Publication Items

Dredging for Data on Wetlands Permits [1]

In the second of two parts on how to report locally on wetlands permitting, the latest Reporter’s Toolbox helps you muck around an Army Corps of Engineers “permit finder” database that’s accurate and particularly good for zooming in on map-based geographic data. Plus, see the part one TipSheet [2] on how reemerging wetlands controversy brings the issue to your area.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [3]
Topics on the Beat:
Journalism & Media [4]
Natural Resources [5]
Water & Oceans [6]
Region:
National (U.S.) [7]
Visibility:
Public [8]
- Read more about Dredging for Data on Wetlands Permits [1]
Reemerging Wetlands Controversy Brings Local Angles [2]

Wetlands provide a wide array of ecological and societal benefits. But in the United States, they also represent a morass of conflicting views going back decades on how best to regulate them. Now a recent Supreme Court ruling and proposed federal rules are the source of new discord. The latest TipSheet explores how best to cover the wetlands controversy for your community.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [9]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [10]
Biodiversity [11]
Economy & Business [12]
Environmental Health [13]
Environmental Politics [14]
Fish & Fisheries [15]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Natural Resources [5]
Water & Oceans [6]
Region:
National (U.S.) [7]
Visibility:
Public [8]
- Read more about Reemerging Wetlands Controversy Brings Local Angles [2]
Gathering Offers Sobering Look Ahead at 2024, But With Glimmers of Hope [17]

Top environmental journalists and others at the Society of Environmental Journalists annual “Journalists’ Guide to Environment and Energy” program foresee some challenging realities to cover in 2024, most notably with the ongoing impacts of climate change. Bright signs emerged as well. Read our take, watch the event video [18] and visit our full “2024 Journalists’ Guide to Environment + Energy [19]” special report.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [20]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [21]
Biodiversity [11]
Chemicals [22]
Climate Change [23]
Disasters [24]
Environmental Health [13]
Environmental Justice [25]
Environmental Politics [14]
Fish & Fisheries [15]
Forests [26]
Health [27]
Journalism & Media [4]
Natural Resources [5]
People & Population [28]
Policy [29]
Pollution [30]
Water & Oceans [6]
Region:
National (U.S.) [7]
Alaska and Hawaii [31]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [32]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [33]
International [34]
South America [35]
Visibility:
Public [8]
- Read more about Gathering Offers Sobering Look Ahead at 2024, But With Glimmers of Hope [17]
Floods, Fires, Dysfunction — Another Year Ahead of Faltering Steps on Environment, Energy [36]

In our annual look-ahead on the environment and energy beat in 2024, we see a bumpy ride on global climate change talks coupled with more climate-driven disasters, even amid the evolving energy transition. And we see possible risks to ocean life from deep sea mining and continuing risks to human life from pollution of air, water and land. Insights in our overview [36] and our full “2024 Journalists’ Guide to Environment & Energy [19]” special report.

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [37]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [21]
Biodiversity [11]
Chemicals [22]
Climate Change [23]
Disasters [24]
Economy & Business [12]
Energy & Fuel [38]
Environmental Health [13]
Environmental Justice [25]
Environmental Politics [14]
Forests [26]
Government [39]
Health [27]
Infrastructure [40]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Natural Resources [5]
Policy [29]
Pollution [30]
Transportation [41]
Waste [42]
Water & Oceans [6]
Region:
National (U.S.) [7]
International [34]
Visibility:
Public [8]
- Read more about Floods, Fires, Dysfunction — Another Year Ahead of Faltering Steps on Environment, Energy [36]
Reporting on Environmental Solutions and Equity — at a Watershed Scale [43]

Reporting on interconnected ecosystems lends itself to better environmental stories, and so tracing how water moves across landscapes, communities, industries and regulatory schemes can help the public connect the dots. That’s how Annie Ropeik, who helps run the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk, sees the watershed beat. She shares expert views and offers insights for environment journalists to use in their reporting.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [44]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [45]
Agriculture [10]
Climate Change [23]
Diversity [46]
Economy & Business [12]
Environmental Health [13]
Environmental Justice [25]
Environmental Politics [14]
Environmental Studies [47]
Government [39]
Health [27]
Infrastructure [40]
Journalism & Media [4]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Natural Resources [5]
Planning & Growth [48]
Policy [29]
Pollution [30]
Water & Oceans [6]
Region:
National (U.S.) [7]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [49]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [50]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [51]
Northwest (OR WA) [52]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [32]
International [34]
Canada [53]
Visibility:
Public [8]
- Read more about Reporting on Environmental Solutions and Equity — at a Watershed Scale [43]
Seabed Mining May Dredge Up Real Minerals, Fishy Worries in 2024 [54]

