Publication Items

Data Journalism Tools and Tips from MIT [1]

The availability of government data has soared over the last decade — offering a huge opportunity for watchdog journalists to find stories that advance the public interest. The environmental beat is the Saudi Arabia of data (yes, that means vast, rich, accessible, and untapped reserves).
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Journalism & Media [3]
Technology [4]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Data Journalism Tools and Tips from MIT [1]
Trump Hopes To Use Libel Laws To Get at Journalists [6]

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is promising to toughen libel laws to get back at news media who "write purposely negative and horrible and false articles." Especially those that criticize him. Photo: By Marc Nozell [7] (Flickr) [CC BY 2.0 [8]].

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Journalism & Media [3]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Trump Hopes To Use Libel Laws To Get at Journalists [6]
House OKs Lands Bill with Photo Fees, Permits — Now It's Up to Senate [10]

The Senate Energy Committee last November approved a different version of the bill which seems to include an exemption from fees and permits for "news gathering." But whether it will pass on the floor or get reconciled with the House bill in an election year is unknown.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Politics [11]
Journalism & Media [3]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Natural Resources [12]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about House OKs Lands Bill with Photo Fees, Permits — Now It's Up to Senate [10]
Scientist Says USDA Used Press Office To Silence Him [13]

Scientist Jonathan Lundgren (left), who has been researching the effects of neonicotinoid pesticides on Monarch butterflies, filed a whistleblower complaint and lost. And, Lundgren claimed his supervisors at the USDA's Agricultural Research Service told him not to talk to news media and punished him when he did.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [14]
Biodiversity [15]
Chemicals [16]
Environmental Politics [11]
Science [17]
Wildlife [18]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Scientist Says USDA Used Press Office To Silence Him [13]
Memo to Energy, Business, Science and Health Reporters [19]

Fellow Journalists, we have a lot in common. We’ve read many of your stories on issues surrounding energy, business, science and health. We couldn’t help noticing a common link in so many of your stories: The environment. Those of us at the Society of Environmental Journalists think we are a very good fit for you. Read all the reasons why, by board president Jeff Burnside in the new issue of SEJournal.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ Presidents Report [20]
Topics on the Beat:
Economy & Business [21]
Energy & Fuel [22]
Health [23]
Journalism & Media [3]
Science [17]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Memo to Energy, Business, Science and Health Reporters [19]
SEJournal Spring 2016, Vol. 26 No. 1 [24]

In this issue: Memo to energy, business, science and health reporters; how Paris summit changes the climate story; analysis of Flint water crisis and lessons for journalists; nine ways to do better investigative science reporting; captivating kids with science news; interview with award-winning photojournalist Robb Kendrick; book reviews; finding the right fit for journalism fellowships; the motivation behind filmmaker Josh Fox's new climate documentary; publisher ponders future of environment books.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJournal Online [25]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about SEJournal Spring 2016, Vol. 26 No. 1 [24]
Congressional Research Service Reports of Use to Environmental Journos [26]

The reports aren't released to the taxpayers who funded them but the Federation of American Scientists' Government Secrecy Project publishes leaked copies. Here are 17 of the latest, from air to water, food to fuel, and much more.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [14]
Air [27]
Economy & Business [21]
Energy & Fuel [22]
Food [28]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Water & Oceans [29]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Congressional Research Service Reports of Use to Environmental Journos [26]
EPA Grants and Contracts Databases Offer Gumshoes Eye on Agency [30]

Grants and contracts are a key way that the agency extends the reach of its work into the world beyond agency offices. They may include an engineering project to clean up a Superfund site, an environmental education and outreach program, snow-plowing agency parking lots, expert studies, and computer services.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Economy & Business [21]
Government [31]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about EPA Grants and Contracts Databases Offer Gumshoes Eye on Agency [30]
Maine Law Hid Threats to Public from Oil Trains [32]

Maine passed a law in 2015 that allowed railroads to keep oil-train routing information from the public — over the governor's veto. In the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting's Pine Tree Watchdog, Dave Sherwood reports how the provision was a bait-and-switch.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [33]
Energy & Fuel [22]
Government [31]
Laws & Regulations [9]
People & Population [34]
Transportation [35]
Region:
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [36]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [37]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [38]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [39]
Northwest (OR WA) [40]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Maine Law Hid Threats to Public from Oil Trains [32]
Failure to Disclose Lead Threats in Drinking Water: Widespread Problem [41]

Bad as it is, the Flint drinking water disaster is hardly uncommon. Even though the law requires authorities to tell the public of dangerous levels of lead in drinking water, they often don't.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [16]
Disasters [33]
Environmental Politics [11]
Government [31]
Health [23]
Laws & Regulations [9]
People & Population [34]
Water & Oceans [29]
Region:
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [36]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Failure to Disclose Lead Threats in Drinking Water: Widespread Problem [41]

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