Publication Items

Deep-Sixing the Facts? — Congress Blinds, Hamstrings Oil Spill Commission [1]

Before leaving town for its August vacation, Congress stripped $12 million for the commission from an appropriations bill and denied that panel the subpoena power it needs to find out what happened or what should be done to prevent another spill.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [3]
Water & Oceans [4]
Government [5]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Deep-Sixing the Facts? — Congress Blinds, Hamstrings Oil Spill Commission [1]
Fla. Scientists Say Obama Admin Tried To Squelch Oil Plume Findings [8]

St. Petersburg Times' Craig Pittman reports the scientists' announcement in May that research boats had discovered a 6-mile long underwater oil plume was greeted with shushing from the Coast Guard and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Water & Oceans [4]
Government [5]
Disasters [3]
Region:
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [9]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Fla. Scientists Say Obama Admin Tried To Squelch Oil Plume Findings [8]
Managing Stormwater: Key in Water Pollution, Beach Closures [10]

Here's a roundup of recent developments and resources that can help you cover how local stormwater management fits into the regional and national picture, including the Natural Resources Defense Council's 20th annual beach report and the proposed Green Infrastructure for Clean Water Act of 2010.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [11]
Topics on the Beat:
Planning & Growth [12]
Pollution [13]
Water & Oceans [4]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Managing Stormwater: Key in Water Pollution, Beach Closures [10]
Studies: Lighten Up on Roof and Pavement Color [14]

While not a stand-alone climate change-fighting measure, converting roofs and pavements in tropical and temperate cities of one million or more people to light-colored materials would provide the equivalent one-time benefit of eliminating two years' worth of global CO2 emissions, or eliminating the emissions of 300 million vehicles for 20 years.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [11]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [15]
Planning & Growth [12]
Environmental Studies [16]
People & Population [17]
Science [18]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Studies: Lighten Up on Roof and Pavement Color [14]
EPA Gets TRI Data Out Quickly This Year [19]

Data for the 2009 Toxics Release Inventory, released July 28, 2010, includes only about 80% of the total expected submissions so it's not possible to look at category totals, trends, and other aspects that require 100% of the data until later this year. However, you can report immediately on many local emitters, including evaluations of their totals and trends.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [11]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [20]
Pollution [13]
Government [5]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about EPA Gets TRI Data Out Quickly This Year [19]
2 Reports Call Water Shortages Serious, Widespread Threat [21]

Sandia National Laboratories and the Natural Resources Defense Council independently publish similar conclusions based on a range of scenarios developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Fourth Assessment Report, in conjunction with various economic models.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [11]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [15]
Economy & Business [22]
Water & Oceans [4]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about 2 Reports Call Water Shortages Serious, Widespread Threat [21]
Farmers Market Fraud May Be a Local Concern [23]

As the number of US farmers markets has tripled in the past 15 years, numerous food sellers who lie about who they are or what they are selling are worming their way into this niche. You can determine if farmers market swindles are an issue for your audience with a moderate amount of digging.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [11]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Farmers Market Fraud May Be a Local Concern [23]
Urban Agriculture: Down, But Not out, on the Farm [24]

This growing trend can yield a crop of homegrown food stories with strong environmental angles. Here's a roundup of recent and upcoming urban agriculture issues, as well as some background and resources, to whet your appetite.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [11]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [25]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Urban Agriculture: Down, But Not out, on the Farm [24]
Reporters' Resources: Farm & Food — A Local Story [26]

Journalism about farm and food is often a key part of the environment beat. To help reporters quickly find sources and resources that can help them cover farm and food, SEJ has compiled on its website a list of some of the best.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [11]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [25]
Food [27]
Journalism & Media [28]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Reporters' Resources: Farm & Food — A Local Story [26]
"Smart Power: Climate Change, the Smart Grid, and the Future of Electric Utilities" [29]

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [30]
Topics on the Beat:
Journalism & Media [28]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about "Smart Power: Climate Change, the Smart Grid, and the Future of Electric Utilities" [29]

Pages