Publication Items

SEJournal Spring 2016, Vol. 26 No. 1 [1]

In this issue: Memo to energy, business, science and health reporters; how Paris summit changes the climate story; analysis of Flint water crisis and lessons for journalists; nine ways to do better investigative science reporting; captivating kids with science news; interview with award-winning photojournalist Robb Kendrick; book reviews; finding the right fit for journalism fellowships; the motivation behind filmmaker Josh Fox's new climate documentary; publisher ponders future of environment books.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJournal Online [2]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about SEJournal Spring 2016, Vol. 26 No. 1 [1]
Congressional Research Service Reports of Use to Environmental Journos [4]

The reports aren't released to the taxpayers who funded them but the Federation of American Scientists' Government Secrecy Project publishes leaked copies. Here are 17 of the latest, from air to water, food to fuel, and much more.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [5]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [6]
Air [7]
Economy & Business [8]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Food [10]
Laws & Regulations [11]
Water & Oceans [12]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about Congressional Research Service Reports of Use to Environmental Journos [4]
EPA Grants and Contracts Databases Offer Gumshoes Eye on Agency [13]

Grants and contracts are a key way that the agency extends the reach of its work into the world beyond agency offices. They may include an engineering project to clean up a Superfund site, an environmental education and outreach program, snow-plowing agency parking lots, expert studies, and computer services.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [5]
Topics on the Beat:
Economy & Business [8]
Government [14]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about EPA Grants and Contracts Databases Offer Gumshoes Eye on Agency [13]
Maine Law Hid Threats to Public from Oil Trains [15]

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 [5]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [16]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Government [14]
Laws & Regulations [11]
People & Population [17]
Transportation [18]
Region:
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [19]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [20]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [21]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [22]
Northwest (OR WA) [23]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about Maine Law Hid Threats to Public from Oil Trains [15]
Failure to Disclose Lead Threats in Drinking Water: Widespread Problem [24]

Bad as it is, the Flint drinking water disaster is hardly uncommon. Even though the law requires authorities to tell the public of dangerous levels of lead in drinking water, they often don't.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [5]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [25]
Disasters [16]
Environmental Politics [26]
Government [14]
Health [27]
Laws & Regulations [11]
People & Population [17]
Water & Oceans [12]
Region:
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [19]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about Failure to Disclose Lead Threats in Drinking Water: Widespread Problem [24]
Sunshine Week Starts March 13; FOIA Turning Fifty [28]

Not everybody loves freedom of information. Those who do celebrate "Sunshine Week" annually in hopes of educating the public about why they need to know what their governments are up to. This year, Sunshine Week will get extra oomph from the fact that the Freedom of Information Act is turning 50 years old.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [5]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [14]
Journalism & Media [29]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about Sunshine Week Starts March 13; FOIA Turning Fifty [28]
Group Issues Data Map Showing Poor, Minorities Face More Toxic Risks [30]

Based on a variety of data sources, the Center for Effective Government's new map and database shows that "people of color and poor residents are significantly more likely to live near dangerous chemical facilities than white and non-poor residents" in the U.S.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [5]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [25]
People & Population [17]
Pollution [31]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about Group Issues Data Map Showing Poor, Minorities Face More Toxic Risks [30]
EPA Releases Latest Toxics Release Inventory — a Key Tool for Journos [32]

The database, which covers a list of some 689 toxic chemicals, includes self-reported information about dangerous chemicals handled and released at industrial facilities during 2014, the latest year for which data is available. Companies reported the 2014 totals in mid-2015.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [5]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [25]
Government [14]
Technology [33]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about EPA Releases Latest Toxics Release Inventory — a Key Tool for Journos [32]
Flint Hearing Raises Freedom of Information Concerns [34]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's openness has been a major issue throughout the crisis of contaminated drinking water in Flint, which has caused lead poisoning of some children. One aspect of the openness issue is the ability of agency employees to speak with journalists; another is unfulfilled FOIA requests.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [5]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [25]
Government [14]
Journalism & Media [29]
Laws & Regulations [11]
People & Population [17]
Pollution [31]
Water & Oceans [12]
Region:
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [19]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about Flint Hearing Raises Freedom of Information Concerns [34]
Colorado River Portal Offers Data Tool for Environmental Journalists [35]

Water may be for fighting over, but water data is worth cheering about. A new Interior Department data portal may help journalists cover the ever-critical issue of water shortage and surplus in the Colorado River basin and nationwide.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [5]
Topics on the Beat:
Technology [33]
Water & Oceans [12]
Region:
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [22]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about Colorado River Portal Offers Data Tool for Environmental Journalists [35]

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