Publication Items

From Swine Waste, Student Journalist Extracts Prize-Winning Story [1]

Industrial hog farmers tout swine biogas as a clean, green energy source, but others point to its messy side. A young journalist who investigated the underreported stench of environmental racism associated with this technology learned valuable lessons along the way to producing a feature story that won her a Society of Environmental Journalists’ award for outstanding student reporting.

SEJ Publication Types:
EJ Academy [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Air [4]
Chemicals [5]
Diversity [6]
Economy & Business [7]
Energy & Fuel [8]
Environmental Health [9]
Environmental Justice [10]
Environmental Politics [11]
Food [12]
Government [13]
Health [14]
Journalism & Media [15]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Pollution [17]
Science [18]
Technology [19]
Waste [20]
Water & Oceans [21]
Region:
National (U.S.) [22]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [23]
Visibility:
Public [24]
- Read more about From Swine Waste, Student Journalist Extracts Prize-Winning Story [1]
Will Thousands of Orphan Wells Be Safely Plugged? [25]

Abandoned oil and gas wells are found in significant numbers in some 27 states. Reporters who want to track their status can dig into several databases, but will need to support their data crunching with lots of shoe-leather and ground-truth reporting. Reporter’s Toolbox has insights into what the databases offer. Plus, a primer on API numbers.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [26]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [4]
Climate Change [27]
Economy & Business [7]
Energy & Fuel [8]
Environmental Health [9]
Environmental Politics [11]
Government [13]
Health [14]
Infrastructure [28]
Journalism & Media [15]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Natural Resources [29]
Policy [30]
Pollution [17]
Technology [19]
Water & Oceans [21]
Region:
National (U.S.) [22]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [31]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [32]
International [33]
Canada [34]
Visibility:
Public [24]
- Read more about Will Thousands of Orphan Wells Be Safely Plugged? [25]
Diving Deeper on the Wetlands Beat Yields Groundbreaking Coverage [35]

Two journalists covering water policy used a wide range of reporting techniques, from FOIA appeals to on-the-ground reporting, to get at the heart of how problems with wetlands and waterways in the United States are tied to climate change concerns. Inside Story spoke with Hannah Northey and Kevin Bogardus of E&E News about their award-winning beat reporting.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [36]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [37]
Climate Change [27]
Disasters [38]
Diversity [6]
Economy & Business [7]
Environmental Health [9]
Environmental Justice [10]
Environmental Politics [11]
Government [13]
Health [14]
Infrastructure [28]
Journalism & Media [15]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Policy [30]
Pollution [17]
Science [18]
Technology [19]
Water & Oceans [21]
Region:
National (U.S.) [22]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [39]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [23]
Visibility:
Public [24]
- Read more about Diving Deeper on the Wetlands Beat Yields Groundbreaking Coverage [35]
Follow the Money With Campaign and Lobbying Data [40]

With a new Congress in place and the seemingly never-ending political races to track, reporters can often learn a good deal about how environmental policy is influenced by looking into campaign and lobbying donations. Backgrounder takes a deep dive into the topic, pointing to important sources of information and data … and their limitations.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [41]
Topics on the Beat:
Economy & Business [7]
Environmental Politics [11]
Government [13]
Journalism & Media [15]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Policy [30]
Region:
National (U.S.) [22]
Visibility:
Public [24]
- Read more about Follow the Money With Campaign and Lobbying Data [40]
Hazmat Highway Routes Key to Keeping Public Safe [42]

In the wake of the train derailment and toxic spill in Ohio, now is a good time for environmental journalists to be ready for the next such accident. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox offers up a data source for another transportation risk — hazardous materials transported via highway. Plus, why rail hazmat data can be trickier to access.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [26]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [5]
Disasters [38]
Environmental Politics [11]
Health [14]
Infrastructure [28]
Journalism & Media [15]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Transportation [43]
Region:
National (U.S.) [22]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [39]
Visibility:
Public [24]
- Read more about Hazmat Highway Routes Key to Keeping Public Safe [42]
SEJ Panel Gauges Issues in the Works in the U.S. West [44]

As part of our 2023 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment special report, we’ve got highlights from last week’s reporter panel on the year ahead, led by #SEJ2023 conference co-chair Tom Michael (pictured, left). The focus was largely on the U.S. West, where challenges abound over issues like equitable siting of renewable energy infrastructure, regulating natural gas, managing wildfires and addressing the health consequences of climate-driven heat waves. Read our account [44], plus check out the full 2023 Guide [45].

