Publication Items

The 9/11 Legacy — Fear Drew Curtain Over Environmental Information [1]

Twenty years after the attacks on 9/11, the war on terror has left many risks in the built environment under a cloak of secrecy. For WatchDog Opinion, keeping vital information about such preventable hazards under wraps from the public and journalists is not just wrong, but bad policy. Here’s why. Plus, a rundown for environment reporters of where exactly this secrecy reigns.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Agriculture [4]
Air [5]
Chemicals [6]
Disasters [7]
Economy & Business [8]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Environmental Politics [10]
Food [11]
Government [12]
Health [13]
Infrastructure [14]
Journalism & Media [15]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [17]
People & Population [18]
Policy [19]
Transportation [20]
Waste [21]
Water & Oceans [22]
Region:
National (U.S.) [23]
California [24]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [25]
International [26]
Africa [27]
Asia [28]
Visibility:
Public [29]
- Read more about The 9/11 Legacy — Fear Drew Curtain Over Environmental Information [1]
A Chance To Widen Public Information About Chemical Hazards [30]

For years, public information about some of the deadliest chemical security risks has been limited. But now that the Biden EPA is exploring the issue, our latest WatchDog opinion column explains why this is such an important open information issue for environmental reporters and other journalists.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [6]
Disasters [7]
Environmental Justice [31]
Health [13]
Journalism & Media [15]
Laws & Regulations [16]
People & Population [18]
Policy [19]
Region:
National (U.S.) [23]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [25]
International [26]
Asia [28]
Visibility:
Public [29]
- Read more about A Chance To Widen Public Information About Chemical Hazards [30]
Reporters Reveal True Toll From Texas Winter Storm, Outages [32]

A reporting team at BuzzFeed used a powerful array of data analysis techniques to arrive at a disturbing conclusion about the wintery devastation in Texas — there were far more deaths than acknowledged. But their investigation didn’t stop there. They tracked down families of the deceased to understand the human toll and pressured government over its accountability. How they got the story for “The Graveyard Doesn’t Lie.”

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [33]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [7]
Environmental Politics [10]
Government [12]
Health [13]
Infrastructure [14]
Journalism & Media [15]
People & Population [18]
Region:
National (U.S.) [23]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [25]
Visibility:
Public [29]
- Read more about Reporters Reveal True Toll From Texas Winter Storm, Outages [32]
Before You Cover That Pipeline Protest, Check the Law [34]

At least 16 states currently have critical infrastructure anti-protest laws that could sweep up journalists on the scene, reports the latest TipSheet. The laws, which more states are considering, apply to pipelines, but sometimes other facilities that impact the environment too, like powerlines, dams, port facilities and refineries. How to keep track and avoid going to jail.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [35]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Environmental Justice [31]
Environmental Politics [10]
Government [12]
Infrastructure [14]
Journalism & Media [15]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Policy [19]
Region:
National (U.S.) [23]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [36]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [37]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [38]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [39]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [40]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [25]
Visibility:
Public [29]
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“Routledge Handbook of Environmental Journalism” [41]

While a “Handbook of Environmental Journalism” might initially sound like a scholarly work on environmental journalism, our BookShelf reviewer finds that the volume reads more like an engaging assembly of accessible accounts on the profession from colleagues across the planet. That makes it a rich resource for working journalists ... and anyone else with a passing interest in environmental issues and how they’re covered.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [42]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [7]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Environmental Health [43]
Environmental Politics [10]
Forests [44]
Health [13]
Journalism & Media [15]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [17]
Waste [21]
Wildlife [45]
Region:
National (U.S.) [23]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [39]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [46]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [25]
International [26]
Africa [27]
South America [47]
Visibility:
Public [29]
- Read more about “Routledge Handbook of Environmental Journalism” [41]
Storm Surge Maps Help Envision Potential Hurricane Flood Catastrophes [48]