The mining of the ocean floor has stirred up significant debate, much of which clouds the realities of whether and to what degree it would cause ecological harm to one of the world’s greatest resources. This week’s TipSheet looks more closely at the controversy, which may well come to a head in the coming year. The latest entry in SEJournal’s 2024 Journalists’ Guide to Environment and Energy.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [9]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [45]
Biodiversity [11]
Climate Change [23]
Economy & Business [12]
Environmental Health [13]
Environmental Politics [14]
Fish & Fisheries [15]
Food [55]
Government [39]
Journalism & Media [4]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Natural Resources [5]
Policy [29]
Pollution [30]
Water & Oceans [6]
Region:
International [34]
Visibility:
Public [8]
- Read more about Seabed Mining May Dredge Up Real Minerals, Fishy Worries in 2024 [54]
High-Risk Reporting Yields Results on Palm Oil Investigation [56]

The devastation caused by the Amazonian palm oil industry was at the heart of an investigation by Mongabay reporter Karla Mendes. But first she had to face hostile sources, intransigent regulators and a robbery attempt. Ultimately, the project not only won a reporting prize from the Society of Environmental Journalists but brought global awareness and government action. Her experience, in Inside Story Q&A.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [57]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [10]
Chemicals [22]
Economy & Business [12]
Environmental Health [13]
Environmental Justice [25]
Environmental Politics [14]
Food [55]
Forests [26]
Government [39]
Health [27]
Journalism & Media [4]
Natural Resources [5]
People & Population [28]
Pollution [30]
Water & Oceans [6]
Region:
International [34]
South America [35]
Visibility:
Public [8]
- Read more about High-Risk Reporting Yields Results on Palm Oil Investigation [56]
Author Brings Far-Reaching Insight to ‘The Three Ages of Water’ [58]

Leading water expert Peter Gleick’s new book on water’s past, present and future is an ambitious volume that offers a panoramic look at this essential resource — and hope for living in harmony with it in the future. BookShelf Editor Tom Henry calls “The Three Ages of Water” a rare book of breadth and depth, part history and part sustainable remedy. Read his review.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [59]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [23]
Environmental Health [13]
Environmental Justice [25]
Food [55]
Health [27]
Natural Resources [5]
People & Population [28]
Planning & Growth [48]
Policy [29]
Science [60]
Water & Oceans [6]
Region:
National (U.S.) [7]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [49]
International [34]
Africa [61]
Asia [62]
Visibility:
Public [8]
- Read more about Author Brings Far-Reaching Insight to ‘The Three Ages of Water’ [58]
Do Home Buyers Have a Right to Flood Risk Disclosure? [63]

In the second of a two-parter for our 2024 Journalists’ Guide to Environment + Energy [19], the latest TipSheet considers how local environmental journalists can make news out of the state-by-state patchwork of flood risk disclosure laws amid rising climate extremes. A dozen-and-a-half story ideas and reporting resources on the topic. Plus, see part one [64] on climate and insurance.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [9]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [23]
Consumer [65]
Disasters [24]
Government [39]
Infrastructure [40]
Journalism & Media [4]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Planning & Growth [48]
Policy [29]
Water & Oceans [6]
Region:
National (U.S.) [7]
Visibility:
Public [8]
- Read more about Do Home Buyers Have a Right to Flood Risk Disclosure? [63]
Prying Open the Statehouse Doors [66]

Reporting on environmental stories often leads to the state legislature, where key material can be frustratingly hard to access. Whether that’s because the state is deliberately hiding information, has poor systems for sharing it or isn’t even tracking it, there are ways to get what you need. Four seasoned environment reporters offer tips, tricks and commiseration.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [44]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [21]
Economy & Business [12]
Energy & Fuel [38]
Government [39]
Infrastructure [40]
Journalism & Media [4]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Natural Resources [5]
Policy [29]
Water & Oceans [6]
Region:
National (U.S.) [7]
California [67]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [50]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [68]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [33]
Visibility:
Public [8]
- Read more about Prying Open the Statehouse Doors [66]

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