, the links will provide both good news and bad news for people — and plenty of controversy.

Newly released federal information sheds more light on plant-climate links, and provides fodder for all kinds of stories. Research and policy discussions are focusing on both natural plant systems and domesticated ones, especially agriculture.

Localizing Recovery Act Spending Is Getting Easier

cmacdonald — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 22:35:43 -0500

Data on how, where, when, and by whom Recovery Act money is being spent is beginning to accumulate, though it remains incomplete and can be hard to track down. However, the advocacy group OMB Watch is attempting to make this information more current and user-friendly. Using government-supplied data, the group launched its compendium on Dec. 3, 2009.

Mapping Tool Allows New Way To Cover EPA Enforcement Actions

cmacdonald — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:41:53 -0500

With the release of its data on about 4,600 civil and criminal enforcement actions in fiscal year 2009, EPA has included a mapping tool that may provide journalists with a better opportunity to assess the agency's actions.

After Copenhagen: Many Climate Stories at Home Still Unwritten

jdavis_sej — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:35:39 -0500

For journalists not lucky enough to go to the Copenhagen climate talks, the good news is that climate will be news at home and abroad for years to come. Many regional, state, and local climate stories are still waiting to be written. Some great ones have already been done. SEJ's Climate Change Guide offers a wealth of sources and resources that can help you put together timely and authoritative coverage that cuts through the smoke-screens and spin-wars.

GENERAL

Construction Water Pollution: New EPA Rule

cmacdonald — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:48:22 -0500

In the construction industry, rainy days can mean more than just delays. Stormwater runoff from construction sites is a significant source of soil and sediment runoff. This increases the muddiness("turbidity") of surface water — which can impair plant and animal habitats as well as complicate operations at water treatment plants, power plants, and other water-handling facilities.