Publication Items

Data Bazaar at the EPA’s Environmental Dataset Gateway [1]

An intriguing portal to the vast data resources of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — the Environmental Dataset Gateway — could lead to many hidden story ideas, suggests the latest Reporter’s Toolbox. Find out more about the EDG and consider a handful of possible angles, including PCB transformer registrations, precipitation, heat-related hospitalizations and chemicals in consumer products.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [3]
Climate Change [4]
Government [5]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Data Bazaar at the EPA’s Environmental Dataset Gateway [1]
An Endless ‘Silent Spring’? Find Out on a Spring Walk (With the Birders) [10]

To better understand troubled bird populations and the many forces undermining them, grab some binoculars and a notebook, and catch up with your local birders, including the burgeoning number of minority birders. That’s the advice from the latest TipSheet, which offers reporting resources and numerous story ideas, including the impacts of climate change, habitat loss, water access and the “insect apocalypse.”

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [11]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [12]
Chemicals [3]
Climate Change [4]
Diversity [13]
Environmental Health [14]
Journalism & Media [6]
Wildlife [15]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
International [16]
Canada [17]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about An Endless ‘Silent Spring’? Find Out on a Spring Walk (With the Birders) [10]
Should EPA Chemical Risk Info Remain a ‘Trade Secret’? [18]

The public’s right to know about toxic and hazardous chemicals is currently limited by trade secret rules that no longer serve any true purpose, argues the new WatchDog Opinion column. And a pending federal rulemaking is an opportunity for journalists to make the case to draw back the curtain, for the sake of their reporting and so that they can better cover their communities’ risks.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [19]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [20]
Chemicals [3]
Environmental Politics [21]
Government [5]
Health [22]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Should EPA Chemical Risk Info Remain a ‘Trade Secret’? [18]
‘The Green Years’ — When the Environment Eclipsed Politics [23]

There was a moment within living memory when Democrats and Republicans came together — in a time of extraordinary political turmoil — to pass landmark legislation to clean U.S. waters, limit toxic substances and pesticides, and empower the government to protect the environment. BookShelf’s Nano Riley reviews a new book that explores that time, and which speculates on why things have changed.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [24]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [20]
Chemicals [3]
Environmental Politics [21]
Government [5]
Laws & Regulations [7]
Natural Resources [25]
Policy [26]
Pollution [27]
Water & Oceans [28]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about ‘The Green Years’ — When the Environment Eclipsed Politics [23]
Don’t Overlook Lead Paint Toxicity Stories in Your Area [29]

Lead poisoning of U.S. drinking water has been a big headline-grabber in recent years, but there’s an even bigger environmental justice crisis — toxic lead exposure from paint. The latest TipSheet reports that this overlooked school and housing issue is getting new attention, but solving it will be difficult and expensive. Get context, reporting resources and ideas to tackle the story in your community.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [11]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [3]
Consumer [30]
Environmental Justice [31]
Government [5]
Health [22]
Infrastructure [32]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [7]
People & Population [33]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [34]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Don’t Overlook Lead Paint Toxicity Stories in Your Area [29]
Why the Latest TRI Update Should Be in Your Sights for Stories [35]

Each year brings another update of the Toxics Release Inventory database. And each year, it gets ignored or downplayed by too many news outlets. As the new Reporter’s Toolbox points out, not only does the latest iteration of TRI have some notable updates but it also offers plenty of room for localizable stories. Here’s how to mine the resource.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [3]
Environmental Justice [31]
Environmental Politics [21]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [7]
Policy [26]
Pollution [27]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Why the Latest TRI Update Should Be in Your Sights for Stories [35]
Houston Plays Host to First On-Site SEJ Conference Since 2019 [36]

Environmental journalists from around the country and beyond will gather in Houston later this month for the Society of Environmental Journalists’ 31st annual conference. Widely known as the energy capital of the world, this highly diverse city is an ideal place to drill down on the causes and consequences of climate change and other environmental issues of the day.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [37]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [20]
Air [38]
Biodiversity [12]
Chemicals [3]
Climate Change [4]
Disasters [39]
Diversity [13]
Economy & Business [40]
Energy & Fuel [41]
Environmental Health [14]
Environmental Justice [31]
Environmental Politics [21]
Fish & Fisheries [42]
Food [43]
Forests [44]
Government [5]
Health [22]
Infrastructure [32]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [7]
People & Population [33]
Planning & Growth [45]
Policy [26]
Pollution [27]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [46]
Science [47]
Technology [48]
Transportation [49]
Waste [50]
Water & Oceans [28]
Wildlife [15]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [51]
International [16]
Mexico [52]
Central America & the Caribbean [53]
Europe [54]
South America [55]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Houston Plays Host to First On-Site SEJ Conference Since 2019 [36]
EPA TSCA Database Back on the Street [56]

A key federal database on toxic chemicals, kneecapped under the Trump administration, is now back. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox reports that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last week resurfaced the ChemView service, and explains the background law that fuels its data, while offering tips on how to make smart use of the database as it expands in coming years.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [3]
Environmental Health [14]
Environmental Politics [21]
Government [5]
Health [22]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [7]
Pollution [27]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about EPA TSCA Database Back on the Street [56]
The Year Ahead Will Spark Abundant Environment News — Both Good and Bad [57]

Even as the climate crisis countdown story continues, a wide range of environment and energy issues are on journalists’ watchlist for the year ahead, per an analysis from our “2022 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment [58].” The overview looks at 13 key trends to track in 2022 and beyond — including infrastructure, pandemics, environmental justice, energy, chemicals, plastics and, of course, climate.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [59]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [3]
Climate Change [4]
Disasters [39]
Energy & Fuel [41]
Environmental Health [14]
Environmental Justice [31]
Environmental Politics [21]
Government [5]
Health [22]
Infrastructure [32]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [7]
Policy [26]
Pollution [27]
Transportation [49]
Waste [50]
Water & Oceans [28]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
International [16]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about The Year Ahead Will Spark Abundant Environment News — Both Good and Bad [57]
Deep in the Heart of Complexity … Or, the View From Texas [60]

As the Society of Environmental Journalists prepares for its annual conference in Houston this March, the SEJournal asked Texas-based reporter Greg Harman to explore the Lone Star State's most critical stories for 2022. Here, in this special Texas-focused TipSheet, are leads, resources, encouragements and challenges.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [11]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [20]
Air [38]
Chemicals [3]
Climate Change [4]
Disasters [39]
Economy & Business [40]
Energy & Fuel [41]
Environmental Justice [31]
Environmental Politics [21]
Government [5]
Health [22]
Infrastructure [32]
Journalism & Media [6]
People & Population [33]
Planning & Growth [45]
Policy [26]
Pollution [27]
Wildlife [15]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [51]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Deep in the Heart of Complexity … Or, the View From Texas [60]

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