Publication Items

SEJ in Press Freedom Case, Chem Secrecy Bill Fails and More [1]

SEJ joined with several dozen other journalism groups to support the right to film police activity in a public place, and bills to block information of importance to environmental reporters failed in Louisiana, California and Iowa, but a Colorado paper was blocked from covering a wild horse roundup. All that in this month’s WatchDog Tipsheet.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Agriculture [4]
Air [5]
Chemicals [6]
Climate Change [7]
Economy & Business [8]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Government [10]
Journalism & Media [11]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Pollution [13]
Science [14]
Wildlife [15]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
California [17]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [18]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [19]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [20]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [21]
Visibility:
Public [22]
- Read more about SEJ in Press Freedom Case, Chem Secrecy Bill Fails and More [1]
Is Your Local Landfill Leaking Methane? [23]

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 [24]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Air [5]
Chemicals [6]
Climate Change [7]
Consumer [25]
Environmental Politics [26]
Journalism & Media [11]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Waste [27]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
California [17]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [28]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [19]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [29]
Northwest (OR WA) [30]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [31]
Visibility:
Public [22]
- Read more about Is Your Local Landfill Leaking Methane? [23]
Politics Putting Down Stakes Over Oil, Gas Leasing on Federal Lands [32]

The leasing of public lands to drill for oil and gas may seem a labyrinthine topic. But it could be time to get wonky and, ahem, drill down on it, as the politics of 2020 bring the controversial practice to the fore. The latest Backgrounder helps get you up to speed on the story.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [33]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [7]
Economy & Business [8]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Environmental Politics [26]
Government [10]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Natural Resources [34]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
International [35]
Visibility:
Public [22]
- Read more about Politics Putting Down Stakes Over Oil, Gas Leasing on Federal Lands [32]
State of the Air Report Spotlights Persistent Pollution Problems [36]

Happen to have any air breathers in your audience? Then the latest State of the Air Report will give you fodder to cover the persistent pollution problems that plague the skies. This week’s TipSheet has the backstory on the fight against air pollution and five smart ways to tell the story from a local-regional context.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [24]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [5]
Chemicals [6]
Climate Change [7]
Government [10]
Health [37]
Journalism & Media [11]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Natural Resources [34]
Pollution [13]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [19]
International [35]
Asia [38]
Visibility:
Public [22]
- Read more about State of the Air Report Spotlights Persistent Pollution Problems [36]
Is Your Favorite River Endangered? Check the List. [39]

The latest release of the annual endangered rivers list provides boatloads of environmental reporting angles, including climate change-related threats like flooding and drought. This week’s TipSheet has the backstory and the new top-10 list, plus 10 suggested starting points for stories and a half-dozen key reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [24]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Climate Change [7]
Consumer [25]
Environmental Health [40]
Fish & Fisheries [41]
Journalism & Media [11]
Natural Resources [34]
Pollution [13]
Science [14]
Water & Oceans [42]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
Alaska and Hawaii [43]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [28]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [18]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [20]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [29]
Northwest (OR WA) [30]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [21]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [31]
Visibility:
Public [22]
- Read more about Is Your Favorite River Endangered? Check the List. [39]
Unfolding Mystery Yields Complex Characters, Key Climate Clues [44]

The tale of a failing nation’s climate woes is revealed in a cache of scientific notes hidden in a London attic after their author goes missing. The gripping mystery was unraveled with award-winning skill by journalist Laura Heaton, in our latest “Inside Story” Q&A. Read on and find out the story’s significance for climate adaptation.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [45]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [4]
Climate Change [7]
Disasters [46]
Environmental Politics [26]
Journalism & Media [11]
Natural Resources [34]
People & Population [47]
Region:
International [35]
Africa [48]
Visibility:
Public [22]
- Read more about Unfolding Mystery Yields Complex Characters, Key Climate Clues [44]
Resiliency Checklist — Is Your Community Ready for the Next Big Flood? [49]

With flood-ravaged Midwestern states in the news, it’s time to ask whether your own community is ready for the “big one.” This week’s TipSheet offers a 10-point Resiliency Checklist to focus your reporting. Track the vulnerability of infrastructure like drinking water and sewage plants, roads, bridges and levees, the adequacy of flood insurance and much more.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [24]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [4]
Climate Change [7]
Disasters [46]
Journalism & Media [11]
People & Population [47]
Planning & Growth [50]
Transportation [51]
Waste [27]
Water & Oceans [42]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [18]
Visibility:
Public [22]
- Read more about Resiliency Checklist — Is Your Community Ready for the Next Big Flood? [49]
Can States Divvy Up the Shrinking Colorado River Water Supply? [52]

The vast Colorado River, recently in the news over a troubled drought deal, is at the heart of numerous environmental problems in the American West, where water is scarce and the legal complexities of water rights voluminous. The latest Issue Backgrounder offers an explainer on the story, which involves at least seven states, the federal government, Native American tribes, a hornet’s nest of irrigation districts and even Mexico.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [33]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [4]
Climate Change [7]
Consumer [25]
Environmental Health [40]
Environmental Politics [26]
Government [10]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Natural Resources [34]
Water & Oceans [42]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
California [17]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [20]
International [35]
Mexico [53]
Visibility:
Public [22]
- Read more about Can States Divvy Up the Shrinking Colorado River Water Supply? [52]
Climate Scientist Canned, SCOTUS To Rule on Chemical ‘Secrets’ and Army Corps Sued Over Permit Info [54]

A scientist contracted to report on climate impacts for the National Park Service was caught up in a fracas over attempted censorship of her findings. Now she’s been fired. That, plus a FOIA case before the Supreme Court and an enviro group sues the Army Corps of Engineers over info on a permit for a new plastics plant in Louisiana. Read the latest on freedom-of-information issues in this month’s WatchDog TipSheet.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Chemicals [6]
Climate Change [7]
Environmental Health [40]
Environmental Politics [26]
Environmental Studies [55]
Government [10]
Health [37]
Journalism & Media [11]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Pollution [13]
Science [14]
Water & Oceans [42]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [20]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [21]
Visibility:
Public [22]
- Read more about Climate Scientist Canned, SCOTUS To Rule on Chemical ‘Secrets’ and Army Corps Sued Over Permit Info [54]
Green New Deal Proposes Sweeping Economic Transformation [56]

Our latest Issue Backgrounder looks at the potentially historic impact of the ambitious climate action agenda known as the Green New Deal — not just on this Congress or the next, or even on the race for the White House in 2020, but for the soul of the Democratic Party. An analysis of a public policy program in the making, the political maneuvering it’s engendering and its prospects to sow division or prompt a united front.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [33]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Climate Change [7]
Economy & Business [8]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Environmental Politics [26]
Government [10]
Health [37]
Laws & Regulations [12]
People & Population [47]
Policy [57]
Pollution [13]
Technology [58]
Transportation [51]
Region:
National (U.S.) [16]
International [35]
Visibility:
Public [22]
- Read more about Green New Deal Proposes Sweeping Economic Transformation [56]

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