Publication Items

Whither the Permitting Reform Bill in 2023? [1]

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 [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Energy & Fuel [4]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [6]
Infrastructure [7]
Laws & Regulations [8]
Policy [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [11]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [12]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [13]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [14]
International [15]
Canada [16]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Whither the Permitting Reform Bill in 2023? [1]
Collaborative Journalism Project Reveals Inequities in Escaping Climate Change Hazards [18]

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 [19]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [20]
Diversity [21]
Economy & Business [22]
Environmental Health [23]
Environmental Justice [24]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [6]
Health [25]
Infrastructure [7]
Journalism & Media [26]
Laws & Regulations [8]
People & Population [27]
Planning & Growth [28]
Policy [9]
Water & Oceans [29]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Alaska and Hawaii [30]
California [31]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [11]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [13]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [14]
Northwest (OR WA) [32]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [33]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [34]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Collaborative Journalism Project Reveals Inequities in Escaping Climate Change Hazards [18]
EPA To Propose Plan Soon for First PFAS Drinking Water Rule [35]

Plans are nearing for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to regulate PFAS in drinking water — and the complexity around the effort will challenge environmental journalism. In the mix are questions of environmental persistence and health risks, plus thorny politics. Our Issue Backgrounder has guidance on these and more as PFAS regulation hits this critical juncture.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [36]
Consumer [37]
Economy & Business [22]
Environmental Health [23]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [6]
Health [25]
Journalism & Media [26]
Laws & Regulations [8]
Policy [9]
Pollution [38]
Science [39]
Water & Oceans [29]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [14]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about EPA To Propose Plan Soon for First PFAS Drinking Water Rule [35]
On the Persistence of Ocean Plastics [40]

Concerns about seaborne plastic waste go back decades, but science writer Juli Berwald suggests that myths and disinformation about sources and solutions continue to cloud the waters. From lentil-sized nurdles to sprawling fishing nets, 200 million tons of plastic now fill the ocean and, for her, it has become evident that the ocean plastics story is really a land story. But will the newly signed international treaty on plastics offer relief?

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [19]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [41]
Biodiversity [42]
Chemicals [36]
Climate Change [3]
Consumer [37]
Economy & Business [22]
Energy & Fuel [4]
Environmental Health [23]
Environmental Studies [43]
Fish & Fisheries [44]
Government [6]
Infrastructure [7]
Journalism & Media [26]
Laws & Regulations [8]
Natural Resources [45]
Policy [9]
Pollution [38]
Science [39]
Technology [46]
Waste [47]
Water & Oceans [29]
Wildlife [48]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Alaska and Hawaii [30]
California [31]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [14]
Northwest (OR WA) [32]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [33]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [34]
International [15]
Mexico [49]
Africa [50]
Asia [51]
Europe [52]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about On the Persistence of Ocean Plastics [40]
Keeping Up With Victims Displaced by Climate Disasters [53]

Disasters driven by climate change can leave a lot of people needing help or being displaced long term. But a key safety net and a central federal aid agency often accomplish little to help climate refugees, reports the latest TipSheet. Get the backstory, plus the outlook, along with questions and resources for stories in your community in the wake of climate disasters.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [54]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [20]
Environmental Justice [24]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [6]
Journalism & Media [26]
People & Population [27]
Planning & Growth [28]
Policy [9]
Water & Oceans [29]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
California [31]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [55]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [14]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [33]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [34]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Keeping Up With Victims Displaced by Climate Disasters [53]
Grants Uncover Downside of Wood Stoves, Water Subsidy Impacts [56]

When a young Ohio-based journalist found her interest piqued by the environmental impacts of wood-burning stoves, she turned — for a second time — to the Fund for Environmental Journalism. Her grant helped her dig deeper and, ultimately, produce a report for Undark. Reporter Diana Kruzman shares her experience with both FEJ-funded projects, along with advice for other grant seekers, in the new StoryLog.

SEJ Publication Types:
FEJ StoryLog [57]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [58]
Consumer [37]
Energy & Fuel [4]
Environmental Health [23]
Environmental Justice [24]
Government [6]
Health [25]
Journalism & Media [26]
Pollution [38]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [14]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [34]
International [15]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Grants Uncover Downside of Wood Stoves, Water Subsidy Impacts [56]
Septic Systems Often Hide Neglected Local Stories [59]

Millions of Americans rely on their own onsite wastewater treatment, commonly known as septic systems. And many of those systems are connected to private wells. But unless they are properly sited, designed, built and maintained, they can contaminate drinking water, bringing dangerous waterborne illnesses. The latest TipSheet explains how to turn this often ignored issue into a local story.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [54]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [36]
Consumer [37]
Environmental Justice [24]
Health [25]
Infrastructure [7]
Journalism & Media [26]
Laws & Regulations [8]
Planning & Growth [28]
Pollution [38]
Waste [47]
Water & Oceans [29]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [14]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [33]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Septic Systems Often Hide Neglected Local Stories [59]
Climate Change Action May Depend on Supreme Court [60]

A milestone legal challenge soon to be decided by the U.S. high court could severely limit how the U.S. government regulates the greenhouse gasses that cause climate change. The new Issue Backgrounder takes a look at West Virginia v. EPA, its legal implications, the politics behind it and what it would mean for efforts to curb future impacts of global warming.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [58]
Climate Change [3]
Energy & Fuel [4]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [6]
Laws & Regulations [8]
Policy [9]
Pollution [38]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [13]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [14]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Climate Change Action May Depend on Supreme Court [60]
Conflict Over Biden’s Offshore Wind Drive To Generate News in 2022 and Beyond [61]

Offshore wind, which some see as a panacea in the search for climate-friendly energy solutions, is getting a push from the Biden administration. But as noted in this week’s TipSheet, part of our 2022 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment, there are numerous obstacles to the renewable power source, whether from states, coastal property owners and towns, fishing industry and even some environmentalists.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [54]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [41]
Climate Change [3]
Economy & Business [22]
Energy & Fuel [4]
Environmental Politics [5]
Fish & Fisheries [44]
Government [6]
Infrastructure [7]
Journalism & Media [26]
Laws & Regulations [8]
Natural Resources [45]
Policy [9]
Water & Oceans [29]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
California [31]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [13]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [14]
Northwest (OR WA) [32]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [33]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Conflict Over Biden’s Offshore Wind Drive To Generate News in 2022 and Beyond [61]
Reporters Reveal ‘Decades of Deceit’ Over Underground Water Contamination [62]

A trove of confidential documents about a well-known groundwater pollution problem helped journalists Paul LaRocco and David M. Schwartz uncover how much had actually been hidden about the contamination’s severity and how it could have been kept from worsening. In the latest Inside Story Q&A, LaRocco and Schwartz share the story behind their award-winning investigation.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [63]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [36]
Disasters [20]
Economy & Business [22]
Environmental Health [23]
Health [25]
Journalism & Media [26]
Military [64]
Pollution [38]
Water & Oceans [29]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [14]
Visibility:
Public [17]
- Read more about Reporters Reveal ‘Decades of Deceit’ Over Underground Water Contamination [62]

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