Publication Items

Conflict Over Biden’s Offshore Wind Drive To Generate News in 2022 and Beyond [1]

Offshore wind, which some see as a panacea in the search for climate-friendly energy solutions, is getting a push from the Biden administration. But as noted in this week’s TipSheet, part of our 2022 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment, there are numerous obstacles to the renewable power source, whether from states, coastal property owners and towns, fishing industry and even some environmentalists.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Climate Change [4]
Economy & Business [5]
Energy & Fuel [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Fish & Fisheries [8]
Government [9]
Infrastructure [10]
Journalism & Media [11]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Natural Resources [13]
Policy [14]
Water & Oceans [15]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
California [17]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [18]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [19]
Northwest (OR WA) [20]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [21]
Visibility:
Public [22]
- Read more about Conflict Over Biden’s Offshore Wind Drive To Generate News in 2022 and Beyond [1]
Reporters Reveal ‘Decades of Deceit’ Over Underground Water Contamination [23]

A trove of confidential documents about a well-known groundwater pollution problem helped journalists Paul LaRocco and David M. Schwartz uncover how much had actually been hidden about the contamination’s severity and how it could have been kept from worsening. In the latest Inside Story Q&A, LaRocco and Schwartz share the story behind their award-winning investigation.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [24]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [25]
Disasters [26]
Economy & Business [5]
Environmental Health [27]
Health [28]
Journalism & Media [11]
Military [29]
Pollution [30]
Water & Oceans [15]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [19]
Visibility:
Public [22]
- Read more about Reporters Reveal ‘Decades of Deceit’ Over Underground Water Contamination [23]
Challenging Another Year of Oil Company Promises [31]

When disinformation pollutes the debate over the environment and climate change, it’s on journalists to recognize industry PR spin and push back against misleading narratives and false narratives, argues the latest WatchDog Opinion column. A look at the industry “playbook” to delay government action, at deceptive language on energy and news media’s obligation to approach the endless pledges skeptically.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [32]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [4]
Consumer [33]
Economy & Business [5]
Energy & Fuel [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Journalism & Media [11]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
International [34]
Visibility:
Public [22]
- Read more about Challenging Another Year of Oil Company Promises [31]
New Reporting Network Aims To Make Connections in the Mississippi Basin [35]

The Mississippi River and its tributaries drain more than 40% of the continent, but most coverage of environmental stories within the Mississippi Basin is localized and siloed. The recently launched Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk hopes to help news outlets provide region-wide reporting that contextualizes issues like climate change-driven flooding and the Gulf of Mexico dead zone.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [36]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [37]
Chemicals [25]
Climate Change [4]
Disasters [26]
Economy & Business [5]
Environmental Health [27]
Environmental Justice [38]
Fish & Fisheries [8]
Government [9]
Infrastructure [10]
Journalism & Media [11]
Pollution [30]
Transportation [39]
Waste [40]
Water & Oceans [15]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [41]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [42]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [18]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [43]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [19]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [21]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [44]
International [34]
Canada [45]
Mexico [46]
Central America & the Caribbean [47]
Visibility:
Public [22]
- Read more about New Reporting Network Aims To Make Connections in the Mississippi Basin [35]
Congressional Infrastructure Bill Loaded With Local Stories [48]

The massive infrastructure measure signed into law last week is a potential mother lode of stories for environmental journalists. If that is, they can figure out where the money is going. The latest TipSheet takes an initial look at the $1.2 trillion plan and offers guidance on how to track down reportable local and regional projects.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [25]
Climate Change [4]
Disasters [26]
Economy & Business [5]
Energy & Fuel [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Government [9]
Infrastructure [10]
Journalism & Media [11]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Policy [14]
Transportation [39]
Water & Oceans [15]
Wildlife [49]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
Visibility:
Public [22]
- Read more about Congressional Infrastructure Bill Loaded With Local Stories [48]
Science Integrity Is About More Than Getting EPA Interviews [50]

