Publication Items

Farm Bill Stuck in the Mud? [1]

The Farm Bill — omnibus legislation that affects the food supply of millions of Americans, as well as their air, water and soil — is bogged down in hyperpartisan division. But as Backgrounder outlines, environmental journalists would be wise to track how Congress ultimately uses it to address matters like land and water conservation, rural water supply and pollution, pesticides and more.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Chemicals [4]
Climate Change [5]
Consumer [6]
Economy & Business [7]
Environmental Health [8]
Environmental Politics [9]
Food [10]
Government [11]
Laws & Regulations [12]
People & Population [13]
Policy [14]
Pollution [15]
Water & Oceans [16]
Region:
National (U.S.) [17]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Farm Bill Stuck in the Mud? [1]
Electric Shadyland — the Riddle of Rising Energy Bills [19]

While the Iran war has certainly brought on soaring oil prices, the rise in residential electricity costs may stem as much from the actions of a labyrinthine complex of federal and state utility regulators, writes the latest TipSheet. Start unraveling the factors here, with the backstory, and more than a dozen questions to ask and resources to tap.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [20]
Topics on the Beat:
Consumer [6]
Energy & Fuel [21]
Infrastructure [22]
Journalism & Media [23]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Policy [14]
Region:
National (U.S.) [17]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Electric Shadyland — the Riddle of Rising Energy Bills [19]
Decarbonizing Energy Systems With Clean Firm Power [24]

Solar and wind power are critical for combating climate change, but some energy experts warn they won’t be enough. Their vision for an emissions-free grid depends on technologies ranging from long-duration batteries to nuclear reactors. Journalist Nicolás Rivero on clean firm power’s potential, the challenges ahead and how Big Tech is driving the pursuit of always-on zero-carbon electricity.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [25]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [5]
Economy & Business [7]
Energy & Fuel [21]
Government [11]
Infrastructure [22]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [26]
Policy [14]
Pollution [15]
Science [27]
Technology [28]
Region:
National (U.S.) [17]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [29]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [30]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [31]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Decarbonizing Energy Systems With Clean Firm Power [24]
Unpacking Puerto Rico’s Water Crisis [32]

Puerto Rico is suffering from months of water rationing. But for journalists to fully cover this many-layered water story requires a real understanding of how the U.S. territory's politics and history have brought it to this crossroads, argues columnist Yessenia Funes. That, plus a capacity to listen to affected communities, report on solutions and consider partnerships with local journalists.

SEJ Publication Types:
Voices of Environmental Justice [33]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Justice [34]
Environmental Politics [9]
Government [11]
Health [35]
Infrastructure [22]
Journalism & Media [23]
Natural Resources [36]
People & Population [13]
Policy [14]
Water & Oceans [16]
Region:
National (U.S.) [17]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Unpacking Puerto Rico’s Water Crisis [32]
EDGI Spares Soon-Hidden Climate Data [37]

As the Trump EPA prepares to erase critical emissions data gathered for the U.S. greenhouse gas reporting program — abandoned along with international climate change obligations — a group of researchers has made it their business to safeguard the data. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox outlines the preserved dataset and what it can tell journalists about the state of U.S. emissions.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [38]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [39]
Climate Change [5]
Environmental Politics [9]
Environmental Studies [40]
Government [11]
Policy [14]
Pollution [15]
Region:
National (U.S.) [17]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about EDGI Spares Soon-Hidden Climate Data [37]
‘Trade Secrets’ Keep Journalists, Public in the Dark [41]

So-called confidential business information is a major obstacle to the dissemination of knowledge about environmental threats for the public, cautions WatchDog Opinion. Part of the problem is how federal agencies treat requests for confidentiality, and so is the way environmental laws handle the issue. A look at the worst offenders, and a call for journalists to break through the veil of secrecy.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog [42]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [4]
Economy & Business [7]
Environmental Politics [9]
Government [11]
Health [35]
Journalism & Media [23]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Policy [14]
Region:
National (U.S.) [17]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about ‘Trade Secrets’ Keep Journalists, Public in the Dark [41]
Oysters, Boisterous or Scarce, Fuel Local Environment Stories [43]

The world may be your oyster, but if you’re an environmental journalist, the oyster may also be your story. The latest TipSheet points out (amid numerous tasty serving tips) that oysters say a great deal about the health of local waters … and of the humans who consume the mollusk. Get a dozen-plus oyster story ideas and reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [20]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [44]
Environmental Health [8]
Fish & Fisheries [45]
Food [10]
Health [35]
Journalism & Media [23]
Natural Resources [36]
Pollution [15]
Water & Oceans [16]
Region:
National (U.S.) [17]
California [46]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [31]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [47]
Northwest (OR WA) [48]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [49]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Oysters, Boisterous or Scarce, Fuel Local Environment Stories [43]
Are We Ready for the Next Pandemic? [50]

If you’ve been pondering what recent Cyclospora, Legionella and Ebola outbreaks tell us about the state of preparedness for future pandemics, Backgrounder has some sobering insights. A reminder of the uneven response to COVID-19 and a look forward at how current Trump administration policy has weakened public health structures and likely left us unready for what’s ahead.

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [51]
Government [11]
Health [35]
People & Population [13]
Policy [14]
Science [27]
Region:
National (U.S.) [17]
International [52]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Are We Ready for the Next Pandemic? [50]
Wildfire Data, With Its Hair on Fire [53]

As wildfires rage in the U.S. West, Canada and other hot spots around the globe, reporters covering this environmental hazard in the United States can access high-quality data of exceptional timeliness via the Watch Duty app, finds the latest Reporter’s Toolbox. The tool offers everything from emergency notifications to data deep dives, all smartly integrated in its mapping interface.

SEJ Publication Types:
Reporters Toolbox [38]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [51]
Health [35]
Journalism & Media [23]
Region:
National (U.S.) [17]
California [46]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [54]
Northwest (OR WA) [48]
International [52]
Canada [55]
Europe [56]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Wildfire Data, With Its Hair on Fire [53]
Extremely Hot Weather Cooks Up Unusually Awful Air Pollution [57]

Summertime and the livin' is smoggy. American air may be clearer now than when the Clean Air Act was passed in 1970, but pollutants still abound. Heat and sunlight stoke chemical reactions that exacerbate health hazards. And worsening wildfires mix in harmful smoke. The latest TipSheet has more than a dozen story ideas and reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [20]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [39]
Air [58]
Chemicals [4]
Climate Change [5]
Energy & Fuel [21]
Environmental Health [8]
Government [11]
Health [35]
Journalism & Media [23]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Pollution [15]
Transportation [59]
Region:
National (U.S.) [17]
International [52]
Visibility:
Public [18]
- Read more about Extremely Hot Weather Cooks Up Unusually Awful Air Pollution [57]

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