Publication Items

Disabilities and Disasters — What Questions Should You Be Asking Planners? [1]

As hurricane season ramps up, how are the disaster planners considering those with disabilities in your community? Texas-based journalist Greg Harman shares the story of one group that sued their city over claims it failed to properly prepare. And he extracts some rules of thumb to help determine if emergency planners are taking those with disabilities into consideration where you are.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Climate Change [4]
Disasters [5]
Diversity [6]
Environmental Health [7]
Environmental Justice [8]
Environmental Politics [9]
Government [10]
Health [11]
Infrastructure [12]
Journalism & Media [13]
Laws & Regulations [14]
People & Population [15]
Policy [16]
Region:
National (U.S.) [17]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [18]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [19]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Disabilities and Disasters — What Questions Should You Be Asking Planners? [1]
Dangerous Inland Flooding in Reporters’ Forecast [21]

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 [22]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [4]
Disasters [5]
Journalism & Media [13]
Planning & Growth [23]
Water & Oceans [24]
Region:
National (U.S.) [17]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [18]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Dangerous Inland Flooding in Reporters’ Forecast [21]
‘Orange’ Is the New Data — for Wildfire Smoke [25]

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 [11]
Journalism & Media [13]
Pollution [28]
Region:
National (U.S.) [17]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [29]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [18]
International [30]
Canada [31]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about ‘Orange’ Is the New Data — for Wildfire Smoke [25]
Wildfire Smoke — Now a Local Story in Unaccustomed Places [32]

The harms of air pollutants created by wildfires are clear. What’s lost in the haze, though, is that wildfire smoke can carry those pollutants vast distances, threatening communities that are unfamiliar with the risks. The latest TipSheet explains the dangers and how far-flung wildfire smoke travels, then offers a dozen story ideas plus reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [22]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [27]
Chemicals [33]
Climate Change [4]
Disasters [5]
Forests [34]
Health [11]
Journalism & Media [13]
Pollution [28]
Region:
National (U.S.) [17]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [18]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [35]
International [30]
Canada [31]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Wildfire Smoke — Now a Local Story in Unaccustomed Places [32]
The Seven Stages of Beach Exploitation (and Restoration) [36]

When most people think of coastal tourist destinations, they imagine beaches lined by palm trees and exclusive resorts. But those are exactly the kind of realities that contribute to the environmental and economic decline of coastal communities and their local residents, argues a new book. Contributing Editor Jenny Weeks has our review in the new BookShelf.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [37]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [4]
Environmental Health [7]
Natural Resources [38]
People & Population [15]
Planning & Growth [23]
Pollution [28]
Water & Oceans [24]
Region:
National (U.S.) [17]
Alaska and Hawaii [39]
California [40]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [18]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [35]
International [30]
Mexico [41]
Africa [42]
Asia [43]
Australia & Oceania [44]
Central America & the Caribbean [45]
Europe [46]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about The Seven Stages of Beach Exploitation (and Restoration) [36]
Public Lands Face New Challenges in Today’s Energy, Climate Landscape [47]

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 [48]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Climate Change [4]
Energy & Fuel [49]
Environmental Health [7]
Environmental Politics [9]
Forests [34]
Government [10]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Natural Resources [38]
Policy [16]
Region:
National (U.S.) [17]
Alaska and Hawaii [39]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [18]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Public Lands Face New Challenges in Today’s Energy, Climate Landscape [47]
Covering Indigenous Communities — Tips for Non-Native Journalists [50]

Non-Indigenous journalists may think they’re doing “marginalized” Indigenous communities a favor by covering them, but their coverage is too often extractive and riddled with racist tropes. Contributor Valerie Vande Panne offers insights and advice for avoiding these pitfalls. Seeking permission, listening, sharing and respecting are all critical tools for the job.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Diversity [6]
Environmental Justice [8]
Government [10]
Journalism & Media [13]
People & Population [15]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [51]
Region:
National (U.S.) [17]
Alaska and Hawaii [39]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [18]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [19]
International [30]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Covering Indigenous Communities — Tips for Non-Native Journalists [50]
Determined Grantee Weaves Together Unique Project on Ash Trees, Wetlands and Baskets [52]

When the global pandemic interfered with independent journalist Gabriel Popkin’s plans for a grant-funded biodiversity reporting project on the emerald ash borer, an invasive pest threatening ash forests, he came up with a surprising solution. In this FEJ StoryLog, Popkin shares how he worked around travel shutdowns and subsequent story pitch rejections to ultimately discover an alternative storytelling option to keep his project alive.

SEJ Publication Types:
FEJ StoryLog [53]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [54]
Environmental Health [7]
Environmental Justice [8]
Forests [34]
Journalism & Media [13]
Natural Resources [38]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [51]
Region:
National (U.S.) [17]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [55]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [56]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [18]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Determined Grantee Weaves Together Unique Project on Ash Trees, Wetlands and Baskets [52]
Whither the Permitting Reform Bill in 2023? [57]

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 [48]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [4]
Energy & Fuel [49]
Environmental Politics [9]
Government [10]
Infrastructure [12]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Policy [16]
Region:
National (U.S.) [17]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [55]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [58]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [56]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [18]
International [30]
Canada [31]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Whither the Permitting Reform Bill in 2023? [57]
Collaborative Journalism Project Reveals Inequities in Escaping Climate Change Hazards [59]

When U.S. communities become unlivable due to climate change impacts, can residents count on government relocation assistance — and are those most in need of help actually getting it? Those questions kickstarted a year-long investigation led by three high-powered journalism organizations. Now they’re sharing their reporting resources toolkit and inviting other journalists to widen the coverage with more local stories.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [4]
Disasters [5]
Diversity [6]
Economy & Business [60]
Environmental Health [7]
Environmental Justice [8]
Environmental Politics [9]
Government [10]
Health [11]
Infrastructure [12]
Journalism & Media [13]
Laws & Regulations [14]
People & Population [15]
Planning & Growth [23]
Policy [16]
Water & Oceans [24]
Region:
National (U.S.) [17]
Alaska and Hawaii [39]
California [40]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [55]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [56]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [18]
Northwest (OR WA) [61]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [35]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [19]
Visibility:
Public [20]
- Read more about Collaborative Journalism Project Reveals Inequities in Escaping Climate Change Hazards [59]

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