Publication Items

‘Endangered’ USGS Pesticide Database Shows Wide Chemical Impact [1]

Pesticides are a major environmental and public health issue — harming vulnerable human populations, as well as contributing to declines in insect populations and even the birds that feed on them. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox explores an invaluable government database that reports estimates of county-level use of a wide array of these chemicals, but which recently faced severe cutbacks. Read more about the Pesticide National Synthesis Project.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Chemicals [4]
Environmental Health [5]
Environmental Politics [6]
Food [7]
Health [8]
Journalism & Media [9]
Pollution [10]
Water & Oceans [11]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about ‘Endangered’ USGS Pesticide Database Shows Wide Chemical Impact [1]
Pulling Back the Curtain on the Plunder of the Planet [14]

“Pitfall: The Race to Mine the World’s Most Vulnerable Places,” a new work by investigative journalist Christopher Pollon, offers a sweeping global view of how the mining industry profits, despite causing vast environmental losses and failing to acknowledge Indigenous ownership or rights to the land it mines. BookShelf’s Melody Kemp lauds Pollon’s searing observations and investigations. Read her review.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [15]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [16]
Biodiversity [17]
Consumer [18]
Economy & Business [19]
Environmental Health [5]
Environmental Justice [20]
Environmental Politics [6]
Fish & Fisheries [21]
Forests [22]
Natural Resources [23]
Policy [24]
Pollution [10]
Technology [25]
Water & Oceans [11]
Wildlife [26]
Region:
International [27]
Africa [28]
Asia [29]
Australia & Oceania [30]
South America [31]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Pulling Back the Curtain on the Plunder of the Planet [14]
Tracking the EPA Agenda Through Agency Grants [32]

Much of what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency accomplishes, whether cleaning up water, shoring up infrastructure or reducing climate change, is done through its grants program. To help track that spending, the latest Reporter’s Toolbox points reporters to an enhanced EPA grant database tool that lets you search by geography and across other databases. More on how to make the most of it.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [33]
Government [34]
Infrastructure [35]
Journalism & Media [9]
Policy [24]
Water & Oceans [11]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Tracking the EPA Agenda Through Agency Grants [32]
Unique Award-Winner Highlights Risks to Whales From Fight Over Fish [36]

Whales and fishers chasing the same catch can lead to serious impacts on marine mammals, including illegal shootings. To tell the story, journalist Nick Rahaim took an unusual tack — reporting while working as a deckhand on a fishing vessel. His award-winning account won praise for its balance, sourcing and insight. Rahaim talks about his approach in our Inside Story Q&A.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [37]
Topics on the Beat:
Economy & Business [19]
Fish & Fisheries [21]
Journalism & Media [9]
Natural Resources [23]
Science [38]
Water & Oceans [11]
Wildlife [26]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
Alaska and Hawaii [39]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Unique Award-Winner Highlights Risks to Whales From Fight Over Fish [36]
New PFAS Drinking Water Rule Promises Local Stories [40]

New federal regulations governing a group of “forever chemicals” under the Safe Drinking Water Act — a rule years in the making — have important implications for local drinking water supplies and, per the latest TipSheet, local environment reporting. A look at the problem with PFAS, the complicated route to its regulation and more than a dozen story ideas and reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [41]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [4]
Consumer [18]
Government [34]
Health [8]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [42]
Policy [24]
Pollution [10]
Water & Oceans [11]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about New PFAS Drinking Water Rule Promises Local Stories [40]
Ag Census Offers Journalists Acres of Data [43]

The latest data from the five-year USDA agriculture census has specialized features that suggest numerous environmental stories — whether on irrigation, pesticides and fertilizer, renewable energy, conservation or more. There’s even a feature that provides data by congressional district. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox has more on the data source and how to use it smartly for your coverage.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Chemicals [4]
Climate Change [33]
Energy & Fuel [44]
Environmental Health [5]
Food [7]
Journalism & Media [9]
Pollution [10]
Water & Oceans [11]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Ag Census Offers Journalists Acres of Data [43]
Spurt in Hydro Relicensing To Leave U.S. Awash in Environmental Stories [45]

Hundreds of hydropower dams in the United States will see their licenses expiring in the next decade, generating years-long federal relicensing processes. That prospect calls for close local and regional coverage of the complicated balance between renewable energy needs with negative environmental impacts. The latest TipSheet explains the licensing process and the dam backstory, along with a dozen story ideas and reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [41]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [16]
Climate Change [33]
Consumer [18]
Energy & Fuel [44]
Environmental Health [5]
Environmental Politics [6]
Fish & Fisheries [21]
Infrastructure [35]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [42]
Natural Resources [23]
Policy [24]
Water & Oceans [11]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
California [46]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [47]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [48]
Northwest (OR WA) [49]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Spurt in Hydro Relicensing To Leave U.S. Awash in Environmental Stories [45]
Philly Steaks Out New Ground [50]

It just wouldn’t be the Society of Environmental Journalists annual conference recap without the waggish tales of SEJ’s resident wit, David Helvarg, who once again this year skewers the lot of us, sparing not a jot of our five days in Philadelphia. Read on and prepare to snicker.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [51]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Climate Change [33]
Disasters [52]
Economy & Business [19]
Energy & Fuel [44]
Environmental Politics [6]
Food [7]
Government [34]
Health [8]
Infrastructure [35]
Journalism & Media [9]
Natural Resources [23]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [53]
Policy [24]
Pollution [10]
Technology [25]
Transportation [54]
Waste [55]
Water & Oceans [11]
Wildlife [26]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [56]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Philly Steaks Out New Ground [50]
Courage and Caring — Documentary Celebrates Environmental Icon Stewart Udall [57]

While the name of Stewart Udall, U.S. interior secretary through the tumultuous 1960s, may have faded from public memory, his influence on environmental policies is still felt today. Contributor Francesca Lyman shines the spotlight on a new documentary about Udall and his legacy, and talks with director John de Graaf about Udall’s insights and inspiration.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [58]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [59]
Biodiversity [17]
Climate Change [33]
Energy & Fuel [44]
Environmental Health [5]
Environmental Justice [20]
Environmental Politics [6]
Environmental Studies [60]
Forests [22]
Government [34]
Infrastructure [35]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [42]
Natural Resources [23]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [53]
Policy [24]
Pollution [10]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [61]
Transportation [54]
Water & Oceans [11]
Wildlife [26]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
California [46]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [62]
Northwest (OR WA) [49]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [63]
International [27]
Central America & the Caribbean [64]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Courage and Caring — Documentary Celebrates Environmental Icon Stewart Udall [57]
LNG To Fuel Conflict, Profit, Warming in Coming Years [65]

A partisan debate has flared over liquified natural gas, as industry, environmentalists and politicians wrangle over LNG’s role in climate change and the energy transition, heating and electricity prices, and international and domestic U.S. politics. Backgrounder lays out LNG’s history, starting with the fracking boom and bringing it up to speed with the war in Ukraine and upcoming presidential elections.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [66]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [16]
Chemicals [4]
Climate Change [33]
Energy & Fuel [44]
Environmental Politics [6]
Government [34]
Laws & Regulations [42]
Natural Resources [23]
Policy [24]
Pollution [10]
Technology [25]
Transportation [54]
Water & Oceans [11]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
Alaska and Hawaii [39]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [56]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [67]
International [27]
Canada [68]
Mexico [69]
Asia [29]
Europe [70]
Middle East [71]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about LNG To Fuel Conflict, Profit, Warming in Coming Years [65]

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