Publication Items

Open Door to Industry for Trump Environmental Agency Appointees [1]

It’s not just the heads of Trump administration environmental agencies who come from the industries they now are entrusted to regulate. The latest TipSheet explains that it’s also the political appointees below them — officials responsible for overseeing air, water, toxic chemicals, Superfund, forests and drilling — who are now likely examples of regulatory capture. A short list. Plus, more from our new Trump 2.0 EJWatch special section [2].

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [3]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [4]
Air [5]
Chemicals [6]
Climate Change [7]
Economy & Business [8]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Environmental Politics [10]
Forests [11]
Government [12]
Journalism & Media [13]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Natural Resources [15]
Policy [16]
Pollution [17]
Waste [18]
Water & Oceans [19]
Region:
National (U.S.) [20]
Visibility:
Public [21]
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Energy-Dominance Exponent Coasts Into Interior [22]

The newly installed Interior Department head, who will manage most federally owned U.S. lands and billions of acres of the continental shelf, hails from a top fossil fuel-producing state and has close oil industry ties, reports the new EJ TransitionWatch. What former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum had to say at his Senate confirmation about U.S. “energy dominance.” Plus, one surprising source of support.

SEJ Publication Types:
EJ TransitionWatch [23]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [7]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Environmental Politics [10]
Government [12]
Natural Resources [15]
Policy [16]
Region:
National (U.S.) [20]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [24]
Visibility:
Public [21]
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‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’ Could Undo Biden’s Climate Progress [25]

A single “reconciliation” bill, promised by House Speaker Mike Johnson in the first 100 days of the new Congress, could wipe out the outgoing administration’s climate ambitions. EJ TransitionWatch explains the budget process and spotlights a half dozen energy and environment provisions — affecting offshore drilling, methane emissions, electric vehicle incentives and more — that could be in the measure if the Trump administration gets its way.

SEJ Publication Types:
EJ TransitionWatch [23]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [7]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Environmental Politics [10]
Government [12]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Natural Resources [15]
Policy [16]
Region:
National (U.S.) [20]
Visibility:
Public [21]
- Read more about ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’ Could Undo Biden’s Climate Progress [25]
What Biden Rules Could Congress Unplug With Review Act? [26]

As the Biden White House rushes to enact environment and energy policy before Inauguration Day, an obscure law leaves room for the incoming administration to claw them back. At risk: strengthened emissions standards for vehicles and power, tougher energy efficiency standards and plans to replace lead pipes. The latest EJ TransitionWatch explains how the reversal works — and why it might not.

SEJ Publication Types:
EJ TransitionWatch [23]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [5]
Climate Change [7]
Economy & Business [8]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Environmental Politics [10]
Government [12]
Infrastructure [27]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Policy [16]
Pollution [17]
Technology [28]
Transportation [29]
Water & Oceans [19]
Region:
National (U.S.) [20]
Visibility:
Public [21]
- Read more about What Biden Rules Could Congress Unplug With Review Act? [26]
Beat Reporter Spotlights Costs of California's Environmental Reckoning [30]

The fossil fuel industry’s outsized climate policy role in the U.S.’s most populous state is the core of award-winning coverage from investigative journalist Aaron Cantú for nonprofit newsroom Capital & Main. In the new Inside Story Q&A, Cantú shares some of what challenged him in his reporting, what surprised him most and a lesson learned.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [31]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [7]
Economy & Business [8]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Environmental Justice [32]
Environmental Politics [10]
Government [12]
Journalism & Media [13]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Natural Resources [15]
Policy [16]
Region:
National (U.S.) [20]
California [33]
Visibility:
Public [21]
- Read more about Beat Reporter Spotlights Costs of California's Environmental Reckoning [30]
Climate Action Looks First To Go Under New Administration [34]

President-elect Donald Trump has promised to pull the United States out of the Paris climate treaty and to maximize U.S. fossil fuel production. And as the transition to his incoming administration unfolds, he has named a cabinet replete with climate action skeptics. But will all that stop the transition to cleaner power? The latest EJ TransitionWatch has an assessment.

SEJ Publication Types:
EJ TransitionWatch [23]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [4]
Climate Change [7]
Consumer [35]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Environmental Politics [10]
Government [12]
Infrastructure [27]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Policy [16]
Pollution [17]
Region:
National (U.S.) [20]
International [36]
Visibility:
Public [21]
- Read more about Climate Action Looks First To Go Under New Administration [34]
Threats of Media Censorship Cloud COP29 [37]

Again this year, a petrostate hosts the COP climate gathering. Azerbaijan as host not only raises questions of how an oil-rich nation can help foster the fossil fuel cuts needed to stem climate change. But WatchDog Opinion also worries what Azerbaijan’s poor press freedom record will mean for journalists covering the gathering and for the civil society that normally enlivens the meeting.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [38]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [39]
Climate Change [7]
Economy & Business [8]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Environmental Justice [32]
Environmental Politics [10]
Government [12]
Journalism & Media [13]
Policy [16]
Region:
International [36]
Asia [40]
Europe [41]
Middle East [42]
Visibility:
Public [21]
- Read more about Threats of Media Censorship Cloud COP29 [37]
Does Kamala Harris Have a Green Streak? [43]

While Kamala Harris has provided little detail about what her environment and energy policies would be as president, her record has been enough to win her the quick support of most major environmental groups, finds the latest Issue Backgrounder. A look at her record on the Green New Deal and fracking, her presidential environmental platform and her contrasts with GOP rival Donald Trump.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [44]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [39]
Climate Change [7]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Environmental Politics [10]
Government [12]
Infrastructure [27]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Policy [16]
Region:
National (U.S.) [20]
California [33]
International [36]
Visibility:
Public [21]
- Read more about Does Kamala Harris Have a Green Streak? [43]
Investigation Explores Dueling Narratives for Addressing Climate Change [45]

Is carbon capture a climate solution or a dangerous distraction? That was the question that Inside Climate News reporter Nicholas Kusnetz asked in his award-winning explanatory series, “Pipe Dreams.” For Inside Story, Kusnetz talks of the challenges of writing about a technology that largely doesn’t yet exist, and the variety of story forms he used to explore the reality of industry promises.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [31]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [7]
Economy & Business [8]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Environmental Justice [32]
Environmental Politics [10]
Government [12]
Infrastructure [27]
Journalism & Media [13]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Natural Resources [15]
People & Population [46]
Policy [16]
Pollution [17]
Technology [28]
Region:
National (U.S.) [20]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [47]
International [36]
Visibility:
Public [21]
- Read more about Investigation Explores Dueling Narratives for Addressing Climate Change [45]
What Would Trump 2.0 Mean for the Environment? [48]

If former President Donald Trump recaptures the White House this fall, it would likely bring back a radical deregulatory, climate change-oblivious, fossil fuel-intensive environmental policy. But could the fallout be even greater? The new Issue Backgrounder examines how the Project 2025 agenda of Trump’s allies takes aim, in particular, at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [44]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [6]
Climate Change [7]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Environmental Justice [32]
Environmental Politics [10]
Government [12]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Natural Resources [15]
Policy [16]
Water & Oceans [19]
Region:
International [36]
Visibility:
Public [21]
- Read more about What Would Trump 2.0 Mean for the Environment? [48]

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