Publication Items

Speaking Up for the First Amendment [1]

Many journalists can’t imagine themselves writing an opinion piece, but veteran reporter Tim Wheeler suggests they reconsider. With public distrust of news media mounting and government willingness to inform plummeting, Wheeler says it’s more important than ever for journalists to explain what they do and why it matters. Advice and an annotated example: How to put on the opinion writer’s hat.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [3]
Journalism & Media [4]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Speaking Up for the First Amendment [1]
What Biden Rules Could Congress Unplug With Review Act? [8]

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 [9]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [10]
Climate Change [11]
Economy & Business [12]
Energy & Fuel [13]
Environmental Politics [14]
Government [3]
Infrastructure [15]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Policy [16]
Pollution [17]
Technology [18]
Transportation [19]
Water & Oceans [20]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about What Biden Rules Could Congress Unplug With Review Act? [8]
What Will a Second Trump Term Mean for Environmental Justice? [21]

An incoming Trump administration hostile to the very idea of environmental justice likely means the rollback of numerous policies and regulations designed to protect disadvantaged communities, cuts to an important “whole-of-government” initiative and downsizing of key federal environmental justice offices. The latest EJ TransitionWatch examines what’s at stake. And for more, see our Topics on the Beat page on environmental justice [22].

SEJ Publication Types:
EJ TransitionWatch [9]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [10]
Climate Change [11]
Environmental Justice [23]
Environmental Politics [14]
Government [3]
Health [24]
Infrastructure [15]
Laws & Regulations [5]
People & Population [25]
Policy [16]
Pollution [17]
Waste [26]
Water & Oceans [20]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about What Will a Second Trump Term Mean for Environmental Justice? [21]
Beat Reporter Spotlights Costs of California's Environmental Reckoning [27]

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 [28]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [11]
Economy & Business [12]
Energy & Fuel [13]
Environmental Justice [23]
Environmental Politics [14]
Government [3]
Journalism & Media [4]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Natural Resources [29]
Policy [16]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
California [30]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Beat Reporter Spotlights Costs of California's Environmental Reckoning [27]
Climate Action Looks First To Go Under New Administration [31]

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 [9]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [32]
Climate Change [11]
Consumer [33]
Energy & Fuel [13]
Environmental Politics [14]
Government [3]
Infrastructure [15]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Policy [16]
Pollution [17]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
International [34]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Climate Action Looks First To Go Under New Administration [31]
Will Trump 2.0 ‘Come After’ Journalists? [35]

If the idea of an FBI director targeting journalists seems oh so last century, then Donald Trump’s prospective pick for the post has news for you. And that isn’t even the all of it. As WatchDog Opinion writes, the incoming administration bodes a litany of woes for free speech advocates, starting with the misuse of the law to try to silence a critical press. What should be done?

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [36]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [3]
Journalism & Media [4]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Will Trump 2.0 ‘Come After’ Journalists? [35]
Reporting on Illegal Wildlife Trade – Story Ideas, Safety Tips and More [37]

Illicit trade in wild animals and plants is a billion-dollar global business that threatens biodiversity and human health. Endless reporting opportunities range from exposing corruption and criminal networks to debunking claims about products derived from endangered species. Journalist Rene Ebersole shares insights from her 20 years on the trail of wildlife smugglers, poachers and other environmental lawbreakers — and introduces a new nonprofit dedicated to this beat.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [38]
Consumer [33]
Economy & Business [12]
Fish & Fisheries [39]
Government [3]
Journalism & Media [4]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Wildlife [40]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
California [30]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [41]
International [34]
Mexico [42]
Africa [43]
Central America & the Caribbean [44]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Reporting on Illegal Wildlife Trade – Story Ideas, Safety Tips and More [37]
Is Fluoride Facing Phaseout in Your Community’s Drinking Water? [45]

Fluoridated drinking water has helped limit tooth decay in the United States for decades. But that could come to an end in the Trump administration, if fluoride nonfan Robert F. Kennedy Jr., slated to head Health and Human Services, has his way. In the first installment of SEJournal’s new weekly EJ TransitionWatch column, we examine the challenge to this public health success story. Plus, questions to ask and resources for your reporting.

SEJ Publication Types:
EJ TransitionWatch [9]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [46]
Chemicals [47]
Consumer [33]
Environmental Politics [14]
Government [3]
Health [24]
Infrastructure [15]
Journalism & Media [4]
Laws & Regulations [5]
People & Population [25]
Policy [16]
Science [48]
Water & Oceans [20]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Is Fluoride Facing Phaseout in Your Community’s Drinking Water? [45]
Future of Justice40 Program Hangs in Balance [49]

A Biden administration initiative that commits to allocating 40% of federal investments to disadvantaged communities plagued by overpollution is an environmental justice breakthrough, writes columnist Yessenia Funes. But it’s also a program with weaknesses, such as how it factors in race or keeps track of impacts. What is Justice40, what has it missed and what is its future?

SEJ Publication Types:
Voices of Environmental Justice [50]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [46]
Air [10]
Chemicals [47]
Climate Change [11]
Environmental Justice [23]
Environmental Politics [14]
Government [3]
Health [24]
Infrastructure [15]
Laws & Regulations [5]
People & Population [25]
Policy [16]
Pollution [17]
Waste [26]
Water & Oceans [20]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Future of Justice40 Program Hangs in Balance [49]
Sewage Sludge Can Spread the Harm of Many Toxic Chemicals [51]

What was once benignly dubbed biosolids is more accurately tagged toxic sludge. And some of it may be finding its way into our food. The latest TipSheet reports how that came to be despite (or perhaps because of) Clean Water Act regulation, and how hard it is to calculate the potential harms. Plus, more than a dozen reporting ideas and resources for this highly localizable story.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [52]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [32]
Environmental Politics [14]
Food [53]
Government [3]
Health [24]
Journalism & Media [4]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Pollution [17]
Waste [26]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Sewage Sludge Can Spread the Harm of Many Toxic Chemicals [51]

Pages