Freedom of access to government scientists is just one narrow facet in a worsening crisis in scientific integrity at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The new WatchDog Opinion argues that whether it’s about self-interested industry lobbying over climate change or the regulation of chemicals, there’s an assault on science itself — and the news media has a role to play.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [32]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [25]
Climate Change [4]
Economy & Business [5]
Environmental Politics [7]
Government [9]
Journalism & Media [11]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Policy [14]
Science [51]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
Visibility:
Public [22]
- Read more about Science Integrity Is About More Than Getting EPA Interviews [50]
Eating (and Reporting) My Way Through the Foods of the Rainforest [52]

Conserving crop diversity is a key to maintaining global food security, especially in the face of climate change. To understand those efforts, Portland, Ore.-based freelancer Virginia Gewin traveled to South America, supported by a grant from the Society of Environmental Journalists, to find out how Peruvian chefs and Amazon dwellers hope to save the rainforest by sharing native and wild foods.

SEJ Publication Types:
FEJ StoryLog [53]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Agriculture [37]
Biodiversity [54]
Climate Change [4]
Economy & Business [5]
Environmental Justice [38]
Environmental Politics [7]
Food [55]
Forests [56]
Journalism & Media [11]
Natural Resources [13]
People & Population [57]
Planning & Growth [58]
Region:
International [34]
South America [59]
Visibility:
Public [22]
- Read more about Eating (and Reporting) My Way Through the Foods of the Rainforest [52]
U.N. Summit Lays the Table for Environmental Reporting on Food Systems [60]

After an 18-month buildup, a one-day U.N. Food Systems Summit earlier this fall generated hundreds of commitments to end global hunger and a dizzying array of alliances dedicated to the cause. Despite controversies surrounding the summit, this groundbreaking event highlighted opportunities for reporting on food and food systems. Award-winning agriculture journalist Chris Clayton shares his insights.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [36]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Agriculture [37]
Biodiversity [54]
Chemicals [25]
Climate Change [4]
Consumer [33]
Disasters [26]
Economy & Business [5]
Energy & Fuel [6]
Environmental Health [27]
Environmental Justice [38]
Environmental Politics [7]
Food [55]
Government [9]
Health [28]
Journalism & Media [11]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Natural Resources [13]
People & Population [57]
Planning & Growth [58]
Policy [14]
Pollution [30]
Science [51]
Technology [61]
Waste [40]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
California [17]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [42]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [44]
International [34]
Canada [45]
Africa [62]
Europe [63]
Middle East [64]
South America [59]
Visibility:
Public [22]
- Read more about U.N. Summit Lays the Table for Environmental Reporting on Food Systems [60]
Will 2022 See the Start of Formal Negotiations Toward a Global Plastics Treaty? [65]

Plastic waste, already the subject of preliminary international talks, could be increasingly targeted after UN meetings in early 2022. Meanwhile, this ubiquitous product is polluting land, ocean and air in its various forms, as well as through little-understood microplastic particles. The latest TipSheet has the backstory on efforts to forge an international plastics treaty, as well as ideas for how to cover plastic pollution locally.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Air [66]
Chemicals [25]
Climate Change [4]
Consumer [33]
Economy & Business [5]
Environmental Health [27]
Environmental Politics [7]
Fish & Fisheries [8]
Food [55]
Government [9]
Health [28]
Journalism & Media [11]
Policy [14]
Pollution [30]
Waste [40]
Water & Oceans [15]
Wildlife [49]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
International [34]
Visibility:
Public [22]
- Read more about Will 2022 See the Start of Formal Negotiations Toward a Global Plastics Treaty? [65]
Climate Risk Disclosure Guides Journalists, Not Just Investors [67]

A profound tightening of companies’ environmental risk disclosure requirements may be ahead, thanks to efforts by the Biden administration’s Securities and Exchange Commission. And the new WatchDog Opinion column argues that as fossil fuel firms position themselves as part of an environmentally sound future, journalists must act too — demanding full disclosure of corporate financial risks related to climate.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [32]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Climate Change [4]
Consumer [33]
Economy & Business [5]
Energy & Fuel [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Government [9]
Journalism & Media [11]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Policy [14]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
Visibility:
Public [22]
- Read more about Climate Risk Disclosure Guides Journalists, Not Just Investors [67]

Pages