Publication Items

Deep in the Heart of Complexity … Or, the View From Texas [1]

As the Society of Environmental Journalists prepares for its annual conference in Houston this March, the SEJournal asked Texas-based reporter Greg Harman to explore the Lone Star State's most critical stories for 2022. Here, in this special Texas-focused TipSheet, are leads, resources, encouragements and challenges.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Air [4]
Chemicals [5]
Climate Change [6]
Disasters [7]
Economy & Business [8]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Environmental Justice [10]
Environmental Politics [11]
Government [12]
Health [13]
Infrastructure [14]
Journalism & Media [15]
People & Population [16]
Planning & Growth [17]
Policy [18]
Pollution [19]
Wildlife [20]
Region:
National (U.S.) [21]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [22]
Visibility:
Public [23]
- Read more about Deep in the Heart of Complexity … Or, the View From Texas [1]
Infrastructure Funding Coming Soon for Cleanup of Orphan Oil Wells [24]

With billions of infrastructure dollars now on the table to clean up orphan oil wells, states are already elbowing their way in for a taste. But as our new Backgrounder explains, the process to ensure they cannot pollute the environment or spew climate-change gasses is a complex one. And the sheer (and largely unknown) number of orphaned wells adds to the complications.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [25]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [6]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Environmental Health [26]
Environmental Justice [10]
Environmental Politics [11]
Government [12]
Health [13]
Infrastructure [14]
Journalism & Media [15]
People & Population [16]
Pollution [19]
Water & Oceans [27]
Region:
National (U.S.) [21]
Visibility:
Public [23]
- Read more about Infrastructure Funding Coming Soon for Cleanup of Orphan Oil Wells [24]
Conflict Over Biden’s Offshore Wind Drive To Generate News in 2022 and Beyond [28]

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 [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [3]
Climate Change [6]
Economy & Business [8]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Environmental Politics [11]
Fish & Fisheries [29]
Government [12]
Infrastructure [14]
Journalism & Media [15]
Laws & Regulations [30]
Natural Resources [31]
Policy [18]
Water & Oceans [27]
Region:
National (U.S.) [21]
California [32]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [33]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [34]
Northwest (OR WA) [35]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [36]
Visibility:
Public [23]
- Read more about Conflict Over Biden’s Offshore Wind Drive To Generate News in 2022 and Beyond [28]
Grantee Suits Up To Ask If Honeybees Harm Native Species [37]

When Colorado-based freelance journalist Jennifer Oldham suited up in protective gear to investigate if commercial honeybee hives on public lands impact native bee populations, as well as to meet with federal scientists and visit a bee study site, it was a Fund for Environmental Journalism grant that helped her do it. Oldham shares her experience and advice in the latest FEJ StoryLog.

SEJ Publication Types:
FEJ StoryLog [38]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [39]
Environmental Health [26]
Environmental Studies [40]
Journalism & Media [15]
Natural Resources [31]
Science [41]
Wildlife [20]
Region:
National (U.S.) [21]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [42]
Visibility:
Public [23]
- Read more about Grantee Suits Up To Ask If Honeybees Harm Native Species [37]
Key National Dam Database Gets Major Upgrade [43]

Tens of thousands of dams around the United States provide important functions — but also represent critical environment or public safety risks. Now, one central resource to help environmental journalists cover these structures has been improved in important ways. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox walks you through the main changes to the National Inventory of Dams, and points out some lingering weaknesses.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [44]
Topics on the Beat:
Fish & Fisheries [29]
Infrastructure [14]
Journalism & Media [15]
Natural Resources [31]
Policy [18]
Water & Oceans [27]
Region:
National (U.S.) [21]
Visibility:
Public [23]
- Read more about Key National Dam Database Gets Major Upgrade [43]
2022 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment [45]

SEJournal looks ahead to key issues in the coming year with this "2022 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment" special report. Check out the guide's various Backgrounders, TipSheets, WatchDog reports an overview analysis.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [46]
Region:
National (U.S.) [21]
International [47]
Visibility:
Public [23]
- Read more about 2022 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment [45]
Reporters Reveal ‘Decades of Deceit’ Over Underground Water Contamination [48]

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 [49]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [5]
Disasters [7]
Economy & Business [8]
Environmental Health [26]
Health [13]
Journalism & Media [15]
Military [50]
Pollution [19]
Water & Oceans [27]
Region:
National (U.S.) [21]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [34]
Visibility:
Public [23]
- Read more about Reporters Reveal ‘Decades of Deceit’ Over Underground Water Contamination [48]
Lead Pipes To Make News on the Environment Beat in 2022 [51]

A crisis of lead in drinking water affects thousands of U.S. communities, but 2022 will bring new focus to the problem as new Biden administration plans play out following passage of a $15 billion fund to replace lead service lines. TipSheet outlines the problem and the impact of a regulation carried over from the Trump era. Plus, seven reporting approaches to local and state-level stories.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Consumer [52]
Environmental Justice [10]
Environmental Politics [11]
Environmental Studies [40]
Government [12]
Health [13]
Infrastructure [14]
Journalism & Media [15]
Laws & Regulations [30]
Policy [18]
Pollution [19]
Water & Oceans [27]
Region:
National (U.S.) [21]
Visibility:
Public [23]
- Read more about Lead Pipes To Make News on the Environment Beat in 2022 [51]
Coaching ‘Creatives’ — Artist Offers Wisdom to Journalists [53]

The struggle to juggle numerous pitches and simultaneous stories, or even to decide if a story will actually work, is a familiar one to most journalists, especially freelancers. So SEJournal’s Christine Woodside sought out advice on surviving this rough-and-tumble from Jessica Abel, author of “Growing Gills” and “Out on the Wire.” Tips, tricks and insights in the new Freelance Files.

SEJ Publication Types:
Freelance Files [54]
Topics on the Beat:
Journalism & Media [15]
Region:
National (U.S.) [21]
International [47]
Visibility:
Public [23]
- Read more about Coaching ‘Creatives’ — Artist Offers Wisdom to Journalists [53]
‘Wild Souls’ Explores Paradox of Managing Species To Save Them [55]

What does wildness mean when humans interfere with the lives of wild animals in order to protect them? A new volume, “Wild Souls,” explores that dilemma, whether arising through captive breeding programs to reintroduce the California condor and the gray wolf, by allowing hybridization or through the use of gene-editing tools. A review from BookShelf contributor Jenny Weeks.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [56]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [57]
Environmental Politics [11]
Science [41]
Wildlife [20]
Region:
National (U.S.) [21]
California [32]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [42]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [22]
International [47]
Mexico [58]
Visibility:
Public [23]
- Read more about ‘Wild Souls’ Explores Paradox of Managing Species To Save Them [55]

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