Publication Items

How To Power Through Your EPA Power Plant Rule Coverage [1]

The new proposed limits on climate pollution from existing power plants will be a significant story for years to come, but one with many moving parts and numerous complications. The new Issue Backgrounder explores the larger context and history of the proposed rule, and provides six key developments to watch as you track its evolution.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [3]
Climate Change [4]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Health [8]
Infrastructure [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Policy [12]
Pollution [13]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about How To Power Through Your EPA Power Plant Rule Coverage [1]
Environmental Journalists, Idling in Idaho [16]

With the Society of Environmental Journalists’ 32nd annual conference in Boise now behind us, humorist David Helvarg offers a sharp-witted, albeit affectionate, skewering of the five-day gathering, everything from the host state’s politics to the innumerable sessions and the final blowout party. Prepare for punnage. Plus, check out the evolving multimedia coverage [17] of the event, and watch for session audio recordings to come.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [19]
Climate Change [4]
Economy & Business [20]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Justice [21]
Environmental Politics [7]
Fish & Fisheries [22]
Forests [23]
Government [24]
Journalism & Media [10]
Natural Resources [25]
Policy [12]
Water & Oceans [26]
Wildlife [27]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [28]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Environmental Journalists, Idling in Idaho [16]
Public Lands Face New Challenges in Today’s Energy, Climate Landscape [29]

The debate over drilling on public lands goes back decades. But now our view of how — or even whether — to use public lands faces the unprecedented reality of climate change, fire, drought, floods and the transition to clean energy. The latest Backgrounder explains how we got here and where the current battles rage, including over the Alaskan North Slope’s massive Willow Project.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [30]
Climate Change [4]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Forests [23]
Government [24]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Natural Resources [25]
Policy [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
Alaska and Hawaii [31]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [32]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Public Lands Face New Challenges in Today’s Energy, Climate Landscape [29]
Is EV-Driven Demand for Lithium on Collision Course With Environment Concerns? [33]

The push to replace gas-guzzling vehicles with electric-powered alternatives is hitting significant speed bumps. The existing supply of lithium for batteries can’t keep up with demand, and new mining proposals often face opposition from area residents worried about local impacts. Radio reporter David Boraks has been covering one such conflict in North Carolina. He shares his insights and reporting tips.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [34]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [30]
Agriculture [35]
Air [3]
Biodiversity [19]
Climate Change [4]
Consumer [36]
Economy & Business [20]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Government [24]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Natural Resources [25]
Policy [12]
Pollution [13]
Technology [37]
Transportation [38]
Water & Oceans [26]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
California [39]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [28]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [40]
International [41]
Asia [42]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Is EV-Driven Demand for Lithium on Collision Course With Environment Concerns? [33]
2023 Gathering Goes Big in Boise [43]

The Society of Environmental Journalists’ annual conference is back to Boise, two-and-a-half years after the first attempt to meet in the mountainous Northwestern state was sidetracked by the COVID pandemic. Co-chairs Tom Michael and Christy George outline the rich schedule of plenaries, panels, tours and other events that are drawing record interest to the April 19-23 program.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [35]
Biodiversity [19]
Climate Change [4]
Diversity [44]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Fish & Fisheries [22]
Forests [23]
Government [24]
Journalism & Media [10]
Natural Resources [25]
Policy [12]
Water & Oceans [26]
Wildlife [27]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [45]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [28]
Northwest (OR WA) [46]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about 2023 Gathering Goes Big in Boise [43]
What Will It Take for Geothermal To Heat Up the Renewable Energy Sector? [47]

Geothermal has long been hyped as the next big thing in renewable energy, but its breakthrough moment hasn’t happened yet. Barriers to expansion include the elusiveness of sites offering the magic trio of heat, water and permeability and concern for unique ecosystems. Contributor Jessica McKenzie on geothermal energy’s possibilities and challenges and the government funding that may finally fire it up.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [34]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [19]
Climate Change [4]
Economy & Business [20]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Government [24]
Natural Resources [25]
Science [48]
Technology [37]
Wildlife [27]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
California [39]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [28]
Northwest (OR WA) [46]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [49]
International [41]
Australia & Oceania [50]
Europe [51]
Middle East [52]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about What Will It Take for Geothermal To Heat Up the Renewable Energy Sector? [47]
Finding the Secret Rail Hazmat Routes Near You [53]

Under federal rules, states can decide whether to divulge information about hazardous materials rolling along their railways — and mostly they don’t. Not knowing where and when hazmat trains are traveling or what’s on board creates anxiety and raises the risk for those who live near the tracks. TipSheet offers resources and step-by-step instructions for investigating railway hazmat threats to your community.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [54]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [55]
Disasters [56]
Economy & Business [20]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Health [6]
Government [24]
Health [8]
Infrastructure [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Policy [12]
Pollution [13]
Transportation [38]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [57]
International [41]
Canada [58]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Finding the Secret Rail Hazmat Routes Near You [53]
From Swine Waste, Student Journalist Extracts Prize-Winning Story [59]

Industrial hog farmers tout swine biogas as a clean, green energy source, but others point to its messy side. A young journalist who investigated the underreported stench of environmental racism associated with this technology learned valuable lessons along the way to producing a feature story that won her a Society of Environmental Journalists’ award for outstanding student reporting.

SEJ Publication Types:
EJ Academy [60]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [35]
Air [3]
Chemicals [55]
Diversity [44]
Economy & Business [20]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Justice [21]
Environmental Politics [7]
Food [61]
Government [24]
Health [8]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Pollution [13]
Science [48]
Technology [37]
Waste [62]
Water & Oceans [26]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [40]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about From Swine Waste, Student Journalist Extracts Prize-Winning Story [59]
Will Thousands of Orphan Wells Be Safely Plugged? [63]

Abandoned oil and gas wells are found in significant numbers in some 27 states. Reporters who want to track their status can dig into several databases, but will need to support their data crunching with lots of shoe-leather and ground-truth reporting. Reporter’s Toolbox has insights into what the databases offer. Plus, a primer on API numbers.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [64]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [3]
Climate Change [4]
Economy & Business [20]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Government [24]
Health [8]
Infrastructure [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Natural Resources [25]
Policy [12]
Pollution [13]
Technology [37]
Water & Oceans [26]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [65]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [49]
International [41]
Canada [58]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Will Thousands of Orphan Wells Be Safely Plugged? [63]
SEJ Panel Gauges Issues in the Works in the U.S. West [66]

As part of our 2023 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment special report, we’ve got highlights from last week’s reporter panel on the year ahead, led by #SEJ2023 conference co-chair Tom Michael (pictured, left). The focus was largely on the U.S. West, where challenges abound over issues like equitable siting of renewable energy infrastructure, regulating natural gas, managing wildfires and addressing the health consequences of climate-driven heat waves. Read our account [66], plus check out the full 2023 Guide [67].

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [35]
Air [3]
Biodiversity [19]
Climate Change [4]
Disasters [56]
Economy & Business [20]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Justice [21]
Environmental Politics [7]
Fish & Fisheries [22]
Food [61]
Forests [23]
Government [24]
Health [8]
Infrastructure [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
Natural Resources [25]
People & Population [68]
Planning & Growth [69]
Policy [12]
Pollution [13]
Water & Oceans [26]
Wildlife [27]
Region:
California [39]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [28]
Northwest (OR WA) [46]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [49]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about SEJ Panel Gauges Issues in the Works in the U.S. West [66]

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