Publication Items

EPA To Propose Plan Soon for First PFAS Drinking Water Rule [1]

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 [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [3]
Consumer [4]
Economy & Business [5]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Government [8]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Policy [12]
Pollution [13]
Science [14]
Water & Oceans [15]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [17]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about EPA To Propose Plan Soon for First PFAS Drinking Water Rule [1]
On the Persistence of Ocean Plastics [19]

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 [20]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [21]
Biodiversity [22]
Chemicals [3]
Climate Change [23]
Consumer [4]
Economy & Business [5]
Energy & Fuel [24]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Studies [25]
Fish & Fisheries [26]
Government [8]
Infrastructure [27]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Natural Resources [28]
Policy [12]
Pollution [13]
Science [14]
Technology [29]
Waste [30]
Water & Oceans [15]
Wildlife [31]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
Alaska and Hawaii [32]
California [33]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [17]
Northwest (OR WA) [34]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [35]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [36]
International [37]
Mexico [38]
Africa [39]
Asia [40]
Europe [41]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about On the Persistence of Ocean Plastics [19]
Beat Reporter’s Coverage Calls Out Natural Gas Proponents [42]

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 [43]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [21]
Air [44]
Climate Change [23]
Consumer [4]
Economy & Business [5]
Energy & Fuel [24]
Environmental Justice [45]
Environmental Politics [7]
Infrastructure [27]
Journalism & Media [10]
Natural Resources [28]
People & Population [46]
Policy [12]
Pollution [13]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
California [33]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [36]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Beat Reporter’s Coverage Calls Out Natural Gas Proponents [42]
Fill Your Plate With Chicken Stories [47]

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 [20]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [48]
Biodiversity [22]
Consumer [4]
Economy & Business [5]
Environmental Health [6]
Food [49]
Government [8]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Policy [12]
Pollution [13]
Science [14]
Waste [30]
Water & Oceans [15]
Wildlife [31]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
California [33]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [50]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [51]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Fill Your Plate With Chicken Stories [47]
Burgeoning National EV Trend Helps Drive Local Environment, Climate Stories [52]

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 [53]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [44]
Climate Change [23]
Consumer [4]
Energy & Fuel [24]
Environmental Politics [7]
Government [8]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Policy [12]
Pollution [13]
Transportation [54]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
California [33]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Burgeoning National EV Trend Helps Drive Local Environment, Climate Stories [52]
Grants Uncover Downside of Wood Stoves, Water Subsidy Impacts [55]

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 [56]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [44]
Consumer [4]
Energy & Fuel [24]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Justice [45]
Government [8]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
Pollution [13]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [17]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [36]
International [37]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Grants Uncover Downside of Wood Stoves, Water Subsidy Impacts [55]
Farmers Markets Offer Many Local Environmental Stories [57]

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 [53]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [21]
Agriculture [48]
Consumer [4]
Food [49]
Health [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Farmers Markets Offer Many Local Environmental Stories [57]
Septic Systems Often Hide Neglected Local Stories [58]

Millions of Americans rely on their own onsite wastewater treatment, commonly known as septic systems. And many of those systems are connected to private wells. But unless they are properly sited, designed, built and maintained, they can contaminate drinking water, bringing dangerous waterborne illnesses. The latest TipSheet explains how to turn this often ignored issue into a local story.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [53]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [3]
Consumer [4]
Environmental Justice [45]
Health [9]
Infrastructure [27]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Planning & Growth [59]
Pollution [13]
Waste [30]
Water & Oceans [15]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [17]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [35]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Septic Systems Often Hide Neglected Local Stories [58]
Global Satellite Data IDs Tensions Between Food Production, Biodiversity [60]

A recent study of global cropland expansion highlights several trends that are ripe with environmental news stories. One finding: New farm fields have taken over an area the size of Texas and California combined since the start of the century, an expansion primarily affecting biodiversity-rich natural ecosystems, with Africa leading the cropland boom. Freelancer Gabriel Popkin explores the latest data and the reporting possibilities.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [20]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [48]
Biodiversity [22]
Climate Change [23]
Consumer [4]
Economy & Business [5]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Justice [45]
Environmental Politics [7]
Environmental Studies [25]
Food [49]
Forests [61]
Journalism & Media [10]
Natural Resources [28]
People & Population [46]
Planning & Growth [59]
Science [14]
Technology [29]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
International [37]
Africa [39]
Asia [40]
Europe [41]
South America [62]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Global Satellite Data IDs Tensions Between Food Production, Biodiversity [60]
There Are a Lot More Than 10 Endangered Rivers. Is One Near You? [63]

An annual list of endangered rivers is out, but with it the journalism just begins, since there are numerous troubled river systems, most likely including one near you. The latest TipSheet details how the endangered river list can serve as a template for local reporting and provides story ideas, questions to ask and resources to tap for your coverage.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [53]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [21]
Climate Change [23]
Consumer [4]
Disasters [64]
Energy & Fuel [24]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Fish & Fisheries [26]
Food [49]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Natural Resources [28]
Pollution [13]
Transportation [54]
Water & Oceans [15]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about There Are a Lot More Than 10 Endangered Rivers. Is One Near You? [63]

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