Publication Items

Chemical Safety Board May Have Finally Cleaned Its Slate. What Now? [1]

A key U.S. federal agency tasked with investigating the nation’s industrial chemical accidents has been limping along for years. Now, the latest Issue Backgrounder reports that replenished staffing and a funding boost may mean it’s found its footing. But as the pace of chemical accidents accelerates and safety regulations stagnate, will it make a difference?

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [3]
Disasters [4]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [6]
Laws & Regulations [7]
Policy [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
International [10]
Asia [11]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Chemical Safety Board May Have Finally Cleaned Its Slate. What Now? [1]
Why Parking, Long Term, Presents a Lot of Problems [13]

A new book makes the case that U.S. cities have had their environments, their housing and their businesses warped by parking policies. BookShelf contributor Jennifer Weeks, who shares her own parking-related frustrations, explores the arguments made in “Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World,” and also takes a look at what the author sees as “parking-light” solutions.

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [14]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [15]
Consumer [16]
Economy & Business [17]
Energy & Fuel [18]
Environmental Health [19]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [6]
Health [20]
Infrastructure [21]
Planning & Growth [22]
Policy [8]
Pollution [23]
Transportation [24]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
California [25]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [26]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Why Parking, Long Term, Presents a Lot of Problems [13]
Spill-Tracking Data Sources Help Cover Hazmat Events [27]

A new Spill Tracker website is a good source of information on chemical spills, albeit one with an agenda. But according to the latest Reporter’s Toolbox, it’s just one among a set of powerful resources for covering dangerous releases, large and small. More on Spill Tracker, plus another half-dozen-plus government and nonprofit data sources on petrochemical incidents.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [28]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [3]
Disasters [4]
Energy & Fuel [18]
Environmental Health [19]
Government [6]
Journalism & Media [29]
Pollution [23]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
International [10]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Spill-Tracking Data Sources Help Cover Hazmat Events [27]
'Gaslit' Project Spotlights Challenges of Teaching Investigative Journalism [30]

Research, collaboration, human-centered storytelling and the ineluctable element of time — all these were among the facets of a complex, award-winning investigative report run by a team of students at Arizona State University on excessive and harmful natural gas flaring. How the project came together, and the lessons learned, in the new EJ Academy from column co-editor and longtime educator Bob Wyss.

SEJ Publication Types:
EJ Academy [31]
Topics on the Beat:
Energy & Fuel [18]
Environmental Studies [32]
Journalism & Media [29]
Natural Resources [33]
Pollution [23]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [34]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [35]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about 'Gaslit' Project Spotlights Challenges of Teaching Investigative Journalism [30]
Tracking Down the CFATS Facilities Near You [36]

As a follow-on to our recent story about the complex jockeying over a federal anti-terrorism program to prevent high-risk U.S. industrial facilities from becoming targets, the latest TipSheet offers localizable story ideas, along with reporting resources to help you find CFATS facilities in your community. Read more [36]. Plus see the earlier story [37] on why chemical plants, terrorism and regulations may be back on the agenda.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [38]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Tracking Down the CFATS Facilities Near You [36]
In Their Own Words — Story Insights From SEJ’s 2023 Award Winners [39]

When Inside Story co-editor Rocky Kistner reviewed video statements from first-place winners of the Society of Environmental Journalists 2023 reporting awards, he found a series of striking insights into the work of environmental journalism. From environment as a true crime story and going beyond the headlines, to covering communities at risk and through powerful interests, a look at nine highly effective approaches to telling environmental stories.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [40]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [41]
Chemicals [3]
Climate Change [15]
Economy & Business [17]
Energy & Fuel [18]
Environmental Health [19]
Environmental Justice [42]
Environmental Politics [5]
Forests [43]
Government [6]
Health [20]
Infrastructure [21]
Journalism & Media [29]
Natural Resources [33]
People & Population [44]
Policy [8]
Pollution [23]
Waste [45]
Water & Oceans [46]
Wildlife [47]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
California [25]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [48]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [49]
International [10]
Africa [50]
South America [51]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about In Their Own Words — Story Insights From SEJ’s 2023 Award Winners [39]
Introducing SEJ's New Executive Director, Aparna Mukherjee [52]

SEJ board president Luke Runyon (pictured, left) announces the successful conclusion of a comprehensive, months-long search process for the next Executive Director of the Society of Environmental Journalists: Aparna Mukherjee (pictured, right). Read Luke's letter to members and his interview with Aparna.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ Presidents Report [53]
Topics on the Beat:
Diversity [54]
Journalism & Media [29]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [49]
International [10]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Introducing SEJ's New Executive Director, Aparna Mukherjee [52]
Chemical Plants, Terrorism and Regulations May Be Back on the Agenda [37]

For years, high-risk U.S. industrial facilities fell under a federal anti-terrorism program to ensure their potentially lethal chemicals would not become terrorist targets. But when the program expired last year, something unexpected happened. Veteran chemical industry reporter Jeff Johnson has a behind-the-scenes look at the maneuvering over how best to secure the country’s dangerous chemical stores.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [55]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [3]
Disasters [4]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [6]
Laws & Regulations [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [35]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Chemical Plants, Terrorism and Regulations May Be Back on the Agenda [37]
Will New EPA Policy Make It Easier To Interview Its Experts? [56]

Environmental journalists commonly grouse about obstacles the press office at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency throws up when reporters want to talk to its scientists. Might a newly proposed scientific integrity policy help change that? The WatchDog Opinion column, which regularly joins in the censuring, says there’s a chance it could. But will it? Why the outlook is cloudy.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [57]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [6]
Journalism & Media [29]
Policy [8]
Science [58]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Will New EPA Policy Make It Easier To Interview Its Experts? [56]
Energy Transition Insights From a Mega-Trove of Power Plant Data [59]

To get a bead on where electric power plants fit in the energy transition, Reporter’s Toolbox suggests a useful dataset collected directly from electricity generators. In this second of two parts, explore the vast array of data available from the Energy Information Administration. Plus, a pro tip on finding data around the climate consequences of power generation.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [28]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [15]
Energy & Fuel [18]
Journalism & Media [29]
Region:
National (U.S.) [9]
International [10]
Visibility:
Public [12]
- Read more about Energy Transition Insights From a Mega-Trove of Power Plant Data [59]

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