Publication Items

Why Environmental Journalists Should Care About the Presidential Records Act [1]

It may not seem at first glance like an environmental matter, but the Trump Justice Department’s declaration that the Presidential Records Act is unconstitutional potentially undermines the preservation of key administration records, warns WatchDog Opinion. That includes all kinds of environmental policy decision-making by the president, White House and other executive branch staff. Here’s why we need the act.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Politics [3]
Government [4]
Journalism & Media [5]
Laws & Regulations [6]
Policy [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Why Environmental Journalists Should Care About the Presidential Records Act [1]
Reporters Expose Failed Systems After Hurricane Ian, Maui Fires [10]

In the wake of two major disasters, beat reporters at The Washington Post examined systemic failures in response and recovery, and the human toll for affected communities. Journalist Brianna Sacks shares what she learned from those investigations, which won a large market award for beat reporting from the Society of Environmental Journalists. Read our Inside Story Q&A.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [11]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [12]
Environmental Politics [3]
Journalism & Media [5]
People & Population [13]
Policy [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
California [14]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [15]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Reporters Expose Failed Systems After Hurricane Ian, Maui Fires [10]
Hazard Duty — Government Data Portals Help Report Extreme Weather [16]

When it comes to tracking weather phenomena from heat waves and tornadoes to wildfire smoke or storm surge, environmental journalists could hardly do better than the vast array of data from the National Weather Service, writes the latest Reporter’s Toolbox. A tour of data maps and viewers, forecasts and weather insights from the large scale to the local.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [17]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [18]
Disasters [12]
Journalism & Media [5]
Science [19]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Hazard Duty — Government Data Portals Help Report Extreme Weather [16]
Graphic Content — Journalistic Lessons From Crossing Genres [20]

Today’s teens are growing up in a world of conspicuous climate change, often directly affected by its consequences. Despite their youth, some are at the forefront of the fight against this threat. Freelance journalist and author Meera Subramanian — co-creator of a new nonfiction graphic novel about young climate campaigners — on teens as sources, activism as a topic and the pleasures of collaboration. See a sample of the book [21].

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [22]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [23]
Biodiversity [24]
Climate Change [18]
Disasters [12]
Diversity [25]
Environmental Health [26]
Environmental Justice [27]
Environmental Politics [3]
Environmental Studies [28]
Health [29]
Journalism & Media [5]
Pollution [30]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [31]
Science [19]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [32]
International [33]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Graphic Content — Journalistic Lessons From Crossing Genres [20]
National Seashores Are a Secret Summer Treasure [34]

While less heralded than its national park system, the United States abounds in waterfront treasures that are part of the national seashore and lakeshore program. The latest TipSheet takes you on a guided tour of more than a dozen, from barrier islands and dunes to tidepools and turtles. Plus, a half-dozen reporting ideas for your own region.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [35]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [4]
Journalism & Media [5]
Laws & Regulations [6]
Natural Resources [36]
Water & Oceans [37]
Region:
California [14]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [38]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [39]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [32]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [15]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [40]
International [33]
Canada [41]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about National Seashores Are a Secret Summer Treasure [34]
What Is the Half-Life of a Nuclear Revival? Part 2 [42]

Is the United States in the midst of a “nuclear renaissance”? This two-part Backgrounder explores the question, with a look at next-gen reactor design, the (lack of) independence of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and what to do with nuclear waste. Plus, see Part 1 [43] on the government role in developing nuclear power and an earlier effort at industry rebirth.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [44]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [12]
Energy & Fuel [45]
Environmental Politics [3]
Laws & Regulations [6]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [46]
Policy [7]
Technology [47]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
International [33]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about What Is the Half-Life of a Nuclear Revival? Part 2 [42]
Scouring the Skies for Methane Data [48]

Emissions of the global warming gas methane are widely tracked through satellite sensors, despite some unexpected bumps in the data-gathering effort. But a big challenge is how to interpret and use the resulting insights in your coverage. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox points out several important methane datasets and offers useful insights into how to turn them into stories.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [17]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [18]
Environmental Health [26]
Environmental Studies [28]
Journalism & Media [5]
Science [19]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
International [33]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Scouring the Skies for Methane Data [48]
What Is the Half-Life of a Nuclear Revival? Part 1 [43]

Is the United States in the midst of a “nuclear renaissance”? This two-part Issue Backgrounder explores that question, beginning in Part 1 with a look at the government’s part in developing nuclear power, including through subsidies, as well as why the new reactors built earlier in the 2000s didn’t really make the case for the industry’s rebirth.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [44]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [12]
Energy & Fuel [45]
Environmental Politics [3]
Laws & Regulations [6]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [46]
Policy [7]
Technology [47]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
International [33]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about What Is the Half-Life of a Nuclear Revival? Part 1 [43]
In Subzero Temperatures, Protecting a Tiger in the Snow [49]

The population of Siberian tigers, the second-largest subspecies in the world, took a turn for the worse after the fall of the Soviet Union. But an international team of biologists in remote Russia has been working to try to save the big cats. “Tigers Between Empires” traces that effort, in a new BookShelf review from contributing editor Jennifer Weeks.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [50]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [24]
Science [19]
Wildlife [51]
Region:
International [33]
Asia [52]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about In Subzero Temperatures, Protecting a Tiger in the Snow [49]
#SEJ2026 Live — Coverage of Conference Tours [53]

SEJournal is providing full coverage of all eight of the day-long tours from the annual Society of Environmental Journalists’ conference, April 15-18, in Chicago. In Part 2, contributors Meg Duff [54], Nathaniel Eisen [55], Nhung Nguyen [56] and Marlowe Starling [57] provide detailed reports from tours focused on the transitioning steel industry, microgrids, climate-friendly crop practices and evolving Midwestern agricultural systems.

Also check out the first round of tour coverage and read all the great work [53] from our team of early-career freelance journalists, part of SEJournal’s live #SEJ2026 Live conference reporting.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ News [58]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [23]
Agriculture [59]
Air [60]
Biodiversity [24]
Chemicals [61]
Climate Change [18]
Consumer [62]
Economy & Business [63]
Energy & Fuel [45]
Environmental Health [26]
Environmental Justice [27]
Environmental Politics [3]
Environmental Studies [28]
Food [64]
Forests [65]
Government [4]
Health [29]
Infrastructure [66]
Journalism & Media [5]
Laws & Regulations [6]
Natural Resources [36]
People & Population [13]
Planning & Growth [67]
Policy [7]
Pollution [30]
Science [19]
Technology [47]
Transportation [68]
Waste [69]
Water & Oceans [37]
Wildlife [51]
Region:
National (U.S.) [8]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [38]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about #SEJ2026 Live — Coverage of Conference Tours [53]

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