Publication Items

Spill-Tracking Data Sources Help Cover Hazmat Events [1]

A new Spill Tracker website is a good source of information on chemical spills, albeit one with an agenda. But according to the latest Reporter’s Toolbox, it’s just one among a set of powerful resources for covering dangerous releases, large and small. More on Spill Tracker, plus another half-dozen-plus government and nonprofit data sources on petrochemical incidents.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [3]
Disasters [4]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Health [6]
Government [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Pollution [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
International [11]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Spill-Tracking Data Sources Help Cover Hazmat Events [1]
Chemical Plants, Terrorism and Regulations May Be Back on the Agenda [13]

For years, high-risk U.S. industrial facilities fell under a federal anti-terrorism program to ensure their potentially lethal chemicals would not become terrorist targets. But when the program expired last year, something unexpected happened. Veteran chemical industry reporter Jeff Johnson has a behind-the-scenes look at the maneuvering over how best to secure the country’s dangerous chemical stores.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [14]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [3]
Disasters [4]
Environmental Politics [15]
Government [7]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [17]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Chemical Plants, Terrorism and Regulations May Be Back on the Agenda [13]
Rockets and Bombs and Chemicals — The Environmental Horrors of War [18]

With the world in the midst of wars in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, it’s time for journalists to appraise — and report on — the intersection of conflict and the environment, argues the new Backgrounder. That means considering the environment not only as a victim of war, but also as the cause of war and a means of carrying it out.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [19]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [3]
Climate Change [20]
Disasters [4]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Politics [15]
Government [7]
Health [21]
Journalism & Media [8]
Military [22]
People & Population [23]
Policy [24]
Water & Oceans [25]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [26]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [27]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [28]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [29]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [30]
International [11]
Africa [31]
Asia [32]
Europe [33]
Middle East [34]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Rockets and Bombs and Chemicals — The Environmental Horrors of War [18]
What’s Ahead on Climate Justice, Climate Crisis Beat [35]

What environment stories will matter most in 2024 to communities of color and Indigenous communities? Columnist Yessenia Funes sheds light on concerns ranging from the environmental damage in Gaza and extreme weather across the United States to the fallout from the U.S. presidential election to the local impacts of the clean energy transition. Insights in the latest Voices of Environmental Justice.

SEJ Publication Types:
Voices of Environmental Justice [36]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [37]
Climate Change [20]
Disasters [4]
Diversity [38]
Economy & Business [39]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Justice [40]
Environmental Politics [15]
Government [7]
Health [21]
Infrastructure [41]
Journalism & Media [8]
Military [22]
People & Population [23]
Planning & Growth [42]
Policy [24]
Pollution [9]
Water & Oceans [25]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Alaska and Hawaii [43]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [29]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [30]
International [11]
Middle East [34]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about What’s Ahead on Climate Justice, Climate Crisis Beat [35]
Clearing the Smoke — Collaboration Exposes Impacts of Wildfire Pollution-Reporting Rules [44]

Climate change is fueling the frequency and severity of wildfires, but a little-known Clean Air Act rule lets environmental agencies downplay the impacts of wildfire smoke. A collaborative investigation into this loophole connected dots that even the experts didn’t know about. Journalists Dillon Bergin and Molly Peterson explain their reporting process and offer advice for following your own local leads.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [14]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [45]
Climate Change [20]
Disasters [4]
Environmental Health [6]
Government [7]
Health [21]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Pollution [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Alaska and Hawaii [43]
California [46]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [26]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [47]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [27]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [28]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [29]
Northwest (OR WA) [48]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [30]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [17]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Clearing the Smoke — Collaboration Exposes Impacts of Wildfire Pollution-Reporting Rules [44]
Capturing the Invisible — Photographing Extreme Heat Waves [49]

If extreme heat seems an unusual subject for December, the new EJ InSight column reminds us that among the natural disasters sweeping 2023 were waves of devastating global highs. Yet telling that story visually is an enormous challenge, acknowledges former LA Times photo editor Silvia Rázgová, who shares insights into how to portray the seriousness of extreme heat, getting beyond the cliches and connecting (safely) with its dangerous reality.