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [46]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Air [4]
Biodiversity [37]
Climate Change [27]
Disasters [38]
Economy & Business [7]
Energy & Fuel [8]
Environmental Health [9]
Environmental Justice [10]
Environmental Politics [11]
Fish & Fisheries [47]
Food [12]
Forests [48]
Government [13]
Health [14]
Infrastructure [28]
Journalism & Media [15]
Natural Resources [29]
People & Population [49]
Planning & Growth [50]
Policy [30]
Pollution [17]
Water & Oceans [21]
Wildlife [51]
Region:
California [52]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [53]
Northwest (OR WA) [54]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [32]
Visibility:
Public [24]
- Read more about SEJ Panel Gauges Issues in the Works in the U.S. West [44]
Epic Struggles Ahead in 2023 on Energy Transition, Pollution [55]

In our annual analysis of what’s ahead on the environment beat in 2023, there are some things to count on: worsening climate disasters and continued politicking over energy transitions, but also regulatory action on greenhouse gas emissions (not to mention on “forever chemicals”). Other things are less clear: environmental rulings by a conservative U.S. Supreme Court, energy impacts of war in Europe and the effectiveness of COP28 and treaty talks on plastic pollution. Read the full overview and get more in our “2023 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment [45]” special report.

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [56]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [57]
Agriculture [3]
Air [4]
Biodiversity [37]
Chemicals [5]
Climate Change [27]
Disasters [38]
Economy & Business [7]
Energy & Fuel [8]
Environmental Justice [10]
Environmental Politics [11]
Fish & Fisheries [47]
Government [13]
Health [14]
Infrastructure [28]
Journalism & Media [15]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Military [58]
Natural Resources [29]
Planning & Growth [50]
Policy [30]
Pollution [17]
Science [18]
Waste [20]
Water & Oceans [21]
Region:
National (U.S.) [22]
International [33]
Europe [59]
Middle East [60]
Visibility:
Public [24]
- Read more about Epic Struggles Ahead in 2023 on Energy Transition, Pollution [55]
EPA Proposes Revisions to FOIA Rule. They Are Not Enough [61]

When the Trump-era Environmental Protection Agency changed regulations governing freedom of information requests, journalists worried they were making it easier for political appointees to interfere with disclosures. Now the Biden administration is proposing a rules revision. But, as the latest WatchDog Opinion argues, it’s missing an opportunity to rid the regime of those critical flaws.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [62]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Politics [11]
Government [13]
Journalism & Media [15]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Policy [30]
Region:
National (U.S.) [22]
Visibility:
Public [24]
- Read more about EPA Proposes Revisions to FOIA Rule. They Are Not Enough [61]
Cascadia Bioregion Rife With Energy, Environment Troubles To Report in 2023 [63]

Iconic critters like salmon, orca and wolves. Climate controversies like natural gas greenwashing and carbon auctions. And wildfire fallout like “smoke-a-geddon.” These are just some of the wide array of stories worth covering as environmental journalists scan Cascadia, the huge area encompassing Washington, Oregon and Idaho, and stretching from Alaska to Utah. This special TipSheet, part of our 2023 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment, outlines top issues in the region, offering insights, resources and story angles.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [64]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [57]
Agriculture [3]
Air [4]
Biodiversity [37]
Climate Change [27]
Consumer [65]
Disasters [38]
Diversity [6]
Economy & Business [7]
Energy & Fuel [8]
Environmental Health [9]
Environmental Justice [10]
Environmental Politics [11]
Environmental Studies [66]
Fish & Fisheries [47]
Food [12]
Forests [48]
Government [13]
Health [14]
Infrastructure [28]
Journalism & Media [15]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Natural Resources [29]
Planning & Growth [50]
Policy [30]
Pollution [17]
Transportation [43]
Waste [20]
Water & Oceans [21]
Wildlife [51]
Region:
National (U.S.) [22]
Alaska and Hawaii [67]
California [52]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [53]
Northwest (OR WA) [54]
International [33]
Canada [34]
Visibility:
Public [24]
- Read more about Cascadia Bioregion Rife With Energy, Environment Troubles To Report in 2023 [63]
Exploring the Impacts of Hydroelectric Megaprojects on Indigenous Lands [68]

Nearly two-thirds of the world’s rivers are impeded by dams and we keep building them in our quest for cleaner and greener sources of electricity. But as podcast producer Farha Akhtar learned while producing a recent episode, these monumental structures are having a profound impact on our planet and catastrophic consequences for many Indigenous people.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [69]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [57]
Biodiversity [37]
Chemicals [5]
Climate Change [27]
Consumer [65]
Diversity [6]
Economy & Business [7]
Energy & Fuel [8]
Environmental Health [9]
Environmental Justice [10]
Environmental Politics [11]
Fish & Fisheries [47]
Food [12]
Government [13]
Health [14]
Infrastructure [28]
Journalism & Media [15]
Natural Resources [29]
Pollution [17]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [70]
Science [18]
Technology [19]
Water & Oceans [21]
Wildlife [51]
Region:
National (U.S.) [22]
International [33]
Canada [34]
Asia [71]
Visibility:
Public [24]
- Read more about Exploring the Impacts of Hydroelectric Megaprojects on Indigenous Lands [68]

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