Publication Items

Flood Insurance Reform Remains Key Congressional Task [1]

With flooding from hurricanes and other climate disasters becoming the new normal, badly needed flood insurance reform continues to founder in the halls of Congress. The National Flood Insurance Program is billions of dollars in debt, and aid packages are doing little to get people out of flood-prone areas. Congress watchers will keep an eye on new House leadership for insurance solutions, although politically unpalatable rate hikes swamped the big reform. This week’s TipSheet has more on the story, with leads on what to watch in 2019.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Consumer [4]
Disasters [5]
Economy & Business [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Government [8]
Laws & Regulations [9]
People & Population [10]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
California [12]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [13]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [14]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [15]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Flood Insurance Reform Remains Key Congressional Task [1]
Incoming House Democrat Committee Chairs Promise News [17]

What will a divided Congress mean for environment and energy issues? This week’s TipSheet explores the question by looking at the Democrats who will now lead key House committees once the new Congress is seated next year. Take a lightning tour of a half-dozen top panels, their anticipated leadership and the issues they tackle, including drinking water safety, environmental justice and climate change, infrastructure, science policy, natural resources and more.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [18]
Air [19]
Climate Change [3]
Economy & Business [6]
Energy & Fuel [20]
Environmental Politics [7]
Fish & Fisheries [21]
Forests [22]
Government [8]
Journalism & Media [23]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Natural Resources [24]
Policy [25]
Pollution [26]
Science [27]
Technology [28]
Transportation [29]
Water & Oceans [30]
Wildlife [31]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Incoming House Democrat Committee Chairs Promise News [17]
Wetlands Mitigation — Why Draining the Swamp Is a Local Story [32]

As the Trump administration challenges wetlands preservation policy under the Clean Water Act, an important related practice has come into question. Mitigation banking — the creation or preservation of one wetland to offset the loss of another — has become a billion-dollar industry. But as this week’s TipSheet reports, the legal and regulatory tangle aside, wetlands permitting and mitigation continues, likely near you. Tracking the local story.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Economy & Business [6]
Environmental Health [33]
Environmental Politics [7]
Fish & Fisheries [21]
Government [8]
Journalism & Media [23]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Military [34]
Natural Resources [24]
People & Population [10]
Planning & Growth [35]
Policy [25]
Water & Oceans [30]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Wetlands Mitigation — Why Draining the Swamp Is a Local Story [32]
Environment Issues Figure in Many 2018 Mid-Term Races, Ballots [36]

Climate, environment and energy issues figure prominently in the upcoming Nov. 6 elections, whether in individual races, ballot measures or significant power shifts. This week’s TipSheet provides starting points to track relevant races, and runs down 11 big environmental ballots, ranging from measures like a carbon tax in Washington state and drilling ban in Florida, to tight congressional races in California, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Dakota, South Carolina and Virginia.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [18]
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [5]
Economy & Business [6]
Energy & Fuel [20]
Environmental Politics [7]
Government [8]
Journalism & Media [23]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Natural Resources [24]
Policy [25]
Pollution [26]
Water & Oceans [30]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
California [12]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [37]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [38]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [13]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [39]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [14]
Northwest (OR WA) [40]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [15]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Environment Issues Figure in Many 2018 Mid-Term Races, Ballots [36]
As Climate Struggle Gets Real, Cities Stand on Front Line [41]

When it comes to facing the risks of coming climate change, cities and states are leading the way for the United States. That means planning for future emissions reductions, as well as preparing for probable impacts. This week’s TipSheet has the story, with details on which local governments are acting and resources to find more, plus ten key questions to ask.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [18]
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [5]
Economy & Business [6]
Energy & Fuel [20]
Environmental Politics [7]
Government [8]
Journalism & Media [23]
Laws & Regulations [9]
People & Population [10]
Planning & Growth [35]
Policy [25]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
California [12]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [37]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [38]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [13]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [14]
Northwest (OR WA) [40]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [15]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [42]
International [43]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about As Climate Struggle Gets Real, Cities Stand on Front Line [41]
Private Companies Pump Cash from Troubled Municipal Drinking Water Systems [44]

Millions of Americans are served by private rather than public water systems. And while that may be helpful in the case of the tens of thousands of smaller systems that lack key resources, it also raises controversial questions about privatization, as well as about what’s best to insure drinking water safety in a post-Flint era. The latest Backgrounder explains this complex issue, considers the most critical issues and offers resources to report the story in your area.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [45]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [18]
Consumer [4]
Disasters [5]
Economy & Business [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Government [8]
Health [46]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Planning & Growth [35]
Water & Oceans [30]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [37]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [38]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [13]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [14]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Private Companies Pump Cash from Troubled Municipal Drinking Water Systems [44]
Florence Hints at More Flood-induced Animal Waste Spills Across U.S. [47]

Hog waste washing into the environment in the wake of flooding is not just a worry in the Carolinas after Hurricane Florence. Potential pollution from animal feed operations is a widespread risk around the United States — and climate change-induced extreme weather means that risk is rising. The latest TipSheet has resources and ideas for covering the story in your area.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [48]
Air [19]
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [5]
Economy & Business [6]
Health [46]
Journalism & Media [23]
Laws & Regulations [9]
People & Population [10]
Pollution [26]
Waste [49]
Water & Oceans [30]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [38]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [15]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Florence Hints at More Flood-induced Animal Waste Spills Across U.S. [47]
Farm Bill May Stir Up Local Hornets’ Nest on Pesticides [50]

Local pesticide bans that go beyond federal restrictions may be a growing trend, but it’s one that has brought on a backlash by GOP politicians and farmers. The conflict may soon be resolved — or not — by Congress, as it closes in on a new U.S. Farm Bill. Meanwhile, this week’s TipSheet helps explain the dispute and provides resources and signs to watch.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [18]
Agriculture [48]
Chemicals [51]
Economy & Business [6]
Environmental Health [33]
Environmental Politics [7]
Food [52]
Government [8]
Health [46]
Journalism & Media [23]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Policy [25]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Farm Bill May Stir Up Local Hornets’ Nest on Pesticides [50]
When Travel Expenses Get Too Expensive [53]

A big reporting jaunt can be a professional thrill. That is, until you consider the upfront costs you might be expected to shoulder as an independent journalist. The latest Freelance Files, from multimedia journalist Gloria Dickie, looks at the realities of travel expenses and offers half-a-dozen workarounds to lighten the load.

SEJ Publication Types:
Freelance Files [54]
Topics on the Beat:
Economy & Business [6]
Journalism & Media [23]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
International [43]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about When Travel Expenses Get Too Expensive [53]
Will State, Local Pesticide Bans Make More News? [55]

When EPA falls short on regulation of pesticides, might states step into the breach? That’s exactly what happened in June when Hawaii banned toxic organophosphate chlorpyrifos. To take a closer look, this week’s TipSheet reports on how federal regulation opens the door for state, or even local, preemption and offers angles and resources for environmental reporters.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [48]
Air [19]
Chemicals [51]
Economy & Business [6]
Energy & Fuel [20]
Environmental Health [33]
Environmental Politics [7]
Environmental Studies [56]
Food [52]
Government [8]
Health [46]
Journalism & Media [23]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Policy [25]
Science [27]
Region:
National (U.S.) [11]
International [43]
Canada [57]
Visibility:
Public [16]
- Read more about Will State, Local Pesticide Bans Make More News? [55]

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