Government

Clearing the Smoke — Collaboration Exposes Impacts of Wildfire Pollution-Reporting Rules

Climate change is fueling the frequency and severity of wildfires, but a little-known Clean Air Act rule lets environmental agencies downplay the impacts of wildfire smoke. A collaborative investigation into this loophole connected dots that even the experts didn’t know about. Journalists Dillon Bergin and Molly Peterson explain their reporting process and offer advice for following your own local leads.

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"Lawmakers Brace For Last-Ditch Fight Over Riders, Cuts"

"House Republicans on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to fight for conservative policy riders in fiscal 2024 spending bills, incensing Democratic appropriators and raising the specter of yet another funding stopgap — or a partial shutdown."

Source: E&E News, 01/11/2024

Personal Care Products — Bringing the Problems Home

Health and environmental concerns about some beauty items — like the use of formaldehyde in certain hair straighteners — have started to emerge as a focus for federal regulation. But as the latest TipSheet points out, the response has been slow and fitful. Meanwhile, here are story ideas and resources to help reporters find local angles for this environmental and public health hazard.

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January 22, 2024

DEADLINE: Advancing Democracy Fellowship

Hearken, Trusting News and Solutions Journalism Network are inviting 20 U.S.-based newsroom teams to apply for this fellowship which is designed to help newsrooms think big, plan long term and reinvent coverage of politics, governance and elections with and for their communities. Deadline is Jan 22, 2024.

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U.S. Offshore Wind May Not Stay Becalmed for Long

While the first offshore wind turbine started sending power into the U.S. grid just last month, and the renewable power source has enthusiastic support from the Biden administration, the industry has been slowed by politics, high interest rates and supply chain problems. But the latest Issue Backgrounder explores why offshore wind can be expected to succeed.

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Want To Protect Your Sources? It Helps To Know the Law

With climate-related legal disputes playing out worldwide, we could see more environmental journalists facing subpoenas to access their newsgathering materials and reveal their sources. Case in point: the legal battle embroiling a news nonprofit over its coverage of pipeline protests. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press’ Chris Young looks at shield laws and resources to help deal with legal threats to your journalistic integrity.

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What Francis' Latest Climate Text Means for Upcoming UN Summit

Pope Francis’ planned history-making trip to the latest global climate conference has been thwarted by illness. But his passionate advocacy for the environment still will be felt through his hot-off-the-press apostolic exhortation about the climate crisis. National Catholic Reporter’s environment correspondent Brian Roewe unpacks the pope’s new eco-document and explains how it relates to international climate diplomacy at and beyond Dubai.

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January 31, 2025

DEADLINE: Collier Prize for State Government Accountability

The Collier Prize at the University of Florida is designed to encourage coverage of state-level government in every state, focusing on investigative and political reporting, in any medium or on any platform. It's open to any news organization. Cash prizes: $25,000, $5,000 and $2,500. Deadline: Jan 31, 2025.

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Floods, Fires, Dysfunction — Another Year Ahead of Faltering Steps on Environment, Energy

In our annual look-ahead on the environment and energy beat in 2024, we see a bumpy ride on global climate change talks coupled with more climate-driven disasters, even amid the evolving energy transition. And we see possible risks to ocean life from deep sea mining and continuing risks to human life from pollution of air, water and land. Insights in our overview and our full “2024 Journalists’ Guide to Environment & Energy” special report.

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Why Environmental Reporters Need To ‘Get’ the Budget Process

When Congress debates funding — or cutting — government programs that deal with environmental and energy issues, journalists on those beats should pay attention. A special Backgrounder, part of our 2024 Journalists’ Guide to Environment and Energy, walks you through the (not so boring) budget process — rules, timelines, dealmaking — to help find the angles on what could be a major story of the coming year. Plus, a primer on budget primers.

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