Publication Items

Data Project Details Nation's Disintegrating Dams [1]

Hundreds of U.S. dams are at risk, and the Associated Press undertook a massive two-year-long investigative reporting project to gather and sort data that would identify those presenting the greatest hazards. In this guest Reporter’s Toolbox, AP data journalist Michelle Minkoff details the news service’s painstaking process, its striking findings and the impact of its reporting. Plus, key lessons learned for other data news projects.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [3]
Government [4]
Journalism & Media [5]
Laws & Regulations [6]
Water & Oceans [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [9]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [10]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [11]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [12]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Visibility:
Public [14]
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Future of Nuclear Power Hangs in Balance of Climate, Costs [15]

Safety has traditionally been the key question when discussing the realities of nuclear power. But in assessing the future of the nuclear industry amid debates over its potential to help tackle the climate crisis, the latest entry in our “2020 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & the Environment” reports that there may be an equally pressing concern.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [16]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [17]
Climate Change [18]
Disasters [3]
Energy & Fuel [19]
Journalism & Media [5]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [20]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
California [21]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [9]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [11]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [12]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
International [22]
Canada [23]
Asia [24]
Visibility:
Public [14]
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News Can Net Eyeballs By Turning Dweebish Data Into Magic Maps [25]

When it comes to telling environment and energy stories, especially about place and scale, data visualizations can turn an average story into a standout. Reporter’s Toolbox takes a look at some recent examples of inspiring data-mapping projects that provide insight into everything from auto emissions and floods to vanishing rivers and whipping winds.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [26]
Climate Change [18]
Disasters [3]
Energy & Fuel [19]
Journalism & Media [5]
Natural Resources [27]
Pollution [28]
Transportation [29]
Water & Oceans [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Alaska and Hawaii [30]
California [21]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [9]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [10]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [11]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [31]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [12]
Northwest (OR WA) [32]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [33]
International [22]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about News Can Net Eyeballs By Turning Dweebish Data Into Magic Maps [25]
Another Bad-News Year Ahead for U.S. Coal? [34]

As U.S. coal’s comedown continues, our latest Issue Backgrounder takes a close look at the factors behind the industry’s decline and finds a combination of economics, competition and shifting global markets, along with aging technology, politics and environmental pushback. What’s in store for coal in 2020?

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [16]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [17]
Air [26]
Climate Change [18]
Economy & Business [35]
Energy & Fuel [19]
Environmental Politics [36]
Government [4]
Laws & Regulations [6]
Natural Resources [27]
Pollution [28]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Alaska and Hawaii [30]
California [21]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [9]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [10]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [11]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [31]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [12]
Northwest (OR WA) [32]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [33]
International [22]
Canada [23]
Mexico [37]
Africa [38]
Antarctica & Arctic [39]
Asia [24]
Australia & Oceania [40]
Central America & the Caribbean [41]
Europe [42]
Middle East [43]
South America [44]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Another Bad-News Year Ahead for U.S. Coal? [34]
“Superpower: One Man’s Quest to Transform American Energy” [45]

The new book, “Superpower: One Man’s Quest to Transform American Energy,” takes what our reviewer calls an illuminating look into the politics and economics of energy development. The volume examines the decade-long effort to build long-distance transmission lines for wind-generated electricity. More in our latest BookShelf review.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [46]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [18]
Energy & Fuel [19]
Laws & Regulations [6]
Planning & Growth [47]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [10]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [12]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [33]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about “Superpower: One Man’s Quest to Transform American Energy” [45]
Big Environmental Impacts on Small Communities Is Story That Must Be Told [48]

While environmental journalists often focus on regulatory wrestling matches in Washington, D.C., a seasoned New York Times investigative reporter argues the most important stories are those in the real communities where bureaucratic impacts are felt. Three-time Pulitzer winner Eric Lipton makes the case for public service in journalism that tells the environment story from the outside in.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [49]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [50]
Air [26]
Chemicals [51]
Energy & Fuel [19]
Environmental Health [52]
Environmental Politics [36]
Government [4]
Health [53]
Journalism & Media [5]
Laws & Regulations [6]
Natural Resources [27]
Policy [54]
Pollution [28]
Water & Oceans [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Alaska and Hawaii [30]
California [21]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [9]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [10]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [11]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [31]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [12]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [33]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Big Environmental Impacts on Small Communities Is Story That Must Be Told [48]
Primer Helps To Prep for Reporting on PFAS [55]

It’s a category of more than 4,000 industrial chemicals that affect our lives nearly every day — and many of which are toxic. So what do journalists need to know to report on the emerging contaminants known as PFAS? Our most recent Issue Backgrounder offers a detailed primer on what PFAS are, where they come from, what their health effects are and how they might be cleaned up.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [16]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [50]
Chemicals [51]
Consumer [56]
Food [57]
Health [53]
Science [58]
Water & Oceans [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [9]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [12]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [33]
International [22]
Australia & Oceania [40]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Primer Helps To Prep for Reporting on PFAS [55]
Database Helps Track PFAS Drinking Water Contamination [59]

Millions of people across the United States are believed to be drinking PFAS-contaminated water. And a growing database could prove an invaluable resource for environmental journalists trying to get a handle on that public health risk. Our latest biweekly Reporter’s Toolbox, recently refocused on data journalism tools and techniques, explains how to tap the expanding PFAS data.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [51]
Consumer [56]
Government [4]
Health [53]
Journalism & Media [5]
Laws & Regulations [6]
People & Population [60]
Pollution [28]
Water & Oceans [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [9]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [11]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [12]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Database Helps Track PFAS Drinking Water Contamination [59]
Sifting Through 'Toxic Secrets' To Nail Polluter [61]

A lengthy investigation yielded one small-market environmental reporting team an award-winning project examining the adequacy of a toxic solvent cleanup in a polluted community. Our latest “Inside Story” talks with a team member behind the project to learn about the challenges, the lessons learned and advice for others tracking similar problems.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [62]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [51]
Environmental Health [52]
Health [53]
Journalism & Media [5]
Laws & Regulations [6]
People & Population [60]
Pollution [28]
Water & Oceans [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [12]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Sifting Through 'Toxic Secrets' To Nail Polluter [61]
Is Your Local Landfill Leaking Methane? [63]

It’s a good case for the global-local nexus: The potent greenhouse gas methane may be leaking from your local landfill. And this week’s TipSheet explains the latest news developments in this long-standing controversy, as well as policy disputes over capturing the gas. Plus, get story ideas and questions to ask for your local reporting.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [64]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [17]
Air [26]
Chemicals [51]
Climate Change [18]
Consumer [56]
Environmental Politics [36]
Journalism & Media [5]
Laws & Regulations [6]
Waste [65]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
California [21]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [9]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [11]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [12]
Northwest (OR WA) [32]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [33]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Is Your Local Landfill Leaking Methane? [63]

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