Publication Items

Prying Open the Statehouse Doors [1]

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 [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [3]
Economy & Business [4]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Government [6]
Infrastructure [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Natural Resources [10]
Policy [11]
Water & Oceans [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
California [14]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [15]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [16]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [17]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Prying Open the Statehouse Doors [1]
Both Sides Now — How Permitting Reform May Affect Fossil Fuel, Clean Energy Industries [19]

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 [20]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [21]
Climate Change [22]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Politics [23]
Government [6]
Infrastructure [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Natural Resources [10]
Policy [11]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Alaska and Hawaii [24]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [15]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [25]
International [26]
Canada [27]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Both Sides Now — How Permitting Reform May Affect Fossil Fuel, Clean Energy Industries [19]
2023 Gathering Goes Big in Boise [28]

The Society of Environmental Journalists’ annual conference is back to Boise, two-and-a-half years after the first attempt to meet in the mountainous Northwestern state was sidetracked by the COVID pandemic. Co-chairs Tom Michael and Christy George outline the rich schedule of plenaries, panels, tours and other events that are drawing record interest to the April 19-23 program.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [29]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [30]
Biodiversity [31]
Climate Change [22]
Diversity [32]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Health [33]
Environmental Politics [23]
Fish & Fisheries [34]
Forests [35]
Government [6]
Journalism & Media [8]
Natural Resources [10]
Policy [11]
Water & Oceans [12]
Wildlife [36]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [15]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [37]
Northwest (OR WA) [38]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about 2023 Gathering Goes Big in Boise [28]
Whither the Permitting Reform Bill in 2023? [39]

The complex legal obstacles that face U.S. energy projects prompted political machinations over permitting reform in the last Congress and likely will again in the new one. The latest Backgrounder explores how the energy permitting system works (or doesn’t), why Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin may really be pushing for its reform and the reason some environmentalists concede reform may have green benefits.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [20]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [22]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Politics [23]
Government [6]
Infrastructure [7]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Policy [11]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [40]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [15]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [25]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [16]
International [26]
Canada [27]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Whither the Permitting Reform Bill in 2023? [39]
ESA Inaction Spells Trouble for an Iconic Grassland Bird [41]

The lesser prairie-chicken is in dire need of protection, but a decision on listing it under the Endangered Species Act is months overdue. Environmental reporter Mike Smith looks at the causes and potential consequences of the bureaucratic delay and muses on whether this unique bird will go the way of its even more imperiled relative, the Attwater’s prairie-chicken [42].

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [21]
Agriculture [30]
Biodiversity [31]
Economy & Business [4]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Politics [23]
Government [6]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Natural Resources [10]
Policy [11]
Science [43]
Wildlife [36]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [15]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [37]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [44]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [17]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about ESA Inaction Spells Trouble for an Iconic Grassland Bird [41]
Author Shares Unorthodox Look at the Ways of Water [45]

How water moves through the global ecosystem and shapes our landscapes is the subject of a must-read new book by writer Erica Gies, according to BookShelf editor Tom Henry. A significant part of water’s story is how humanity invariably fails when trying to manipulate it. But hope may reside with Gies’ various “water detectives,” who explore how to “let water go where it wants to go.”

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [46]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [22]
Environmental Health [33]
Natural Resources [10]
Water & Oceans [12]
Wildlife [36]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
California [14]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [40]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [15]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [44]
International [26]
Canada [27]
Africa [47]
Asia [48]
Europe [49]
Middle East [50]
South America [51]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Author Shares Unorthodox Look at the Ways of Water [45]
Methane, a Key Global Warming Source, Is Targeted by Nations [52]

Carbon dioxide may get more attention, but the second-most damaging greenhouse gas, methane, is now the focus of a global pledge to cut emissions 30% by 2030. As part of a Society of Environmental Journalists publishing project focused on covering climate solutions, we take a closer look at methane with energy reporter Nushin Huq. A primer on the climate-related problems of methane and the promise of methane-based solutions. Plus, watch a recent SEJ methane solutions webinar [53] and see our Methane and Climate Change Toolbox [54].

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [55]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [56]
Climate Change [22]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Health [33]
Environmental Politics [23]
Environmental Studies [57]
Government [6]
Journalism & Media [8]
Natural Resources [10]
Policy [11]
Pollution [58]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Alaska and Hawaii [24]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [15]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [37]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [44]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [17]
International [26]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Methane, a Key Global Warming Source, Is Targeted by Nations [52]
Fill Your Plate With Chicken Stories [59]

Chicken production in the United States is a colossal industry controlled by a few vertically integrated companies. On a much smaller scale, it’s also heritage breeds and increasingly popular backyard flocks. As the latest avian flu outbreak makes headlines, journalist Christine Heinrichs looks at environmental reporting opportunities related to poultry pathogens, pollution and more.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [30]
Biodiversity [31]
Consumer [60]
Economy & Business [4]
Environmental Health [33]
Food [61]
Government [6]
Health [62]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Policy [11]
Pollution [58]
Science [43]
Waste [63]
Water & Oceans [12]
Wildlife [36]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
California [14]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [15]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [25]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Fill Your Plate With Chicken Stories [59]
Methane and Climate Change Toolbox [54]

Levels of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, have doubled in the past 150 years due to human activity, particularly from fossil fuels and extensive farming. As part of an ongoing Society of Environmental Journalists special project focused on covering climate solutions, check out a methane resource toolbox and stay tuned for a methane reporting tipsheet in the coming weeks. Plus, watch the recording [53] of an SEJ virtual webinar, Covering Climate Solutions: Containing and Monitoring Methane.

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [55]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [30]
Air [3]
Climate Change [22]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Health [33]
Environmental Studies [57]
Government [6]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Natural Resources [10]
Policy [11]
Pollution [58]
Science [43]
Technology [64]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [15]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [25]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [37]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [17]
International [26]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Methane and Climate Change Toolbox [54]
New Reporting Network Aims To Make Connections in the Mississippi Basin [65]

The Mississippi River and its tributaries drain more than 40% of the continent, but most coverage of environmental stories within the Mississippi Basin is localized and siloed. The recently launched Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk hopes to help news outlets provide region-wide reporting that contextualizes issues like climate change-driven flooding and the Gulf of Mexico dead zone.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [30]
Chemicals [56]
Climate Change [22]
Disasters [66]
Economy & Business [4]
Environmental Health [33]
Environmental Justice [67]
Fish & Fisheries [34]
Government [6]
Infrastructure [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Pollution [58]
Transportation [68]
Waste [63]
Water & Oceans [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [13]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [40]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [15]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [25]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [37]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [16]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [44]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [17]
International [26]
Canada [27]
Mexico [69]
Central America & the Caribbean [70]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about New Reporting Network Aims To Make Connections in the Mississippi Basin [65]

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