Publication Items

Court Cases with Trump Agencies Will Make News in 2018 [1]

The battle over environment and energy issues may ultimately come down to U.S. courts, where, unlike Congress and White House, the GOP doesn't hold sway ... yet. This week's TipSheet looks at a dozen major legal issues making news in 2018, like wetlands protection, and offers story ideas and resources to cover them.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Technology [3]
Transportation [4]
Water & Oceans [5]
Wildlife [6]
Region:
National (U.S.) [7]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [8]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [9]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [10]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [11]
Northwest (OR WA) [12]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [14]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Court Cases with Trump Agencies Will Make News in 2018 [1]
"The Death and Life of the Great Lakes" [16]

A look at an acclaimed new work by journalist Dan Egan on the environmental state of the Great Lakes finds much to laud. But our BookShelf editor and long-time Great Lakes reporter Tom Henry sees important weaknesses as well, such as when the comprehensive compendium of environmental challenges tackles Lake Erie’s algae crisis.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [17]
Topics on the Beat:
Natural Resources [18]
Water & Oceans [5]
Region:
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [8]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about "The Death and Life of the Great Lakes" [16]
State Clean Water Fund Means Local Projects, Local News [19]

An EPA program that helps pay for municipal water infrastructure is facing Congressional appropriations scrutiny. But with the program looking like it may escape big cuts, it remains a reservoir of reportable local projects. Find out more in the latest TipSheet, plus get state-by-state resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Consumer [20]
Government [21]
Journalism & Media [22]
Laws & Regulations [23]
Water & Oceans [5]
Region:
National (U.S.) [7]
Alaska and Hawaii [24]
California [25]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [8]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [9]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [26]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [10]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [11]
Northwest (OR WA) [12]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [14]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about State Clean Water Fund Means Local Projects, Local News [19]
Mining Road Salt Stories for Snow Season [27]

With ice and snow ahead, it's time to start thinking about road salt — its use may make driving safer, but can also cause real harm to the environment. This week's TipSheet clears the road for your reporting on this potential hazard, detailing its risks, outlining its alternatives and offering story ideas.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [28]
Environmental Health [29]
Region:
National (U.S.) [7]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [8]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [10]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Mining Road Salt Stories for Snow Season [27]
EPA Budget Cuts Threaten a Program Near You [30]

As the Trump administration proposes big cuts at environmental agencies like the U.S. EPA, the latest TipSheet explores how to dig up local angles from the budget action. Examples: Tracking changes at EPA regional offices and labs, at Superfund or at state revolving funds for clean water and safe drinking water programs.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Health [29]
Environmental Politics [31]
Fish & Fisheries [32]
Government [21]
Journalism & Media [22]
Laws & Regulations [23]
Natural Resources [18]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [33]
Pollution [34]
Waste [35]
Water & Oceans [5]
Region:
National (U.S.) [7]
California [25]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [8]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [26]
Northwest (OR WA) [12]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about EPA Budget Cuts Threaten a Program Near You [30]
Coal Leasing on Federal Lands [36]

While resurrecting the declining U.S. coal industry, as promised by the new administration, is probably not possible, it may not stop a lifting of the moratorium on coal leasing on federal lands. TipSheet looks at how the issue moved front and center, and whether the move would help coal country.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [37]
Economy & Business [38]
Energy & Fuel [39]
Environmental Politics [31]
Health [40]
Laws & Regulations [23]
Natural Resources [18]
Policy [41]
Pollution [34]
Region:
National (U.S.) [7]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [8]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [26]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [10]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [14]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Coal Leasing on Federal Lands [36]
"Water Is for Fighting Over...And Other Myths About Water in the West" [42]

"Water Is for Fighting Over" explores how Western water woes may not be so disastrous.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [17]
Topics on the Beat:
Natural Resources [18]
Water & Oceans [5]
Region:
California [25]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [8]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about "Water Is for Fighting Over...And Other Myths About Water in the West" [42]
Will State, Local Government Replace Feds on Climate Change? [43]

Even if the incoming Trump Administration retreats from climate action, as many fear, state and local governments may fill the gap on climate policy. Our latest Issue Backgrounder takes a closer look, and offers sources and resources to help you cover the more localized climate stories that may result.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [44]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [45]
Climate Change [37]
Environmental Politics [31]
Government [21]
Laws & Regulations [23]
Policy [41]
Region:
National (U.S.) [7]
California [25]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [8]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [26]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [10]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [11]
Northwest (OR WA) [12]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [14]
Canada [46]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Will State, Local Government Replace Feds on Climate Change? [43]
Will Journalists Heed the Lessons of Flint? [47]

SEJ’s WatchDog Project director Joseph A. Davis analyzes local and regional media's role in reporting — or not — the Flint water debacle.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [48]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [28]
Environmental Politics [31]
Health [40]
Water & Oceans [5]
Region:
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [8]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Will Journalists Heed the Lessons of Flint? [47]
Maine Law Hid Threats to Public from Oil Trains [49]

Maine passed a law in 2015 that allowed railroads to keep oil-train routing information from the public — over the governor's veto. In the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting's Pine Tree Watchdog, Dave Sherwood reports how the provision was a bait-and-switch.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [50]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [51]
Energy & Fuel [39]
Government [21]
Laws & Regulations [23]
People & Population [52]
Transportation [4]
Region:
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [8]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [9]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [26]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [10]
Northwest (OR WA) [12]
Visibility:
Public [15]
- Read more about Maine Law Hid Threats to Public from Oil Trains [49]

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