Publication Items

‘Misplaced Trust’ Aims Big, But Finds Details Make the Difference [1]

A project of vast scope was needed to tell the untold story of stolen lands originally promised to Indigenous nations. But for Tristan Ahtone, it was the pursuit of "smaller" stories arising out of the detailed data that was the Grist team’s proudest result. Explore the high points — plus three key lessons — of this Pulliam Prize-winning project, in Ahtone’s Inside Story Q&A.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Justice [3]
Environmental Politics [4]
Government [5]
Laws & Regulations [6]
Natural Resources [7]
People & Population [8]
Policy [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about ‘Misplaced Trust’ Aims Big, But Finds Details Make the Difference [1]
Environmentalists Will Be Seeing Trump Forces in Court — Often [12]

The judiciary is looking to become a major environmental battleground for journalists to watch in the coming months and years, as activists confront the Trump administration over its deregulatory campaign. The new Issue Backgrounder maps out the action, explaining how key laws foster citizen suits, while numerous nonprofits are staffed up to sue. Plus, some ways to track the action.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [13]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [14]
Air [15]
Biodiversity [16]
Chemicals [17]
Climate Change [18]
Consumer [19]
Environmental Justice [3]
Environmental Politics [4]
Government [5]
Infrastructure [20]
Journalism & Media [21]
Laws & Regulations [6]
Natural Resources [7]
Policy [9]
Pollution [22]
Waste [23]
Water & Oceans [24]
Wildlife [25]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Environmentalists Will Be Seeing Trump Forces in Court — Often [12]
Environmental Justice Grants Disappear. Environmental Injustice Does Not [26]

Decades of effort to tackle the often-intractable problems of environmental injustice, supported in recent years by billions in funding, are now facing the knife under the Trump administration. The latest TipSheet provides a thumbnail history of government initiatives and why it matters, then offers a dozen story ideas and reporting resources to tell the story in your community.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [27]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Justice [3]
Environmental Politics [4]
Government [5]
Health [28]
Journalism & Media [21]
Laws & Regulations [6]
People & Population [8]
Policy [9]
Pollution [22]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Environmental Justice Grants Disappear. Environmental Injustice Does Not [26]
Trump Tariffs Blow Up Long U.S.-Canada Environmental Partnership [29]

As trade wars loom with U.S. allies, including our neighbors to the north and south, another kind of long-standing relationship is under threat — the environmental partnership between the United States and Canada. A Backgrounder Analysis examines deep-rooted ties over energy, water and timber. Does the brewing conflict over trade mean the long bonds over the environment have been broken?

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [13]
Topics on the Beat:
Consumer [19]
Economy & Business [30]
Energy & Fuel [31]
Environmental Health [32]
Environmental Politics [4]
Fish & Fisheries [33]
Forests [34]
Government [5]
Laws & Regulations [6]
Natural Resources [7]
Policy [9]
Water & Oceans [24]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [35]
Northwest (OR WA) [36]
International [37]
Canada [38]
Mexico [39]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Trump Tariffs Blow Up Long U.S.-Canada Environmental Partnership [29]
Trump 2.0 Cuts Hit FOIA Offices at Federal Agencies [40]

The Freedom of Information Act is a key tool for environmental journalists, but firings at many federal agencies’ FOIA offices threaten to seriously undermine it. That’s the warning from WatchDog Opinion, which points to dire implications for the free flow of information on public health and environmental health threats. A look at what’s at stake and what some are doing to keep FOIA alive.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [41]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Politics [4]
Government [5]
Health [28]
Laws & Regulations [6]
People & Population [8]
Policy [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Trump 2.0 Cuts Hit FOIA Offices at Federal Agencies [40]
As One Door Shuts on Climate Risk Data, News Outlet Opens Another [42]

Even as U.S. government agencies rush to wipe climate change information (or even the mention of the word climate) from their websites, others are racing to reconstruct lost data elsewhere. Case in point is a rescued database on climate risks preserved by The Guardian. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox has more on the preserved database and how best to use it.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [43]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [18]
Disasters [44]
Environmental Health [32]
Environmental Politics [4]
Government [5]
Journalism & Media [21]
Policy [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about As One Door Shuts on Climate Risk Data, News Outlet Opens Another [42]
#SEJ2025 — Confronting the Past, Surviving the Future [45]

Next week, hundreds of environmental journalists are expected to gather in Arizona for #SEJ2025, the Society of Environmental Journalists’ expansive annual conference. Co-chair Kendal Blust has highlights of the four-day event, plus how the challenges facing the Southwest are those of communities across the United States, and why now is a critical time for journalists to come together. Read her rundown [45] and register now [46], before the April 16 midnight deadline.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [47]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [48]
Biodiversity [16]
Climate Change [18]
Energy & Fuel [31]
Environmental Health [32]
Environmental Justice [3]
Environmental Politics [4]
Fish & Fisheries [33]
Food [49]
Government [5]
Health [28]
Journalism & Media [21]
Natural Resources [7]
People & Population [8]
Planning & Growth [50]
Policy [9]
Pollution [22]
Science [51]
Water & Oceans [24]
Wildlife [25]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [52]
International [37]
Mexico [39]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about #SEJ2025 — Confronting the Past, Surviving the Future [45]
Dam Safety Firings Leave Downstream Residents at Risk [53]

Among the widespread federal firings that look like they’re putting the public increasingly at risk are those that strip away government oversight of dam safety. The latest TipSheet looks at what’s at stake and offers up a dozen story ideas, questions to ask and reporting resources to help environmental journalists spot the dam dangers nearest them.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [27]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [44]
Environmental Politics [4]
Government [5]
Infrastructure [20]
Journalism & Media [21]
Policy [9]
Water & Oceans [24]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
California [54]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Dam Safety Firings Leave Downstream Residents at Risk [53]
U.S. Fuel Exports To Profit Industry, Slam Consumers [55]

‘Energy dominance’ is a Trump catchphrase whose meaning may be vague — since the U.S. is already the world’s top producer of oil and natural gas. But one thing that does seem clear, per the new Backgrounder, is that a flood of new U.S. permits to export gas will likely mean higher energy prices for U.S. customers.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [13]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [18]
Consumer [19]
Energy & Fuel [31]
Environmental Politics [4]
Policy [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
International [37]
Canada [38]
Mexico [39]
Europe [56]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about U.S. Fuel Exports To Profit Industry, Slam Consumers [55]
Follow the Money … for Lobbying State Legislatures [57]

With many states dominated by a few powerful industries — whether oil, mining or agriculture — the influence of campaign dollars can have an outsize effect on legislation, even to the point of corruption, notes the latest Reporter’s Toolbox. So while the U.S. Congress may be languishing, environmental journalists can dig up stories on lobbying at the state level using a powerful data source.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [43]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [14]
Agriculture [48]
Economy & Business [30]
Energy & Fuel [31]
Environmental Politics [4]
Government [5]
Journalism & Media [21]
Laws & Regulations [6]
Policy [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [58]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [59]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [52]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Follow the Money … for Lobbying State Legislatures [57]

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