Publication Items

Uncovering the Environmental Impacts of a Controversial Water Project [1]

Months spent gathering thousands of documents and talking to local residents led reporter Dheeraj Mishra to uncover the negative environmental impacts of a major hydro project in a water-scarce region of India. And his resulting investigative reporting got him noticed in the 2022 Society of Environmental Journalists’ 2022 awards contest. Mishra shares his insights in the new Inside Story Q&A.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Health [3]
Environmental Justice [4]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [6]
Infrastructure [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Natural Resources [9]
People & Population [10]
Planning & Growth [11]
Policy [12]
Pollution [13]
Water & Oceans [14]
Region:
International [15]
Asia [16]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Uncovering the Environmental Impacts of a Controversial Water Project [1]
Both Sides Now — How Permitting Reform May Affect Fossil Fuel, Clean Energy Industries [18]

It’s a political knot with the potential to tangle the fossil energy industry, the clean energy industry … or both. Environmental journalists looking to better report on the impacts of permitting reform can start with our latest Backgrounder, which explores the issue’s recent history and the competing visions that have stalled changes. There’s also the “backroom problem.” Plus, get a rundown of key actors.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [19]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [20]
Climate Change [21]
Energy & Fuel [22]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [6]
Infrastructure [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [23]
Natural Resources [9]
Policy [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [24]
Alaska and Hawaii [25]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [26]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [27]
International [15]
Canada [28]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Both Sides Now — How Permitting Reform May Affect Fossil Fuel, Clean Energy Industries [18]
Watching the Watchers: How Journalistic Teamwork Uncovered Years of Regulatory Failure in Texas [29]

After a massive fire at a Texas petrochemical storage facility, reporters from Public Health Watch and The Texas Tribune worked together to shed light on who was responsible for this disaster and what health threats had been hidden from the public. This behind-the-scenes report from Public Health Watch’s David Leffler and Savanna Strott looks at the challenges the team faced and how they overcame them.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [30]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [31]
Chemicals [32]
Disasters [33]
Economy & Business [34]
Energy & Fuel [22]
Environmental Health [3]
Environmental Justice [4]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [6]
Health [35]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [23]
Pollution [13]
Region:
National (U.S.) [24]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [36]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Watching the Watchers: How Journalistic Teamwork Uncovered Years of Regulatory Failure in Texas [29]
Pesticide Data Can Ground Food and Farm Stories [37]

A billion pounds of chemicals are used on U.S. crops each year. Designed to protect them, they can also leave residue on foods we eat and enter the waterways we drink from. Reporter’s Toolbox has some key data sources for journalists, whether they’re looking at the big picture or are drilling down locally around issues of pesticide use and human or ecological health.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [38]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [39]
Chemicals [32]
Environmental Health [3]
Food [40]
Government [6]
Health [35]
Journalism & Media [8]
Pollution [13]
Water & Oceans [14]
Region:
National (U.S.) [24]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Pesticide Data Can Ground Food and Farm Stories [37]
Tilling the Storytelling Fields on the Food, Ag and Environment Beat [41]

In his more than a decade at the helm of the Food & Environment Reporting Network, Samuel Fromartz was instrumental in shaping a new way of covering food, agriculture and environmental issues. As he prepares to turn over the top editor’s job to his successor, Fromartz talks about FERN’s innovative business model and the power of narrative.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [30]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [39]
Biodiversity [42]
Climate Change [21]
Consumer [43]
Economy & Business [34]
Environmental Health [3]
Environmental Justice [4]
Food [40]
Government [6]
Health [35]
Journalism & Media [8]
Pollution [13]
Waste [44]
Region:
National (U.S.) [24]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Tilling the Storytelling Fields on the Food, Ag and Environment Beat [41]
Environmental Journalists, Idling in Idaho [45]

With the Society of Environmental Journalists’ 32nd annual conference in Boise now behind us, humorist David Helvarg offers a sharp-witted, albeit affectionate, skewering of the five-day gathering, everything from the host state’s politics to the innumerable sessions and the final blowout party. Prepare for punnage. Plus, check out the evolving multimedia coverage [46] of the event, and watch for session audio recordings to come.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [47]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [42]
Climate Change [21]
Economy & Business [34]
Energy & Fuel [22]
Environmental Health [3]
Environmental Justice [4]
Environmental Politics [5]
Fish & Fisheries [48]
Forests [49]
Government [6]
Journalism & Media [8]
Natural Resources [9]
Policy [12]
Water & Oceans [14]
Wildlife [50]
Region:
National (U.S.) [24]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [51]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Environmental Journalists, Idling in Idaho [45]
Funding Initiative May Help Surface Overlooked Environmental Justice Stories [52]

A new government-organized network of environmental justice assistance centers may not only assist the community groups applying for billions in federal funds but could also help point environmental journalists toward undercovered stories on the beat. The latest TipSheet explains how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency initiative will work and how to locate the centers for your reporting.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [53]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [20]
Environmental Justice [4]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [6]
Infrastructure [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Policy [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [24]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Funding Initiative May Help Surface Overlooked Environmental Justice Stories [52]
Public Lands Face New Challenges in Today’s Energy, Climate Landscape [54]

The debate over drilling on public lands goes back decades. But now our view of how — or even whether — to use public lands faces the unprecedented reality of climate change, fire, drought, floods and the transition to clean energy. The latest Backgrounder explains how we got here and where the current battles rage, including over the Alaskan North Slope’s massive Willow Project.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [19]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [20]
Climate Change [21]
Energy & Fuel [22]
Environmental Health [3]
Environmental Politics [5]
Forests [49]
Government [6]
Laws & Regulations [23]
Natural Resources [9]
Policy [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [24]
Alaska and Hawaii [25]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [55]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Public Lands Face New Challenges in Today’s Energy, Climate Landscape [54]
With 'Silent Spring Revolution,' Historian Brings Pivotal Environmental Era to Life [56]

For BookShelf Editor Tom Henry, historian Douglas Brinkley's latest volume is a remarkable opportunity for anyone seeking an in-depth understanding of the “Great Environmental Awakening” and the myriad personalities that helped drive it. And not just the names you’d expect, but unlikely ones such as convicted Watergate figure John Ehrlichman, MLK Jr. widow Coretta Scott King and UAW President Walter Reuther. Discover what other lessons abound in this “utterly brilliant” new book.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [57]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [20]
Environmental Justice [4]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [6]
Laws & Regulations [23]
Policy [12]
Pollution [13]
Region:
National (U.S.) [24]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about With 'Silent Spring Revolution,' Historian Brings Pivotal Environmental Era to Life [56]
Is EV-Driven Demand for Lithium on Collision Course With Environment Concerns? [58]

The push to replace gas-guzzling vehicles with electric-powered alternatives is hitting significant speed bumps. The existing supply of lithium for batteries can’t keep up with demand, and new mining proposals often face opposition from area residents worried about local impacts. Radio reporter David Boraks has been covering one such conflict in North Carolina. He shares his insights and reporting tips.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [30]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [20]
Agriculture [39]
Air [31]
Biodiversity [42]
Climate Change [21]
Consumer [43]
Economy & Business [34]
Energy & Fuel [22]
Environmental Health [3]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [6]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [23]
Natural Resources [9]
Policy [12]
Pollution [13]
Technology [59]
Transportation [60]
Water & Oceans [14]
Region:
National (U.S.) [24]
California [61]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [51]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [62]
International [15]
Asia [16]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Is EV-Driven Demand for Lithium on Collision Course With Environment Concerns? [58]

Pages