Publication Items

Pennsylvania Gas Industry Keeps Secret Database on Pre-Drill Quality of Wells [1]

The fracking industry loves to argue there's no proof its gas-extraction methods cause pollution. But it works hard in Pennsylvania to keep secret any evidence that might prove the question — one way or the other. Existence of its database was reported by Marie Cusick of WITF in Harrisburg, via NPR's StateImpact Pennsylvania.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Water & Oceans [3]
Pollution [4]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Economy & Business [6]
Chemicals [7]
Region:
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [8]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Pennsylvania Gas Industry Keeps Secret Database on Pre-Drill Quality of Wells [1]
Elephant Wrangling on the Energy Beat [10]

More than one observer has compared covering energy to the folk tale about the blind men who try to describe an elephant, and end up shouting at each other because they’ve each grasped a different part of the beast and believe their portion represents the whole thing. Freelancer Jennifer Weeks reports.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [11]
Topics on the Beat:
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Politics [12]
Journalism & Media [13]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [14]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Elephant Wrangling on the Energy Beat [10]
Whodunit? The Case of the Disappearing Dilbit [15]

InsideClimate News' Lisa Song notes that US EPA's website had originally shown 1,149,460 gallons of oil recovered from the 2010 Enbridge spill near Kalamazoo, Michigan. Sometime in mid-March 2013, she reports, that number was removed from the EPA site and replaced by one much lower, the amount Enbridge claims was spilled.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Energy & Fuel [5]
Disasters [16]
Region:
Canada [17]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [18]
National (U.S.) [19]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Whodunit? The Case of the Disappearing Dilbit [15]
What’s Coming in Energy? Veteran Reporters Look Ahead [20]

What big energy issues will emerge on the reporting agenda for the year to come? To find out, the SEJ convened a panel of top-flight environmental journalists at the Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington D.C. Jan. 25, 2013.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [21]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [22]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Health [23]
Environmental Politics [12]
Government [24]
Journalism & Media [13]
Laws & Regulations [25]
Other or All [26]
Policy [27]
Science [28]
Region:
Asia [29]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about What’s Coming in Energy? Veteran Reporters Look Ahead [20]
Is Environmental Journalism Ready for the Path Ahead? [30]

As SEJournal editors started to put together seemingly disparate stories for this issue on climate change and energy policy, we began to see how deeply interconnected they actually were. To help our readers reflect on their interlocking facets, we’ve grouped a series of stories together in this special report to help make your reporting on energy and climate change more effective.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [21]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [22]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Journalism & Media [13]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [14]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Is Environmental Journalism Ready for the Path Ahead? [30]
White House Met in Secret with Industry Before Frack Rule [32]

Government rulemaking takes place with everything on the record in a public docket, right? Well ... actually not. EnergyWire reporter Mike Soraghan revealed in an April 12, 2013 story that presidential aide Heather Zichal met more than 20 times with industry groups lobbying on the proposed rule for fracking on federal lands.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [25]
Government [24]
Environmental Politics [12]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Economy & Business [6]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about White House Met in Secret with Industry Before Frack Rule [32]
Voluntary Fracking Disclosure Database Gets 'F' from Harvard Study [33]

We told you so. But now a Harvard study also says it: the FracFocus registry designed and operated by the drilling industry (and its close friends) fails to meet the public's right to accountability and complete disclosure of chemicals pumped into underground formations that may impact people's drinking-water wells.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Water & Oceans [3]
Health [34]
Environmental Health [23]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Chemicals [7]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Voluntary Fracking Disclosure Database Gets 'F' from Harvard Study [33]
SEJournal Spring 2013, Vol. 23 No. 1 [31]

In this issue: Special report on energy and climate change; first installment of new column 'Freelance Files' on goal setting; database helps track illegal parkland conversions; members cover sprawl, science and chickens; annual Sundance Film Festival report; and six book reviews.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJournal Online [35]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [36]
Climate Change [22]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Journalism & Media [13]
Natural Resources [37]
Planning & Growth [38]
Science [28]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about SEJournal Spring 2013, Vol. 23 No. 1 [31]
"The New New Deal: The Hidden Story of Change in the Obama Era" [39]

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [40]
Topics on the Beat:
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Politics [12]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about "The New New Deal: The Hidden Story of Change in the Obama Era" [39]
Exxon "Unified Command" Locks Down Ark. Spill Site; Threatens Reporter [41]

The March 29, 2013, spill from ExxonMobil's Pegasus Pipeline near Mayflower, Arkansas is a big deal for several reasons. But the most important thing about the Mayflower spill may be that ExxonMobil and the federal agencies involved seem to be trying to keep news media from getting close enough to see what is going on. Read SEJ's letter protesting the media treatment, and EPA's response.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [16]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Health [23]
Environmental Politics [12]
Government [24]
Health [34]
People & Population [42]
Region:
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [43]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Exxon "Unified Command" Locks Down Ark. Spill Site; Threatens Reporter [41]

Pages