Dangerous storm surge that often follows hurricanes can be the focus of life-saving journalism. Reporter’s Toolbox helps environmental journalists get ahead of storm surge with a key resource — a powerful government database and related maps showing surge hazards. Together with real-time advisories and a better understanding of what causes storm surge, Toolbox helps you better cover this danger.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [49]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [7]
Government [12]
Journalism & Media [15]
People & Population [18]
Water & Oceans [22]
Region:
National (U.S.) [23]
Alaska and Hawaii [50]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [38]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [46]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [40]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [25]
International [26]
Central America & the Caribbean [51]
Visibility:
Public [29]
- Read more about Storm Surge Maps Help Envision Potential Hurricane Flood Catastrophes [48]
Quagga Mussels — Worse Than Zebra Mussels and Maybe Headed Your Way [52]

An invasive species of mussel — no, not zebra mussels, but quagga mussels — are wreaking havoc not just in the Great Lakes, but have now spread through the Mississippi and Colorado basins, as far west as Lake Mead. The latest TipSheet runs down the extent of the problem, how quaggas may be even worse than zebra mussels, and ideas for reporting on your local waterways.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [35]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Health [43]
Fish & Fisheries [53]
Water & Oceans [22]
Wildlife [45]
Region:
National (U.S.) [23]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [36]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [39]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [25]
International [26]
Canada [54]
Europe [55]
Visibility:
Public [29]
- Read more about Quagga Mussels — Worse Than Zebra Mussels and Maybe Headed Your Way [52]
Grid Data Can Guide Reporting on Power Disasters [56]

The power and water fiasco that followed a deep freeze in Texas was a predictable debacle and, thus, a warning signal to journalists covering disasters and climate-driven weather extremes. To help, the latest Reporter’s Toolbox provides a rundown of data sources about power grids, from local, regional and national entities, and recommends you start tracking the numbers and be prepared.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [49]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [57]
Consumer [58]
Disasters [7]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Government [12]
Infrastructure [14]
Journalism & Media [15]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Planning & Growth [59]
Region:
National (U.S.) [23]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [46]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [25]
Visibility:
Public [29]
- Read more about Grid Data Can Guide Reporting on Power Disasters [56]
Top Biden Climate Advisor, Others Preview 2021 Energy and Enviro News [60]

President Biden’s national climate advisor Gina McCarthy joined an outspoken U.S. senator and a roundtable of elite journalists last week to preview dramatic changes possibly ahead in U.S. and international climate policy, environmental justice, clean energy and more. Get the upshot from the Society of Environmental Journalists’ 2021 Guide to Energy & Environment event. Plus, watch video of the full program [61].

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [62]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [57]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Environmental Politics [10]
Government [12]
Health [13]
Journalism & Media [15]
Laws & Regulations [16]
People & Population [18]
Policy [19]
Science [63]
Water & Oceans [22]
Region:
National (U.S.) [23]
California [24]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [37]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [39]
Northwest (OR WA) [64]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [25]
International [26]
Europe [55]
Visibility:
Public [29]
- Read more about Top Biden Climate Advisor, Others Preview 2021 Energy and Enviro News [60]
Biden Nominees Foretell Aggressive Action on Climate, Environmental Justice [65]

Key picks for President Biden’s environment and energy team suggest top priorities, among them an aggressive, whole-government climate change agenda. The latest Backgrounder assesses choices to pursue Biden’s international and domestic climate policies, as well as historic selections for EPA and Interior, and more. Plus, dive into SEJournal’s expanding “2021 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment [66]” special report.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [67]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Climate Change [57]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Environmental Politics [10]
Government [12]
Laws & Regulations [16]
Policy [19]
Region:
National (U.S.) [23]
California [24]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [36]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [37]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [46]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [25]
International [26]
Visibility:
Public [29]
- Read more about Biden Nominees Foretell Aggressive Action on Climate, Environmental Justice [65]

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