Publication Items

Draining a Different Kind of Swamp [1]

As the Trump administration last week began its rollback of the Clean Water Rule, reporters are likely to see many more stories about wetlands permitting — especially on the local level. The latest TipSheet walks you through the Section 404 permitting maze and helps you find out what's happening in your locale and state.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Politics [3]
Fish & Fisheries [4]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Natural Resources [6]
Water & Oceans [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [9]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Draining a Different Kind of Swamp [1]
As Fight Flares Over Public Lands, Summoning Power of Past Bond [11]

Bobby Magill, in his most recent SEJ President's Report, recalls his time traversing federal wilderness areas that are now increasingly the subject of dispute. How are they to be used? Who is to hold them? Will these vast Western lands remain in the public domain? And what is the role of journalists in covering this story?

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ Presidents Report [12]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Politics [3]
Forests [13]
Government [14]
Journalism & Media [15]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Natural Resources [6]
Wildlife [16]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about As Fight Flares Over Public Lands, Summoning Power of Past Bond [11]
Toxics Database a Key Tool for Environmental Journalists [17]

The Toxics Release Inventory has long been a vital reporting tool, and now there's a new edition of the database, issued last month by the outgoing Obama administration. Reporter's Toolbox walks you through how to smartly mine TRI for stories, whether you're a newbie or a veteran. Plus, TRI caveats.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [19]
Disasters [20]
Economy & Business [21]
Environmental Health [22]
Health [23]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Pollution [24]
Waste [25]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Toxics Database a Key Tool for Environmental Journalists [17]
Veteran Reporters Say Ignore the Noise, and Localize [26]

Environmental journalists at a day-long event [27] urged colleagues to report on the real, local impacts of policy, more than on the buzz around the policy. On hand at the SEJ-sponsored program were representatives of administrations past and present, including Trump EPA transition team head Myron Ebell (shown).

Videos:

Tracy Mehan lll, American Water Works Association [28]
Myron Ebell, Competitive Enterprise Institute [29]
Ed Maibach, George Mason University [30]
Scott Segal, Policy Resolution Group and Bracewell LLP [31]
Bob Perciasepe, Center for Climate & Energy Solutions [32]
Environmental advocates [33]
Journalists panel [34]

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [35]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [36]
Energy & Fuel [37]
Environmental Health [22]
Environmental Politics [3]
Environmental Studies [38]
Government [14]
Health [23]
Journalism & Media [15]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Policy [39]
Pollution [24]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Veteran Reporters Say Ignore the Noise, and Localize [26]
WatchDog Group Sues for Records as Pruitt Confirmation Vote Nears & More [40]

The latest WatchDog TipSheet details an open-records case against U.S. EPA nominee Scott Pruitt (shown), the scoop on an Agriculture Department animal welfare database that vanished then returned, a reporter busted at Standing Rock, plus items on whistleblowers, coal-ash and more.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [41]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [42]
Agriculture [43]
Energy & Fuel [37]
Environmental Politics [3]
Government [14]
Journalism & Media [15]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [44]
Policy [39]
Pollution [24]
Waste [25]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [45]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [46]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [47]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about WatchDog Group Sues for Records as Pruitt Confirmation Vote Nears & More [40]
Enviro, Energy Reporters Look at Prospects for Beat in 2017 [48]

Veteran journalists gathered in Washington, D.C. last Friday, Feb. 3, to share insights into how environment and energy policy may unfold in the year ahead — and to urge colleagues to prepare for possibly dramatic shifts ahead. Key takeaways, plus video, audio clips and a presentation by SEJ's president. Photo: Washington Post reporter Daryl Fears; courtesy of Schuyler Null/Wilson Center.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [35]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [49]
Climate Change [36]
Energy & Fuel [37]
Environmental Politics [3]
Journalism & Media [15]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Natural Resources [6]
Policy [39]
Science [50]
Water & Oceans [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
International [51]
Asia [52]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Enviro, Energy Reporters Look at Prospects for Beat in 2017 [48]
Turbulent Prospects on Environment-Energy Beat Likely in Trump Era [53]

While it's too soon to tell what the new Trump administration and 115th Congress will do, our special report suggests we may see a groundswell of environmental deregulation and massive energy development. Backgrounder looks at the top 10 energy-environment issues to watch in the President Trump era.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [54]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [55]
Climate Change [36]
Economy & Business [21]
Energy & Fuel [37]
Environmental Politics [3]
Government [14]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Natural Resources [6]
Policy [39]
Pollution [24]
Science [50]
Transportation [56]
Waste [25]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Turbulent Prospects on Environment-Energy Beat Likely in Trump Era [53]
Will 'Drill, Baby, Drill' Be Watchword in Trump Era? [57]

Conflict is brewing over the leasing of oil and gas drilling rights on millions of acres of federal land, now that the pro-oil-and-gas GOP controls Congress and the White House. And one especially big battle to come? The one over opening for drilling the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a dispute that raged for decades.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Politics [3]
Government [14]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Natural Resources [6]
Pollution [24]
Transportation [56]
Wildlife [16]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Alaska and Hawaii [58]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Will 'Drill, Baby, Drill' Be Watchword in Trump Era? [57]
The Battle Over Science Integrity, Funding Begins [59]

President Trump's characterization of climate change as a Chinese "hoax" and flirtations with the anti-vaccine movement have led many to conclude that he and his GOP allies are anti-science. A look at scientific integrity and funding in the new administration.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [36]
Environmental Politics [3]
Environmental Studies [38]
Government [14]
Health [23]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Science [50]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
International [51]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about The Battle Over Science Integrity, Funding Begins [59]
Omnibus Politics: Building an Infrastructure Program [60]

Democrats and Republications may agree on a vast federal program to build and repair the nation's crumbling infrastructure, but still uncertain is what will be built, how it will be paid for and who will vote for it. TipSheet looks at the politics of public works (what journalists used to call "pork").

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Economy & Business [21]
Energy & Fuel [37]
Environmental Politics [3]
Government [14]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Planning & Growth [61]
Policy [39]
Transportation [56]
Waste [25]
Water & Oceans [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Omnibus Politics: Building an Infrastructure Program [60]

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