Publication Items

New PFAS Drinking Water Rule Promises Local Stories [1]

New federal regulations governing a group of “forever chemicals” under the Safe Drinking Water Act — a rule years in the making — have important implications for local drinking water supplies and, per the latest TipSheet, local environment reporting. A look at the problem with PFAS, the complicated route to its regulation and more than a dozen story ideas and reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [3]
Consumer [4]
Government [5]
Health [6]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [8]
Policy [9]
Pollution [10]
Water & Oceans [11]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about New PFAS Drinking Water Rule Promises Local Stories [1]
Fake Newspapers Fill Gaps Left by Disappearing Real Ones [14]

When corporate, often politicized entities create fake newspapers in communities without their own in order to control the news agenda, it’s called “pink slime news.” And its purveyors have made a significant target of environmental and energy issues, writes WatchDog Opinion. A look at the rise of “fake news” outlets, the decline of real ones and how to fight back.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [15]
Topics on the Beat:
Consumer [4]
Economy & Business [16]
Journalism & Media [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Fake Newspapers Fill Gaps Left by Disappearing Real Ones [14]
Greenhouse Gas Inventory Data Helps Tell the Climate Story [17]

A massive data set that tracks greenhouse gas emissions in the United States is now newly updated, and the latest Reporter’s Toolbox calls it essential for informed reporting on U.S. climate policy. Its three decades-plus of measurements can help journalists track big emitters near them and from a variety of major sources ranging from landfill methane to industrial polluters.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [19]
Air [20]
Climate Change [21]
Energy & Fuel [22]
Environmental Health [23]
Government [5]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [8]
Policy [9]
Pollution [10]
Transportation [24]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Greenhouse Gas Inventory Data Helps Tell the Climate Story [17]
Rapid Response Grant Yields Oil Patch Stories, Book Chapter [25]

Mid-pandemic, freelancer Erika Bolstad struck out from Oregon for the boom-bust Bakken oil fields of North Dakota, with cash from a grant, two story assignments and years of book research. She shares her experience on the road, dealing with COVID risks, tricky timing and a stubborn bureaucracy, as well as a generous well-plugger and supportive editors. Read the new FEJ StoryLog.

SEJ Publication Types:
FEJ StoryLog [26]
Topics on the Beat:
Energy & Fuel [22]
Journalism & Media [7]
Natural Resources [27]
Policy [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [28]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Rapid Response Grant Yields Oil Patch Stories, Book Chapter [25]
Property Risk Disclosure Reveals Reportable Environmental Threats [29]

As the real estate market enters its busiest time of year, it’s also a smart time for environmental journalists to explore and report on all the risks facing prospective property owners — whether lead paint or pipes, radon, flood, wildfire or more. The latest TipSheet explores the beat and offers up more than a dozen story ideas to pursue in your community.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Consumer [4]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [8]
Planning & Growth [30]
Pollution [10]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Property Risk Disclosure Reveals Reportable Environmental Threats [29]
EV Charging Stations — Are They There Yet? [31]

For all the talk about the energy transition and the robust growth in electric vehicle sales, there’s one big reason for unease: getting charged. The new Backgrounder takes a deep dive on the state of EV charging stations in the United States, exploring Tesla’s diminishing dominance, coming charger standardization, charging levels, software and for-pay realities, plus the effects of government policy.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [32]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [21]
Consumer [4]
Energy & Fuel [22]
Environmental Politics [33]
Infrastructure [34]
Planning & Growth [30]
Policy [9]
Technology [35]
Transportation [24]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about EV Charging Stations — Are They There Yet? [31]
Harnessing the Power of Global Forest Watch for Data-Driven Reporting on Land Cover Change [36]

Whether trees fall to chain saws or go up in smoke, deforestation is a major climate change driver. But on-the-ground reporting on forest loss is often challenging. Global Forest Watch provides worldwide land cover change data and tools that can help journalists contextualize deforestation events. Mongabay editor Morgan Erickson-Davis explains the power of this free online platform and shares her favorite features.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [37]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [19]
Biodiversity [38]
Climate Change [21]
Environmental Health [23]
Environmental Studies [39]
Forests [40]
Journalism & Media [7]
Natural Resources [27]
Science [41]
Technology [35]
Wildlife [42]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
International [43]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Harnessing the Power of Global Forest Watch for Data-Driven Reporting on Land Cover Change [36]
Ag Census Offers Journalists Acres of Data [44]

The latest data from the five-year USDA agriculture census has specialized features that suggest numerous environmental stories — whether on irrigation, pesticides and fertilizer, renewable energy, conservation or more. There’s even a feature that provides data by congressional district. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox has more on the data source and how to use it smartly for your coverage.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [19]
Chemicals [3]
Climate Change [21]
Energy & Fuel [22]
Environmental Health [23]
Food [45]
Journalism & Media [7]
Pollution [10]
Water & Oceans [11]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Ag Census Offers Journalists Acres of Data [44]
Cross-Border Project Exposes Extent of PFAS Contamination in Europe [46]

A dozen European news partners collaborated last year to gather a massive set of water, soil and organism samples that pointed to more than 17,000 PFAS-contaminated sites in the region, many known to authorities but kept from the public. The award-winning project was led by Le Monde’s Stéphane Horel, who spoke with SEJournal for the latest Inside Story Q&A.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [47]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [3]
Environmental Studies [39]
Health [6]
Journalism & Media [7]
Pollution [10]
Region:
International [43]
Europe [48]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Cross-Border Project Exposes Extent of PFAS Contamination in Europe [46]
Spurt in Hydro Relicensing To Leave U.S. Awash in Environmental Stories [49]

Hundreds of hydropower dams in the United States will see their licenses expiring in the next decade, generating years-long federal relicensing processes. That prospect calls for close local and regional coverage of the complicated balance between renewable energy needs with negative environmental impacts. The latest TipSheet explains the licensing process and the dam backstory, along with a dozen story ideas and reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [50]
Climate Change [21]
Consumer [4]
Energy & Fuel [22]
Environmental Health [23]
Environmental Politics [33]
Fish & Fisheries [51]
Infrastructure [34]
Journalism & Media [7]
Laws & Regulations [8]
Natural Resources [27]
Policy [9]
Water & Oceans [11]
Region:
National (U.S.) [12]
California [52]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [53]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [54]
Northwest (OR WA) [55]
Visibility:
Public [13]
- Read more about Spurt in Hydro Relicensing To Leave U.S. Awash in Environmental Stories [49]

Pages