Publication Items

Potentially Explosive Fertilizer Could Be Found in Your Community [1]

Ammonium nitrate, the explosive agricultural fertilizer that blew up in Lebanon this month, killing dozens and severely damaging Beirut’s center, is stored by the thousands of tons all over the United States. But regulatory blindspots and secretive information policies mean few know exactly where. Backgrounder reviews the chemical’s oversight regime — and its gaps — and has ideas for reporting from your community.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Chemicals [4]
Disasters [5]
Government [6]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [10]
International [11]
Middle East [12]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Potentially Explosive Fertilizer Could Be Found in Your Community [1]
Former Public Affairs Officers Push Back on Advanced Industry Reaction, Plus Police Scanner Transparency and Ag-Gag Ruling [14]

When the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a press release with favorable industry response to changes in a rule protecting migratory birds — before actually proposing the new rule — a group of former agency officials cried foul. Plus, why encrypted police scanners are a problem and an ag-gag ruling, all in the latest WatchDog opinion column.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [15]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Biodiversity [16]
Disasters [5]
Environmental Politics [17]
Government [6]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [8]
Wildlife [18]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [19]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [20]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Former Public Affairs Officers Push Back on Advanced Industry Reaction, Plus Police Scanner Transparency and Ag-Gag Ruling [14]
No Drought of Data, As Climate Dries U.S. [21]

With drought can come fire, and with megadrought, routine reporting becomes disaster headlines. Reporter’s Toolbox gets you to the bottom of the drought data sources that help determine what’s ahead for your region, sorting through the complicated set of federal drought monitoring agencies and resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [22]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Climate Change [23]
Disasters [5]
Environmental Studies [24]
Government [6]
Journalism & Media [7]
Natural Resources [25]
Science [26]
Water & Oceans [27]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
California [28]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [29]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [19]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [20]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [10]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about No Drought of Data, As Climate Dries U.S. [21]
Smokey’s 420 Gets the ‘Dirt’ on Pot Crop [30]

The story of Smokey’s 420, mom-and-pop pot shop that’s taken a more environmental perspective. Plus, why the explosion in the infant business legal cannabis could be bad news for the environment [31], if left largely unregulated.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [32]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [33]
Agriculture [3]
Chemicals [4]
Consumer [34]
Economy & Business [35]
Energy & Fuel [36]
Environmental Politics [17]
Government [6]
Health [37]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [8]
Policy [38]
Pollution [39]
Waste [40]
Water & Oceans [27]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [19]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Smokey’s 420 Gets the ‘Dirt’ on Pot Crop [30]
Why an Unregulated Pot Business May Be Bad for the Environment [31]

One industry seemingly unharmed by the coronavirus-related shutdown is legal cannabis. But the explosion in this infant business could be bad news for the environment, if left largely unregulated. A closer look at the issues. Plus, the story of Smokey’s 420 [30], mom-and-pop pot shop that’s taken a more environmental perspective.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [32]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [33]
Agriculture [3]
Chemicals [4]
Economy & Business [35]
Energy & Fuel [36]
Environmental Politics [17]
Government [6]
Health [37]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [8]
Policy [38]
Pollution [39]
Waste [40]
Water & Oceans [27]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [19]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Why an Unregulated Pot Business May Be Bad for the Environment [31]
A Source Toolbox for Climate Change Reporting in the Emerald Corridor [41]

As part of the “Covering Your Climate: The Emerald Corridor” special report, we’ve collected a wide range of resources to help reporters track down climate stories throughout the Pacific Northwest. You’ll find an array of government, academic and NGO links for Oregon, including Portland; Washington, including Seattle; and British Columbia, including Vancouver, as well as from regional, national and international resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [42]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [33]
Agriculture [3]
Climate Change [23]
Consumer [34]
Economy & Business [35]
Energy & Fuel [36]
Environmental Health [43]
Environmental Politics [17]
Environmental Studies [24]
Fish & Fisheries [44]
Food [45]
Forests [46]
Government [6]
Health [37]
Laws & Regulations [8]
Natural Resources [25]
People & Population [47]
Planning & Growth [48]
Policy [38]
Science [26]
Technology [49]
Transportation [50]
Water & Oceans [27]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Northwest (OR WA) [51]
International [11]
Canada [52]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about A Source Toolbox for Climate Change Reporting in the Emerald Corridor [41]
Pacific Northwest Rides Adaptation Wave [53]

The final entry in our multi-week “Covering Your Climate: The Emerald Corridor [54]” special report explores how the Pacific Northwest is adapting to climate change, whether it’s new approaches to working the land, changing critical infrastructure or rethinking our mindset. Read this last tipsheet, plus check out our earlier reports on climate mitigation [55] and on climate impacts [56], plus our stage-setting backgrounder [57] and a reporter’s resource toolkit [41].

