Publication Items

As Power Goes Out, Time To Design a More Resilient Grid? [1]

Hurricane Irma left millions of Floridians in the dark, while Maria stripped Puerto Ricans of power, potentially for months. Can the electric grid be made less vulnerable? Our Backgrounder has a dozen-plus angles to jump-start your power reporting, from stronger poles to microgrids. Plus, hurricane coverage resources. [2]

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [3]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [4]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [6]
Planning & Growth [7]
Technology [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [10]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [11]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [12]
Canada [13]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about As Power Goes Out, Time To Design a More Resilient Grid? [1]
Is There a Post-Flood “Toxic Stew” Near You? [15]

Flooding disasters can unleash some nasty substances into the environment, whether from Superfund sites, sewage plants or petrochemical and other industrial facilities handling toxic and hazardous materials.This week's TipSheet identifies some of the biggest risks, and offers starting points for your local reporting.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [16]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [17]
Disasters [4]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Health [18]
Health [19]
Journalism & Media [20]
People & Population [21]
Pollution [22]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [23]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Is There a Post-Flood “Toxic Stew” Near You? [15]
Between the Lines: On ‘Writing the Book You Can’t Not Write’ [24]

The latest 'Between the Lines' features an interview with environment reporter Meera Subramanian about her debut book, “A River Runs Again: India’s Natural World in Crisis.” Her approach to a challenging topic, her faith in the power of stories, her search for a new model of development and her advice for other writers.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [25]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Health [18]
Journalism & Media [20]
Natural Resources [26]
People & Population [21]
Planning & Growth [7]
Policy [27]
Pollution [22]
Water & Oceans [28]
Region:
International [29]
Asia [30]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Between the Lines: On ‘Writing the Book You Can’t Not Write’ [24]
As Hurricanes Strike, Surge Coverage Can Save Lives [31]

A hurricane's storm surge is an unpredictable and fast-moving killer, a phenomenon reporters must prepare to cover before it hits. This week's TipSheet explains how, with background on the complex factors that lead to storm surge, and resources to help you report on this very real risk in real time.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [16]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [4]
Journalism & Media [20]
Planning & Growth [7]
Water & Oceans [28]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about As Hurricanes Strike, Surge Coverage Can Save Lives [31]
Hurricane Toolbox, Headlines and More [32]

Check out our guide to reporting on hurricanes like Irma, Harvey and Maria, and their aftermath. We've compiled a series of resources, including a hurricane Toolbox [33] and Backgrounders [34] (including one on the power grid [1], post-outages), as well as TipSheets [35] on hurricanes, flooding [36], flood insurance [37], storm surge [31], toxic floodwaters [15], dam failures [38] and more. Plus, get the latest hurricane headlines [39] from EJ Today (subscribe [40]).

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJournal Online [41]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [42]
Disasters [4]
Journalism & Media [20]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [12]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [23]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Hurricane Toolbox, Headlines and More [32]
EPA Press Office Attacks Journalists à la Trump [43]

The Trump Administration's EPA Press Office appears to have launched a personal attack on journalists for unfavorable coverage. WatchDog reports what happened when the Associated Press looked into possible pollution at Houston Superfund sites flooded by Hurricane Harvey.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [44]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [17]
Disasters [4]
Environmental Health [18]
Environmental Politics [45]
Government [46]
Health [19]
Journalism & Media [20]
Pollution [22]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [23]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about EPA Press Office Attacks Journalists à la Trump [43]
Covering Congress from Both Sides of the Beltway [47]

The complex workings of the U.S. Congress create reporting challenges for all kinds of journalists, including environmental ones. But our latest TipSheet provides half a dozen key resources to help you get the job done better, whether from inside or outside the Beltway.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [16]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Politics [45]
Government [46]
Journalism & Media [20]
Laws & Regulations [48]
Policy [27]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Covering Congress from Both Sides of the Beltway [47]
Your Packing List for Reporting a Natural Disaster [49]

By EMILY GERTZ

Earthquakes, hurricanes, chemical spills and more: Natural (and unnatural) disasters intersect frequently with the environmental beat. And reporting from the scene of a disaster means taking particular care with what gear and supplies you bring with you.

Will there be power where you're going? Safe drinking water? Open gas stations? How will you file your stories if land lines or cell phone networks aren't operating?
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Your Packing List for Reporting a Natural Disaster [49]
Harvey Uncovers Flood Insurance Dilemma [37]

Disaster cleanup from Hurricane Harvey is now bound up in Washington's brewing budget-related brouhaha, as Congress tries to fix the National Flood Insurance Program before authorization runs out at the end of September. The latest TipSheet explains, plus offers ideas and resources for localizing flood insurance stories.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [16]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [4]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [12]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [23]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Harvey Uncovers Flood Insurance Dilemma [37]
Hurricane Harvey: Toolbox, Headlines and More [50]

To help environmental reporters track the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, SEJournal has compiled a series of resources, starting with a Toolbox on Hurricanes [33] that includes government, news and other sources, seasonal forecasts, background science and an SEJ hurricane archive. Also see our Hurricane Issue Backgrounder [34] and TipSheets [35] on hurricanes and on flooding [36], an Inside Story [51] on how one SEJ Award-winner looked ahead at the prospect of a perfect storm for Houston, plus the latest hurricane headlines [39] from EJ Today (subscribe [40]).

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJournal Online [41]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [4]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [12]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [23]
Visibility:
Public [14]
- Read more about Hurricane Harvey: Toolbox, Headlines and More [50]

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