Publication Items

Cascadia Bioregion Rife With Energy, Environment Troubles To Report in 2023 [1]

Iconic critters like salmon, orca and wolves. Climate controversies like natural gas greenwashing and carbon auctions. And wildfire fallout like “smoke-a-geddon.” These are just some of the wide array of stories worth covering as environmental journalists scan Cascadia, the huge area encompassing Washington, Oregon and Idaho, and stretching from Alaska to Utah. This special TipSheet, part of our 2023 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment, outlines top issues in the region, offering insights, resources and story angles.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Agriculture [4]
Air [5]
Biodiversity [6]
Climate Change [7]
Consumer [8]
Disasters [9]
Diversity [10]
Economy & Business [11]
Energy & Fuel [12]
Environmental Health [13]
Environmental Justice [14]
Environmental Politics [15]
Environmental Studies [16]
Fish & Fisheries [17]
Food [18]
Forests [19]
Government [20]
Health [21]
Infrastructure [22]
Journalism & Media [23]
Laws & Regulations [24]
Natural Resources [25]
Planning & Growth [26]
Policy [27]
Pollution [28]
Transportation [29]
Waste [30]
Water & Oceans [31]
Wildlife [32]
Region:
National (U.S.) [33]
Alaska and Hawaii [34]
California [35]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [36]
Northwest (OR WA) [37]
International [38]
Canada [39]
Visibility:
Public [40]
- Read more about Cascadia Bioregion Rife With Energy, Environment Troubles To Report in 2023 [1]
Exploring the Impacts of Hydroelectric Megaprojects on Indigenous Lands [41]

Nearly two-thirds of the world’s rivers are impeded by dams and we keep building them in our quest for cleaner and greener sources of electricity. But as podcast producer Farha Akhtar learned while producing a recent episode, these monumental structures are having a profound impact on our planet and catastrophic consequences for many Indigenous people.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [42]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Biodiversity [6]
Chemicals [43]
Climate Change [7]
Consumer [8]
Diversity [10]
Economy & Business [11]
Energy & Fuel [12]
Environmental Health [13]
Environmental Justice [14]
Environmental Politics [15]
Fish & Fisheries [17]
Food [18]
Government [20]
Health [21]
Infrastructure [22]
Journalism & Media [23]
Natural Resources [25]
Pollution [28]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [44]
Science [45]
Technology [46]
Water & Oceans [31]
Wildlife [32]
Region:
National (U.S.) [33]
International [38]
Canada [39]
Asia [47]
Visibility:
Public [40]
- Read more about Exploring the Impacts of Hydroelectric Megaprojects on Indigenous Lands [41]
Water-Sharing in the West: An Urgent and Complicated Environmental Story [48]

Water has always been a precious commodity in the western states. Now, with rapid population growth and a drying climate, the way this resource is shared and distributed is becoming more contentious across the region. Freelance journalist Jennifer Oldham talks about the tensions between supply and demand and how to drill down into water rights laws and policies.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [42]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [4]
Climate Change [7]
Consumer [8]
Economy & Business [11]
Environmental Health [13]
Environmental Politics [15]
Government [20]
Infrastructure [22]
Journalism & Media [23]
Laws & Regulations [24]
Natural Resources [25]
People & Population [49]
Planning & Growth [26]
Policy [27]
Technology [46]
Water & Oceans [31]
Region:
National (U.S.) [33]
California [35]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [36]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [50]
Visibility:
Public [40]
- Read more about Water-Sharing in the West: An Urgent and Complicated Environmental Story [48]
EPA To Propose Plan Soon for First PFAS Drinking Water Rule [51]

Plans are nearing for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to regulate PFAS in drinking water — and the complexity around the effort will challenge environmental journalism. In the mix are questions of environmental persistence and health risks, plus thorny politics. Our Issue Backgrounder has guidance on these and more as PFAS regulation hits this critical juncture.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [52]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [43]
Consumer [8]
Economy & Business [11]
Environmental Health [13]
Environmental Politics [15]
Government [20]
Health [21]
Journalism & Media [23]
Laws & Regulations [24]
Policy [27]
Pollution [28]
Science [45]
Water & Oceans [31]
Region:
National (U.S.) [33]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [53]
Visibility:
Public [40]
- Read more about EPA To Propose Plan Soon for First PFAS Drinking Water Rule [51]
On the Persistence of Ocean Plastics [54]

Concerns about seaborne plastic waste go back decades, but science writer Juli Berwald suggests that myths and disinformation about sources and solutions continue to cloud the waters. From lentil-sized nurdles to sprawling fishing nets, 200 million tons of plastic now fill the ocean and, for her, it has become evident that the ocean plastics story is really a land story. But will the newly signed international treaty on plastics offer relief?

