Publication Items

Private Companies Pump Cash from Troubled Municipal Drinking Water Systems [1]

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 [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Consumer [4]
Disasters [5]
Economy & Business [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Government [8]
Health [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Planning & Growth [11]
Water & Oceans [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [14]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [15]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [16]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [17]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Private Companies Pump Cash from Troubled Municipal Drinking Water Systems [1]
Florence Hints at More Flood-induced Animal Waste Spills Across U.S. [19]

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 [20]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [21]
Air [22]
Climate Change [23]
Disasters [5]
Economy & Business [6]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [24]
Laws & Regulations [10]
People & Population [25]
Pollution [26]
Waste [27]
Water & Oceans [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [15]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [28]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Florence Hints at More Flood-induced Animal Waste Spills Across U.S. [19]
Farm Bill May Stir Up Local Hornets’ Nest on Pesticides [29]

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 [20]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Agriculture [21]
Chemicals [30]
Economy & Business [6]
Environmental Health [31]
Environmental Politics [7]
Food [32]
Government [8]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [24]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Policy [33]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Farm Bill May Stir Up Local Hornets’ Nest on Pesticides [29]
When Travel Expenses Get Too Expensive [34]

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 [35]
Topics on the Beat:
Economy & Business [6]
Journalism & Media [24]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
International [36]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about When Travel Expenses Get Too Expensive [34]
Will State, Local Pesticide Bans Make More News? [37]

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 [20]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [21]
Air [22]
Chemicals [30]
Economy & Business [6]
Energy & Fuel [38]
Environmental Health [31]
Environmental Politics [7]
Environmental Studies [39]
Food [32]
Government [8]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [24]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Policy [33]
Science [40]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
International [36]
Canada [41]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Will State, Local Pesticide Bans Make More News? [37]
Coming to a Coastal Area Near You — Drowning Real Estate [42]

It’s a blockbuster — literally. Homes by the tens of thousands are at risk of being lost to coastal flooding in coming years, communities broken up thanks to climate change. This week’s TipSheet tells you how to find the data to tell the story and provides examples of model reporting.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [20]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [23]
Consumer [4]
Disasters [5]
Economy & Business [6]
Environmental Studies [39]
Journalism & Media [24]
People & Population [25]
Planning & Growth [11]
Water & Oceans [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Alaska and Hawaii [43]
California [44]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [16]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [17]
Northwest (OR WA) [45]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [28]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [46]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Coming to a Coastal Area Near You — Drowning Real Estate [42]
Breaking the ‘Cycle’ on Chemical Safety Story [47]

Chemical plant explosions make for fiery headlines, but then the reporting tends to flame out. The latest Backgrounder spells out why environmental journalists should stay vigilant on chemical safety coverage, with news hooks and ingredients for a potent mix of advance stories.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [21]
Chemicals [30]
Disasters [5]
Economy & Business [6]
Energy & Fuel [38]
Environmental Politics [7]
Government [8]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [24]
Laws & Regulations [10]
People & Population [25]
Policy [33]
Pollution [26]
Transportation [48]
Water & Oceans [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [46]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Breaking the ‘Cycle’ on Chemical Safety Story [47]
Farmers Markets Offer Baskets of Fresh Story Ideas [49]

Nearby farmers market may offer reporters a bounty of environmental stories, with angles on organic foods, locavore movements and more. This week’s TipSheet outlines ideas, provides resources and encourages you to go pay a visit to speak with vendors and customers … and perhaps even taste some free wares.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [20]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Agriculture [21]
Chemicals [30]
Consumer [4]
Economy & Business [6]
Energy & Fuel [38]
Food [32]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [24]
Transportation [48]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Farmers Markets Offer Baskets of Fresh Story Ideas [49]
The ‘Dock Deck Doc’ – Multimedia Storytelling in the Web-Wide World [50]

An independent journalist finds a key to survival by building a mini-empire of multiplatform content based on his deep research and extensive interviewing. In our latest Freelance Files column, Silver Donald Cameron shares his so-called “Dock Deck Doc” approach and the collaborative, multimedia techniques that support it.

SEJ Publication Types:
Freelance Files [35]
Topics on the Beat:
Economy & Business [6]
Environmental Health [31]
Fish & Fisheries [51]
Forests [52]
Journalism & Media [24]
Natural Resources [53]
Planning & Growth [11]
Water & Oceans [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
International [36]
Canada [41]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about The ‘Dock Deck Doc’ – Multimedia Storytelling in the Web-Wide World [50]
Environmental Protections in Play Amid Farm Bill Furor [54]

Big environmental issues such as the use of pesticides, labelling of organic foods and the preservation of farmland and water are central to a huge farm bill lurching its way through the nation’s legislature, hamstrung by partisan politics. Our latest Backgrounder sets up the landscape for your coverage.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [21]
Air [22]
Chemicals [30]
Consumer [4]
Economy & Business [6]
Environmental Health [31]
Environmental Politics [7]
Food [32]
Forests [52]
Government [8]
Health [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Policy [33]
Pollution [26]
Water & Oceans [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Environmental Protections in Play Amid Farm Bill Furor [54]

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