SEJ Publication Types:
EJ InSight [50]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [20]
Disasters [4]
Environmental Justice [40]
Health [21]
Journalism & Media [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
California [46]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [30]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [17]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Capturing the Invisible — Photographing Extreme Heat Waves [49]
Between the Lines — Author Explores Experience of Living Through Climate Change [51]

To make climate change less abstract and more direct, writer Madeline Ostrander traveled the country to speak to those living with its impacts in the places they call home. In a BookShelf “Between the Lines” Q&A, Ostrander discusses her resulting book, “At Home on an Unruly Planet: Finding Refuge on a Changed Earth,” and addresses the lenses she used, the characters she portrayed and the surprises she encountered.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [52]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [37]
Climate Change [20]
Disasters [4]
Economy & Business [39]
Environmental Justice [40]
Environmental Politics [15]
Forests [53]
Health [21]
Journalism & Media [8]
People & Population [23]
Policy [24]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [54]
Science [55]
Wildlife [56]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Alaska and Hawaii [43]
California [46]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [30]
International [11]
Canada [57]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Between the Lines — Author Explores Experience of Living Through Climate Change [51]
Gathering Offers Sobering Look Ahead at 2024, But With Glimmers of Hope [58]

Top environmental journalists and others at the Society of Environmental Journalists annual “Journalists’ Guide to Environment and Energy” program foresee some challenging realities to cover in 2024, most notably with the ongoing impacts of climate change. Bright signs emerged as well. Read our take, watch the event video [59] and visit our full “2024 Journalists’ Guide to Environment + Energy [60]” special report.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [61]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [45]
Biodiversity [62]
Chemicals [3]
Climate Change [20]
Disasters [4]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Justice [40]
Environmental Politics [15]
Fish & Fisheries [63]
Forests [53]
Health [21]
Journalism & Media [8]
Natural Resources [64]
People & Population [23]
Policy [24]
Pollution [9]
Water & Oceans [25]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Alaska and Hawaii [43]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [30]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [17]
International [11]
South America [65]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Gathering Offers Sobering Look Ahead at 2024, But With Glimmers of Hope [58]
Floods, Fires, Dysfunction — Another Year Ahead of Faltering Steps on Environment, Energy [66]

In our annual look-ahead on the environment and energy beat in 2024, we see a bumpy ride on global climate change talks coupled with more climate-driven disasters, even amid the evolving energy transition. And we see possible risks to ocean life from deep sea mining and continuing risks to human life from pollution of air, water and land. Insights in our overview [66] and our full “2024 Journalists’ Guide to Environment & Energy [60]” special report.

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [67]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [45]
Biodiversity [62]
Chemicals [3]
Climate Change [20]
Disasters [4]
Economy & Business [39]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Justice [40]
Environmental Politics [15]
Forests [53]
Government [7]
Health [21]
Infrastructure [41]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Natural Resources [64]
Policy [24]
Pollution [9]
Transportation [68]
Waste [69]
Water & Oceans [25]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
International [11]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Floods, Fires, Dysfunction — Another Year Ahead of Faltering Steps on Environment, Energy [66]
Do Home Buyers Have a Right to Flood Risk Disclosure? [70]

In the second of a two-parter for our 2024 Journalists’ Guide to Environment + Energy [60], the latest TipSheet considers how local environmental journalists can make news out of the state-by-state patchwork of flood risk disclosure laws amid rising climate extremes. A dozen-and-a-half story ideas and reporting resources on the topic. Plus, see part one [71] on climate and insurance.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [72]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [20]
Consumer [73]
Disasters [4]
Government [7]
Infrastructure [41]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Planning & Growth [42]
Policy [24]
Water & Oceans [25]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Do Home Buyers Have a Right to Flood Risk Disclosure? [70]

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