Publication Items

Follow the Money With Campaign and Lobbying Data [1]

With a new Congress in place and the seemingly never-ending political races to track, reporters can often learn a good deal about how environmental policy is influenced by looking into campaign and lobbying donations. Backgrounder takes a deep dive into the topic, pointing to important sources of information and data … and their limitations.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Economy & Business [3]
Environmental Politics [4]
Government [5]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [7]
Policy [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Follow the Money With Campaign and Lobbying Data [1]
Hazmat Highway Routes Key to Keeping Public Safe [11]

In the wake of the train derailment and toxic spill in Ohio, now is a good time for environmental journalists to be ready for the next such accident. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox offers up a data source for another transportation risk — hazardous materials transported via highway. Plus, why rail hazmat data can be trickier to access.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [12]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [13]
Disasters [14]
Environmental Politics [4]
Health [15]
Infrastructure [16]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [7]
Transportation [17]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [18]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Hazmat Highway Routes Key to Keeping Public Safe [11]
Covering Indigenous Communities — Tips for Non-Native Journalists [19]

Non-Indigenous journalists may think they’re doing “marginalized” Indigenous communities a favor by covering them, but their coverage is too often extractive and riddled with racist tropes. Contributor Valerie Vande Panne offers insights and advice for avoiding these pitfalls. Seeking permission, listening, sharing and respecting are all critical tools for the job.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [20]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [21]
Diversity [22]
Environmental Justice [23]
Government [5]
Journalism & Media [6]
People & Population [24]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [25]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Alaska and Hawaii [26]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [27]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [28]
International [29]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Covering Indigenous Communities — Tips for Non-Native Journalists [19]
Koalas, Under Pressure From Wildfires and Development, Are Beloved But Undefended [30]

The cuteness of the fuzzy koala appears not to be winning it special protection in its native Australia, despite dwindling numbers, per a new volume on the endangered marsupial. BookShelf contributor Melody Kemp offers praise for “Koala: A Natural History and an Uncertain Future,” with a review that begins amusingly with bodily functions but ends dispiritedly with yet more koala habitat lost to housing tracts and wildfire.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [31]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [32]
Environmental Health [33]
Environmental Studies [34]
Forests [35]
Government [5]
Wildlife [36]
Region:
International [29]
Australia & Oceania [37]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Koalas, Under Pressure From Wildfires and Development, Are Beloved But Undefended [30]
Eco-Muckrakers, Dig In — Writing for Nonprofit Ecology and Conservation Magazines [38]

Freelancers looking to explore complex environmental issues may want to consider magazines published by … environmental organizations. Despite the caveats, like ensuring a publication’s editorial independence and guarding against organizational self-promotion, long-time environmental writer Francesca Lyman makes the case in the latest Freelance Files that the pros of such gigs outweigh the cons. Plus a sampler of pubs to approach.

SEJ Publication Types:
Freelance Files [39]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [21]
Journalism & Media [6]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
International [29]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Eco-Muckrakers, Dig In — Writing for Nonprofit Ecology and Conservation Magazines [38]
SEJ Panel Gauges Issues in the Works in the U.S. West [40]

As part of our 2023 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment special report, we’ve got highlights from last week’s reporter panel on the year ahead, led by #SEJ2023 conference co-chair Tom Michael (pictured, left). The focus was largely on the U.S. West, where challenges abound over issues like equitable siting of renewable energy infrastructure, regulating natural gas, managing wildfires and addressing the health consequences of climate-driven heat waves. Read our account [40], plus check out the full 2023 Guide [41].

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [42]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [43]
Air [44]
Biodiversity [32]
Climate Change [45]
Disasters [14]
Economy & Business [3]
Energy & Fuel [46]
Environmental Health [33]
Environmental Justice [23]
Environmental Politics [4]
Fish & Fisheries [47]
Food [48]
Forests [35]
Government [5]
Health [15]
Infrastructure [16]
Journalism & Media [6]
Natural Resources [49]
People & Population [24]
Planning & Growth [50]
Policy [8]
Pollution [51]
Water & Oceans [52]
Wildlife [36]
Region:
California [53]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [54]
Northwest (OR WA) [55]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [28]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about SEJ Panel Gauges Issues in the Works in the U.S. West [40]
The Department of Yes — How the Pesticide Industry Corrupted the EPA and Poisoned America [56]

Many were skeptical that the complex problem of industry influence on regulatory decisions could be understood, let alone explained. But in her deeply reported story on the pesticide industry, journalist Sharon Lerner broke through those barriers with another award-winning story, showing how small, technical decisions can have big consequences. In the latest Inside Story, she shares her approach and lessons learned.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [57]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about The Department of Yes — How the Pesticide Industry Corrupted the EPA and Poisoned America [56]
Road Salt Spreading a Slippery Slope to Water Pollution [58]

With wintry conditions still present in much of the country, there’s an important local story for environmental reporters to chase. No, not climate change this time. It’s salt. Road salt can end up in bodies of water, damaging the environment and risking human health. TipSheet offers a dash of background and a good dose of questions to ask, plus story ideas and resources to flavor your reporting with.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [59]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [13]
Environmental Health [33]
Health [15]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [7]
Pollution [51]
Transportation [17]
Water & Oceans [52]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Road Salt Spreading a Slippery Slope to Water Pollution [58]
Epic Struggles Ahead in 2023 on Energy Transition, Pollution [60]

In our annual analysis of what’s ahead on the environment beat in 2023, there are some things to count on: worsening climate disasters and continued politicking over energy transitions, but also regulatory action on greenhouse gas emissions (not to mention on “forever chemicals”). Other things are less clear: environmental rulings by a conservative U.S. Supreme Court, energy impacts of war in Europe and the effectiveness of COP28 and treaty talks on plastic pollution. Read the full overview and get more in our “2023 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment [41]” special report.

SEJ Publication Types:
Special Reports [61]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [21]
Agriculture [43]
Air [44]
Biodiversity [32]
Chemicals [13]
Climate Change [45]
Disasters [14]
Economy & Business [3]
Energy & Fuel [46]
Environmental Justice [23]
Environmental Politics [4]
Fish & Fisheries [47]
Government [5]
Health [15]
Infrastructure [16]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [7]
Military [62]
Natural Resources [49]
Planning & Growth [50]
Policy [8]
Pollution [51]
Science [63]
Waste [64]
Water & Oceans [52]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
International [29]
Europe [65]
Middle East [66]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Epic Struggles Ahead in 2023 on Energy Transition, Pollution [60]
EPA Proposes Revisions to FOIA Rule. They Are Not Enough [67]

When the Trump-era Environmental Protection Agency changed regulations governing freedom of information requests, journalists worried they were making it easier for political appointees to interfere with disclosures. Now the Biden administration is proposing a rules revision. But, as the latest WatchDog Opinion argues, it’s missing an opportunity to rid the regime of those critical flaws.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [68]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Politics [4]
Government [5]
Journalism & Media [6]
Laws & Regulations [7]
Policy [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about EPA Proposes Revisions to FOIA Rule. They Are Not Enough [67]

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