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [42]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [33]
Agriculture [3]
Air [58]
Biodiversity [16]
Climate Change [23]
Consumer [34]
Economy & Business [35]
Energy & Fuel [36]
Environmental Health [43]
Environmental Politics [17]
Environmental Studies [24]
Fish & Fisheries [44]
Food [45]
Forests [46]
Government [6]
Health [37]
Journalism & Media [7]
Natural Resources [25]
People & Population [47]
Planning & Growth [48]
Policy [38]
Science [26]
Technology [49]
Transportation [50]
Water & Oceans [27]
Wildlife [18]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Northwest (OR WA) [51]
International [11]
Canada [52]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Pacific Northwest Rides Adaptation Wave [53]
Coronavirus Pandemic Spawns Many Stories on Environment Beat [59]

The momentous COVID-19 outbreak has many, many reporting angles — environment and energy stories certainly among them. Our latest Issue Backgrounder has an extensive rundown on possible ways in for environment and energy reporters, including everything from respiratory disease and air pollution to science denial and climate change, and more. Plus, pending passage of a massive congressional aid package [60]. And an earlier TipSheet on how journalists can prepare [61] for public health emergencies.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [33]
Agriculture [3]
Air [58]
Biodiversity [16]
Climate Change [23]
Consumer [34]
Disasters [5]
Economy & Business [35]
Energy & Fuel [36]
Environmental Health [43]
Environmental Politics [17]
Environmental Studies [24]
Government [6]
Health [37]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [8]
People & Population [47]
Policy [38]
Pollution [39]
Science [26]
Transportation [50]
Wildlife [18]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
International [11]
Asia [62]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Coronavirus Pandemic Spawns Many Stories on Environment Beat [59]
SEJournal Relaunches WatchDog with a ‘Voice,’ Plus Coronavirus and More [63]

SEJournal welcomes back from hiatus our WatchDog feature, now recast as an opinion column from Joseph A. Davis, Society of Environmental Journalists’ veteran freedom of information advocate and longtime SEJournal contributor. In part one of a two-parter, find out why we’re relaunching the new column, plus get Davis’ take on government openness (or lack thereof) around coronavirus, as well as more on SEJ’s deep commitment to open information and a rundown of its recent FOI activities. And watch for part two next week.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [15]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [33]
Agriculture [3]
Air [58]
Biodiversity [16]
Chemicals [4]
Climate Change [23]
Consumer [34]
Disasters [5]
Economy & Business [35]
Energy & Fuel [36]
Environmental Health [43]
Environmental Politics [17]
Environmental Studies [24]
Fish & Fisheries [44]
Food [45]
Forests [46]
Government [6]
Health [37]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [8]
Military [64]
Natural Resources [25]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [65]
Other or All [66]
People & Population [47]
Planning & Growth [48]
Policy [38]
Pollution [39]
Science [26]
Technology [49]
Transportation [50]
Waste [40]
Water & Oceans [27]
Wildlife [18]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Alaska and Hawaii [67]
California [28]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [68]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [29]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [69]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [19]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [70]
Northwest (OR WA) [51]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [20]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [10]
International [11]
Canada [52]
Mexico [71]
Africa [72]
Antarctica & Arctic [73]
Asia [62]
Australia & Oceania [74]
Central America & the Caribbean [75]
Europe [76]
Middle East [12]
South America [77]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about SEJournal Relaunches WatchDog with a ‘Voice,’ Plus Coronavirus and More [63]
Emerald Corridor Tries Flipping the Switch on C02 [55]

The latest entry in our ongoing “Covering Your Climate: The Emerald Corridor [54]” special report looks at what the Pacific Northwest is doing to mitigate climate change, including reducing carbon emissions, limiting sprawl and congestion, pushing energy efficiency and pursuing carbon sequestration. Read the new tipsheet, plus check out our earlier report on climate impacts [56] and our opening backgrounder. [57]

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [42]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [33]
Agriculture [3]
Air [58]
Climate Change [23]
Consumer [34]
Economy & Business [35]
Energy & Fuel [36]
Environmental Health [43]
Environmental Politics [17]
Environmental Studies [24]
Forests [46]
Government [6]
Health [37]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [8]
Natural Resources [25]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [65]
People & Population [47]
Planning & Growth [48]
Science [26]
Technology [49]
Transportation [50]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Northwest (OR WA) [51]
International [11]
Canada [52]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Emerald Corridor Tries Flipping the Switch on C02 [55]

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