Publication Items

Painful Process Underway of Regulating PFAS in Drinking Water [1]

Long-growing concern over dangerous “forever” chemicals has drawn the attention of federal and state policymakers, local communities and the utilities that provide their drinking water. But little about regulating PFAS will be quick or easy, making it a major environmental and public health story for years to come. Issue Backgrounder unfolds the regulatory moves, the politics and the larger implications of PFAS policy.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [3]
Consumer [4]
Environmental Health [5]
Environmental Politics [6]
Government [7]
Health [8]
Infrastructure [9]
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Pollution [12]
Water & Oceans [13]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
Visibility:
Public [15]
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The Spread of Harmful Algal Blooms Makes News in Multitude of Locales [16]

As algal blooms (think “red tides” or “dead zones”) grow larger and more frequent, they are emerging not just on the coasts and major estuaries, but in inland lakes and streams. And they cause all kinds of harm, to humans and to the environment. The latest TipSheet has details on how to cover the problem locally, including story ideas and reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [17]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [18]
Climate Change [19]
Environmental Health [5]
Fish & Fisheries [20]
Health [8]
Journalism & Media [10]
Pollution [12]
Water & Oceans [13]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [21]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [22]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [23]
International [24]
Visibility:
Public [15]
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Asthma Data — A Starting Point for Key Environment-Health Stories [25]

Whether marginalized communities suffering from asthma or cities cloaked in smoke from far-away wildfires, journalists looking to connect public health and environmental concerns around air pollution will find much of the data they need via the Centers for Disease Control’s asthma surveillance data. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox outlines the source and smart ways to use it.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [26]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [27]
Climate Change [19]
Environmental Justice [28]
Health [8]
Journalism & Media [10]
Pollution [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Asthma Data — A Starting Point for Key Environment-Health Stories [25]
Expert Advice Helps Journalists Navigate Unfamiliar Scientific Seas [29]

Journalists who lack a strong science background can find themselves in deep water when reporting environmental stories. How do you avoid over- or understating research findings? What’s the difference between observational and experimental studies? And what about those pesky percentages? Former Washington Post science reporter Rick Weiss and his SciLine colleagues have some answers.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [30]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [18]
Air [27]
Climate Change [19]
Environmental Health [5]
Environmental Studies [31]
Journalism & Media [10]
Pollution [12]
Science [32]
Wildlife [33]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
International [24]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Expert Advice Helps Journalists Navigate Unfamiliar Scientific Seas [29]
Pitching High and Tight — An Independent Journalist Finds Success [34]

In her early days, freelancer Gloria Dickie aimed high, pitching her dream publication first, as well as offering newsier stories and short features instead of long-form. The formula worked, leading to assignments, a book project and a prestigious staff job. Freelance Files Co-Editor Christine Woodside spoke with Dickie about the lessons of a life as an independent. Plus, a BookShelf review [35] of “Eight Bears” by a fellow bear connoisseur.

SEJ Publication Types:
Freelance Files [36]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [19]
Journalism & Media [10]
Wildlife [33]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [37]
International [24]
Canada [38]
Asia [39]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Pitching High and Tight — An Independent Journalist Finds Success [34]
Dangerous Inland Flooding in Reporters’ Forecast [40]

While much attention is paid to hurricane flooding along the coasts, recent disasters in the Northeast United States brought home the dangers of flooding inland. The latest TipSheet has the basics, plus more than a dozen story ideas and reporting resources for local journalists to prepare for coverage of inland floods.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [17]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [19]
Disasters [41]
Journalism & Media [10]
Planning & Growth [42]
Water & Oceans [13]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [43]
Visibility:
Public [15]
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‘Orange’ Is the New Data — for Wildfire Smoke [44]

The U.S. air quality alert scale is showing a lot of unhealthy colors this season, from oranges up to unhealthy reds and purples or worse, as smoke from wildfires in Canada periodically drifts across various U.S. regions. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox explores a key database and other resources to help journalists report on the spread of smoky air.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [26]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [27]
Health [8]
Journalism & Media [10]
Pollution [12]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [37]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [43]
International [24]
Canada [38]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about ‘Orange’ Is the New Data — for Wildfire Smoke [44]
Ursine Odyssey Seeks Insight Into Future for Bears [35]

A new book takes readers around the planet to better understand the world’s eight bear species and our relationships with them, including not just how we’ve popularized some but also the many ways we’ve mistreated or pushed others to the brink of extinction. In the new BookShelf, Frances Backhouse reviews Gloria Dickie’s just-published volume, “Eight Bears.” Plus, Freelance Files interviews Dickie [34].

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [45]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [46]
Climate Change [19]
Wildlife [33]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
International [24]
Canada [38]
Asia [39]
South America [47]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Ursine Odyssey Seeks Insight Into Future for Bears [35]
Why Nobelists Are Joining the Fight Against Disinformation’s Dangers [48]

A recent gathering of Nobel laureates in Washington, D.C., including Filipina journalist Maria Ressa (pictured, left), highlighted the growing risks of disinformation — including on efforts to combat climate change — but also the rising sense of hope that comes from those who pledge to stand up to its challenge. This month’s WatchDog Opinion column shares a perspective from the event.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [49]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [50]
Climate Change [19]
Environmental Politics [6]
Journalism & Media [10]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
International [24]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Why Nobelists Are Joining the Fight Against Disinformation’s Dangers [48]
The Community We’ve Long Ignored [51]

Veteran environmental justice reporter Yessenia Funes this week launches “Voices of Environmental Justice,” her new SEJournal column. Each quarterly commentary will focus on spotlighting the perspectives of affected communities that environmental and climate journalists often ignore. For her inaugural entry, with Pride month nearing its end, a look at how climate change and environmental pollution exacerbate the already elevated health risks of LGBTQIA+ people.

SEJ Publication Types:
Voices of Environmental Justice [52]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [50]
Agriculture [18]
Climate Change [19]
Diversity [53]
Environmental Justice [28]
Environmental Politics [6]
Health [8]
Journalism & Media [10]
People & Population [54]
Region:
National (U.S.) [14]
California [55]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about The Community We’ve Long Ignored [51]

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