Publication Items

New Landsat 9 Offers Variety of Resource Stories [1]

The launch of NASA’s new Landsat Earth-observing satellite is a reminder to reporters that millions of images from over five decades can help unearth many environmental trends, whether deforestation, coastal erosion, suburban sprawl or wildfire impacts. The new Reporter’s Toolbox explains how the service works and how to access the resource, along with examples of prize-winning stories.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Climate Change [4]
Environmental Health [5]
Environmental Studies [6]
Forests [7]
Government [8]
Journalism & Media [9]
Natural Resources [10]
Science [11]
Technology [12]
Water & Oceans [13]
Wildlife [14]
Region:
National (U.S.) [15]
International [16]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about New Landsat 9 Offers Variety of Resource Stories [1]
“Saving America’s Amazon: The Threat to Our Nation’s Most Biodiverse River System” [18]

A slender new volume makes a substantial case for recognizing (and better protecting) one of America’s most diverse ecosystems — Alabama’s Mobile River Basin. BookShelf Editor Tom Henry reviews Ben Raines’ text, full of fascinating info, images and insights, and which serves as a reminder that some of our nation’s most precious, yet little-noted environments, can be found nearest home.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [19]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [20]
Environmental Health [5]
Natural Resources [10]
Water & Oceans [13]
Wildlife [14]
Region:
National (U.S.) [15]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [21]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about “Saving America’s Amazon: The Threat to Our Nation’s Most Biodiverse River System” [18]
Reclaiming Coal Country — Quest for a New Economy in Appalachia [22]

Longtime energy and environment journalist Elizabeth McGowan traveled to southeast Kentucky to shine a light on efforts to diversify Appalachia’s longtime coal-based economy. In FEJ StoryLog, McGowan shares how her on-the-ground reporting approach, funded in part by the Society of Environmental Journalists’ Fund for Environmental Journalism, yielded not only a powerful story, but insights into overcoming its challenges.

SEJ Publication Types:
FEJ StoryLog [23]
Topics on the Beat:
Economy & Business [24]
Energy & Fuel [25]
Environmental Justice [26]
Environmental Politics [27]
Government [8]
Health [28]
Journalism & Media [9]
Natural Resources [10]
People & Population [29]
Policy [30]
Region:
National (U.S.) [15]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [21]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Reclaiming Coal Country — Quest for a New Economy in Appalachia [22]
Fossil Fuel Industry Pitches Carbon Capture As Climate Cure. But Is It? [31]

Carbon capture and storage technology has been around for years, but is being repositioned as a way to continue using fossil fuels in the face of climate change. Backgrounder takes a close look at how it works, its history and its politics. But even as the technology is taken up by Congress, the question is: Does the math add up?

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [32]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [4]
Energy & Fuel [25]
Environmental Politics [27]
Government [8]
Laws & Regulations [33]
Natural Resources [10]
Policy [30]
Pollution [34]
Science [11]
Technology [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [15]
International [16]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Fossil Fuel Industry Pitches Carbon Capture As Climate Cure. But Is It? [31]
Solar Panel Stories Can Shine for Local, Regional Reporters [35]

As the solar panel business resurges, the wide scope of possible regional and local story angles — climate, tech, consumer, business, jobs, air quality and grid reliability — make bright prospects for journalists. The latest TipSheet sets out recent political and market developments, along with more than a dozen story ideas and reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [36]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [4]
Consumer [37]
Economy & Business [24]
Energy & Fuel [25]
Environmental Politics [27]
Government [8]
Infrastructure [38]
Journalism & Media [9]
Natural Resources [10]
Policy [30]
Technology [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [15]
International [16]
Asia [39]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Solar Panel Stories Can Shine for Local, Regional Reporters [35]
Journalists Team Up To Continue Colleagues’ Work Exposing Mining Risks [40]

Environmental journalists around the world sometimes pay for their work with their freedom, safety or even their lives. The Forbidden Stories network continues the reporting of some of those journalists, and a team there recently produced an award-winning collaboration to investigate troubles at mining giants in Central America, South Asia and East Africa. “The Green Blood Project” in this month’s Inside Story.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [41]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [42]
Disasters [43]
Economy & Business [24]
Environmental Health [5]
Environmental Justice [26]
Environmental Politics [27]
Health [28]
Journalism & Media [9]
Natural Resources [10]
People & Population [29]
Pollution [34]
Waste [44]
Water & Oceans [13]
Region:
International [16]
Africa [45]
Asia [39]
Central America & the Caribbean [46]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Journalists Team Up To Continue Colleagues’ Work Exposing Mining Risks [40]
Drilling for Data on Offshore Wells [47]

For reporters covering the long-standing conflict over offshore drilling, which erupted again this month after a federal judge blocked a halt to new leases, an Interior Department database offers a wealth of data about offshore wells. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox walks you through the maze of bureaucracy behind the database, and then provides detailed guidance on how to make the most of its info.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Economy & Business [24]
Energy & Fuel [25]
Environmental Health [5]
Environmental Politics [27]
Government [8]
Journalism & Media [9]
Natural Resources [10]
Policy [30]
Water & Oceans [13]
Region:
National (U.S.) [15]
Alaska and Hawaii [48]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [49]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [50]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Drilling for Data on Offshore Wells [47]
Uncovering Inequality’s Roots in Timber Poaching [51]

Journalist Lyndsie Bourgon had covered timber poaching in the Pacific Northwest for over a decade when she decided to expand her scope, heading to the Peruvian Amazon to explore old-growth poaching there. In FEJ StoryLog, she shares the ups and downs of that project, made possible in part by a grant from the Society of Environmental Journalists’ Fund for Environmental Journalism.

SEJ Publication Types:
FEJ StoryLog [23]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Health [5]
Environmental Justice [26]
Environmental Politics [27]
Forests [7]
Journalism & Media [9]
Natural Resources [10]
People & Population [29]
Region:
National (U.S.) [15]
Northwest (OR WA) [52]
International [16]
Canada [53]
South America [54]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Uncovering Inequality’s Roots in Timber Poaching [51]
Irrigation Districts Are Key to Covering Coming Drought [55]

With megadrought a growing reality, one way into the story is through ubiquitous water management agencies. TipSheet surveys the “waterscape” of these governmental bodies — from local irrigation districts to multi-state regional water compacts — and how focusing on them can yield vital insights for drought stories. Plus, questions to ask and links to reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [36]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Climate Change [4]
Consumer [37]
Disasters [43]
Environmental Health [5]
Environmental Politics [27]
Fish & Fisheries [56]
Government [8]
Infrastructure [38]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [33]
Natural Resources [10]
People & Population [29]
Planning & Growth [57]
Water & Oceans [13]
Region:
National (U.S.) [15]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Irrigation Districts Are Key to Covering Coming Drought [55]
Forest Inventory May Provide Trail Guide to Ongoing Policy Crisis [58]

U.S. forests face damage from drought, climate-driven disease and wildfire. To help track the state of our trees, Reporter’s Toolbox explores a massive set of Forest Service databases that details everything from deforestation and dead fuel status to deforestation and species mix. There’s even info on urban forests and grasslands. A closer look at the Forest Inventory and Analysis program.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [4]
Environmental Health [5]
Forests [7]
Government [8]
Journalism & Media [9]
Natural Resources [10]
Science [11]
Region:
National (U.S.) [15]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Forest Inventory May Provide Trail Guide to Ongoing Policy Crisis [58]

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