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [42]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Biodiversity [6]
Chemicals [43]
Climate Change [7]
Consumer [8]
Economy & Business [11]
Energy & Fuel [12]
Environmental Health [13]
Environmental Studies [16]
Fish & Fisheries [17]
Government [20]
Infrastructure [22]
Journalism & Media [23]
Laws & Regulations [24]
Natural Resources [25]
Policy [27]
Pollution [28]
Science [45]
Technology [46]
Waste [30]
Water & Oceans [31]
Wildlife [32]
Region:
National (U.S.) [33]
Alaska and Hawaii [34]
California [35]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [53]
Northwest (OR WA) [37]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [55]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [50]
International [38]
Mexico [56]
Africa [57]
Asia [47]
Europe [58]
Visibility:
Public [40]
- Read more about On the Persistence of Ocean Plastics [54]
Beat Reporter’s Coverage Calls Out Natural Gas Proponents [59]

Electric utilities may sound like a wonky beat, but in the hands of L.A. Times’ Sammy Roth, it became an opportunity to weave together seemingly dry, technical subject matter into a series of award-winning stories on natural gas that captured flash points for climate change, communities of color and energy politics. Roth shares his reporting experience in the latest Inside Story Q&A.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [60]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Air [5]
Climate Change [7]
Consumer [8]
Economy & Business [11]
Energy & Fuel [12]
Environmental Justice [14]
Environmental Politics [15]
Infrastructure [22]
Journalism & Media [23]
Natural Resources [25]
People & Population [49]
Policy [27]
Pollution [28]
Region:
National (U.S.) [33]
California [35]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [50]
Visibility:
Public [40]
- Read more about Beat Reporter’s Coverage Calls Out Natural Gas Proponents [59]
Fill Your Plate With Chicken Stories [61]

Chicken production in the United States is a colossal industry controlled by a few vertically integrated companies. On a much smaller scale, it’s also heritage breeds and increasingly popular backyard flocks. As the latest avian flu outbreak makes headlines, journalist Christine Heinrichs looks at environmental reporting opportunities related to poultry pathogens, pollution and more.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [42]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [4]
Biodiversity [6]
Consumer [8]
Economy & Business [11]
Environmental Health [13]
Food [18]
Government [20]
Health [21]
Journalism & Media [23]
Laws & Regulations [24]
Policy [27]
Pollution [28]
Science [45]
Waste [30]
Water & Oceans [31]
Wildlife [32]
Region:
National (U.S.) [33]
California [35]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [62]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [63]
Visibility:
Public [40]
- Read more about Fill Your Plate With Chicken Stories [61]
Burgeoning National EV Trend Helps Drive Local Environment, Climate Stories [64]

The auto market is getting supercharged by California’s recent decision to require all-electric vehicle sales in a little over a decade. The latest TipSheet looks at how this big national trend will affect climate change by cutting CO2 emissions, how California came to have such an outsized impact on the U.S. market and how local environmental reporters can plug in for stories around their communities.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [5]
Climate Change [7]
Consumer [8]
Energy & Fuel [12]
Environmental Politics [15]
Government [20]
Journalism & Media [23]
Laws & Regulations [24]
Policy [27]
Pollution [28]
Transportation [29]
Region:
National (U.S.) [33]
California [35]
Visibility:
Public [40]
- Read more about Burgeoning National EV Trend Helps Drive Local Environment, Climate Stories [64]
Grants Uncover Downside of Wood Stoves, Water Subsidy Impacts [65]

When a young Ohio-based journalist found her interest piqued by the environmental impacts of wood-burning stoves, she turned — for a second time — to the Fund for Environmental Journalism. Her grant helped her dig deeper and, ultimately, produce a report for Undark. Reporter Diana Kruzman shares her experience with both FEJ-funded projects, along with advice for other grant seekers, in the new StoryLog.

SEJ Publication Types:
FEJ StoryLog [66]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [5]
Consumer [8]
Energy & Fuel [12]
Environmental Health [13]
Environmental Justice [14]
Government [20]
Health [21]
Journalism & Media [23]
Pollution [28]
Region:
National (U.S.) [33]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [53]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [50]
International [38]
Visibility:
Public [40]
- Read more about Grants Uncover Downside of Wood Stoves, Water Subsidy Impacts [65]
Farmers Markets Offer Many Local Environmental Stories [67]

Reporters needn’t always go far and wide to find environment angles. A case in point is your local farmers market, which can yield a variety of food-related stories, ranging from food justice and urban agriculture to pesticides and organics. That and a few tasty samples on the side. TipSheet takes a stroll through the aisles for the backstory, plus reporting resources and story ideas.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Agriculture [4]
Consumer [8]
Food [18]
Health [21]
Journalism & Media [23]
Region:
National (U.S.) [33]
Visibility:
Public [40]
- Read more about Farmers Markets Offer Many Local Environmental Stories [67]

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