Publication Items

Farm Bill Launches Sweeping New Secrecy Initiative [1]

New language added to the 2007/08 Farm Bill by conferees at the 11th hour could create a sweeping new secrecy mandate that would prohibit the Agriculture Department from disclosing almost any information about individual US farm operations.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Government [4]
Policy [5]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Farm Bill Launches Sweeping New Secrecy Initiative [1]
TOOLBOX: Covering the Health Effects of Climate Change [8]

How health may be affected; accusation that Bush administration drastically altered CDC testimony to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Oct. 23, 2007.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [9]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [10]
Health [11]
Region:
International [12]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about TOOLBOX: Covering the Health Effects of Climate Change [8]
The Really Big Ozone Story: Plants With Asthma [13]

Most news about ground-level ozone pollution focuses on its considerable impacts to human health. But there may be a far broader and potentially bigger story: Ground-level ozone pollution significantly impairs plants' ability to absorb CO2 - which in turn exacerbates climate change, reduces agricultural yields (think: food shortages), and damages ecosystems.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [9]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [14]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about The Really Big Ozone Story: Plants With Asthma [13]
EPA To Release Proposed Lead Standard Soon [15]

Hot on the heels of the announcement of EPA's controversial revised ground-level ozone standard, the agency is required by court order to release its proposal for a revised airborne lead standard no later than May 1, 2008. A final rule is required by Sept. 1, 2008.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [9]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [14]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about EPA To Release Proposed Lead Standard Soon [15]
Floods and Drought in NOAA Forecast [16]

A wet, snowy winter has set the table for spring flooding in much of the eastern US and a few western states. NOAA published a forecast on March 20, 2008, of the areas most likely to get swamped. Among the states at risk are "much of the Mississippi River basin, the Ohio River basin, the lower Missouri River basin, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, most of New York, all of New England, and portions of the West, including Colorado and Idaho."
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [9]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [17]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Floods and Drought in NOAA Forecast [16]
USGS Maps Natural Asbestos in AZ, NV, and UT [18]

In the past few years, there have been several instances in which disturbance of sites containing naturally-occurring asbestos, via construction or other land use changes, has posed a potential health threat. As one tool for reducing such problems, on March 13, 2008, USGS released its fourth in a series of reports on US sites with naturally-occurring asbestos, covering 121 locations in AZ, NV, and UT.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [9]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [19]
Region:
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [20]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about USGS Maps Natural Asbestos in AZ, NV, and UT [18]
Eco-Mapping the News With Google Earth [21]

One of the best parts of the environment beat is getting out in the field. Now you can bring "the field" (whether it's your town or the whole world) to your audience through interactive maps. In many cases, you can create great interactive and even collaborative online maps with basic technical skills, using free or cheap tools.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [9]
Topics on the Beat:
Other or All [22]
Region:
International [12]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Eco-Mapping the News With Google Earth [21]
Global Land Cover Map Said To Be Most Detailed Yet [23]

A new righ-resolution world map may add zing to land-use stories.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [9]
Topics on the Beat:
Natural Resources [24]
Region:
International [12]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Global Land Cover Map Said To Be Most Detailed Yet [23]
Anyone With a Computer Might Be an Earthquake Scientist [25]

Early news about a pending citizen science project has drawn such an overwhelming response that the project's leaders are now declining to talk about it further until its formal launch, potentially in July 2008. The public response suggests it'll be of great interest to some in your audience when it becomes official. Meanwhile, you can learn more online, and get on the notification list for the launch date.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [9]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [17]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Anyone With a Computer Might Be an Earthquake Scientist [25]
Earth Day Events Provide Opportunities for Local Stories [26]

Earth Day may be a chance to get environmental stories on the front page.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [9]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [27]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Earth Day Events Provide Opportunities for Local Stories [26]

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