Publication Items

Northwestern University Students Produce Impressive Series on Climate Change Threats to National Security [1]

The Beat

By BILL DAWSON

Journalists and news organizations looking for collaborative ways to keep alive the tradition of in-depth, public-service reporting have a new model to consider.

In January, Northwestern University’s Medill School published “Global Warning,” an investigative series by 10 of its graduate students about the ways that climate change threatens national security.
SEJ Publication Types:
EJ Academy [2]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about Northwestern University Students Produce Impressive Series on Climate Change Threats to National Security [1]
Stormwater Runoff Creates Pollution Without Pipes [4]

"Nonpoint" sources of water pollution worry officials. When rain falls or snow melts, the runoff can pick up fertilizers and pesticides from agricultural fields, sediments from construction sites, engine oil from city parking lots, germ-laden dog poop from curbside, etc.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [5]
Topics on the Beat:
Water & Oceans [6]
Pollution [7]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about Stormwater Runoff Creates Pollution Without Pipes [4]
USFS Releases Court-Ordered EIS for Fire Retardants [8]

Information sessions and webinars on possible health and environmental effects of aerial-applied chemicals used to fight wildfires will be held in various locations around the country during the 45-day public comment period that ends June 27, 2011.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [5]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Health [9]
Chemicals [10]
Forests [11]
Health [12]
Region:
California [13]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [14]
Northwest (OR WA) [15]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [16]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about USFS Releases Court-Ordered EIS for Fire Retardants [8]
USDA Documents U.S. Food Deserts [17]

USDA evaluated numerous factors for 65,000 census tracts (clickable on the mapping tool), and found that about 10% of them, home to about 13.5 million people, are food deserts where many residents have no access to a large grocery store, due to distance, lack of a vehicle, and/or low income.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [5]
Topics on the Beat:
Food [18]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about USDA Documents U.S. Food Deserts [17]
Forest Fire Retardants Not Always the Hero [19]

The most commonly used slurry mixtures can be toxic to fish, aquatic invertebrates, and algae, can harm rabbits, birds, and humans, and can reduce vegetative diversity and boost the growth of weeds. Slurries and foams are mostly water, but they also include ammonium fertilizer, detergent, and other ingredients.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [5]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Health [9]
Chemicals [10]
Forests [11]
Health [12]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about Forest Fire Retardants Not Always the Hero [19]
Report: Assessing Public Lands and Survival of Birds [20]

Prepared by a large coalition of government agencies and NGOs, the report generally focuses on the condition of bird species in each of the broad habitat types, as well as the roles of various federal and state agencies and the relationships of species survival on public vs. private lands.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [5]
Topics on the Beat:
Planning & Growth [21]
Biodiversity [22]
Wildlife [23]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about Report: Assessing Public Lands and Survival of Birds [20]
Parties Near Deal on Endangered Species Listing Speed-Up? [24]

While it's not a done deal, the US Fish and Wildlife Service and WildEarth Guardians have agreed on a list of 251 species that warrant the most immediate attention. Not all environmental groups support the choices, though.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [5]
Topics on the Beat:
Wildlife [23]
Biodiversity [22]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about Parties Near Deal on Endangered Species Listing Speed-Up? [24]
EPA Releases Coal Ash Pond Survey in Database Form [25]

The spreadsheet covers 676 coal combustion waste impoundments at 240 facilities — making it much easier to cover the issue. After assessing many ponds, EPA rated at least 50 of the ponds as having high hazard potential.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [26]
Topics on the Beat:
Energy & Fuel [27]
Disasters [28]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about EPA Releases Coal Ash Pond Survey in Database Form [25]
Cool But Unsung EPA Databases Can Help Environmental Reporters [29]

There has been a data renaissance going on at EPA for the past two years, and not all reporters have gotten the news that data-driven reporting has become a time-saver instead of a time-suck.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [26]
Topics on the Beat:
Technology [30]
Government [31]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about Cool But Unsung EPA Databases Can Help Environmental Reporters [29]
NRC Publishes List of FOIA Requests Related to Japan Nuke Meltdown [32]

By publishing the list promptly, NRC lived up to the "reading room" provisions of FOIA — which require agencies to actively publish information likely to be the subject of multiple FOIA requests. As a reporter, see what your competitors are doing. As a FOIA requester, you may learn a lot about how to write a FOIA letter that is realistic yet effective.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [26]
Topics on the Beat:
Nuclear Power & Radiation [33]
Energy & Fuel [27]
Disasters [28]
Region:
Asia [34]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about NRC Publishes List of FOIA Requests Related to Japan Nuke Meltdown [32]

The Beat

Pages