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For ‘Wonky’ Pollution Story, Making the Complex Clear [1]

The latest Inside Story column takes a look at how one reporter turned a series of complex policy stories on renewable energy and pollution into an accessible, localized narrative — and in the process won a Society of Environmental Journalists’ explanatory reporting award. A Q&A about the project with Baltimore Sun’s Scott Dance.

SEJ Publication Types: 
Inside Story [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Air [3]
Chemicals [4]
Economy & Business [5]
Energy & Fuel [6]
Environmental Health [7]
Environmental Politics [8]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Pollution [11]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [12]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [13]
Visibility: 
Public [14]
  • Read more about For ‘Wonky’ Pollution Story, Making the Complex Clear [1]

"California Farmers Are Planting Solar Panels As Water Supplies Dry Up" [15]

"MARICOPA, Calif. — Jon Reiter banked the four-seat Cessna aircraft hard to the right, angling to get a better look at the solar panels glinting in the afternoon sun far below."

Agriculture [16]
Energy & Fuel [6]
Water & Oceans [17]
Public [14]
California [18]
Source: LA Times [19], 08/05/2019
  • Read more about "California Farmers Are Planting Solar Panels As Water Supplies Dry Up" [15]

"States Sue U.S. to Save Obama-Era Car-Efficiency Rules" [20]

"A dozen states led by California and New York sued the Trump administration over its plan to roll back auto-industry regulations put in place by former President Barack Obama to improve fuel-efficiency."

Climate Change [21]
Energy & Fuel [6]
Environmental Health [7]
Environmental Politics [8]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Public [14]
National (U.S.) [12]
Source: Bloomberg [22], 08/05/2019
  • Read more about "States Sue U.S. to Save Obama-Era Car-Efficiency Rules" [20]

Alaska Natives Accuse White House Of Hiding Arctic Oil Impact Info [23]

"Alaska Natives and environmental groups sued the Trump administration on Wednesday, accusing it of concealing information about the effects of oil development in the long-protected Arctic National Wildlife Refuge."

SEJ Publication Types: 
WatchDog TipSheet [24]
Topics on the Beat: 
Energy & Fuel [6]
Environmental Politics [8]
Environmental Studies [25]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
People & Population [26]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [12]
Visibility: 
Public [14]
  • Read more about Alaska Natives Accuse White House Of Hiding Arctic Oil Impact Info [23]

"Forest Service To Change Sage Grouse Protections In 5 States" [27]

"Plans for protecting sage grouse in five Western states are being changed in ways that will conserve habitat while allowing ranchers to maintain their livelihoods, federal officials said Thursday. ... Environmental groups blasted the plan based on the Forest Service’s three-bullet-point summary released Thursday ...."

Agriculture [16]
Energy & Fuel [6]
Forests [28]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Natural Resources [29]
Wildlife [30]
Public [14]
National (U.S.) [12]
Source: AP [31], 08/02/2019
  • Read more about "Forest Service To Change Sage Grouse Protections In 5 States" [27]

Trump EPA Proposes Weaker Coal Ash Rules, More Use at Construction Sites [32]

"Just as utilities have begun making costly plans to move toxic coal ash out of fragile storage ponds to protect waterways and aquifers, the Trump administration may be about to give them a cheaper alternative: Letting them use unlimited amounts of ash at certain construction sites."

Energy & Fuel [6]
Environmental Health [7]
Environmental Politics [8]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Pollution [11]
Water & Oceans [17]
Public [14]
National (U.S.) [12]
Source: InsideClimate News [33], 08/02/2019
  • Read more about Trump EPA Proposes Weaker Coal Ash Rules, More Use at Construction Sites [32]

"Offshore Drilling: NOAA Greenlights Alaska Whale Harassment" [34]

"A Texas driller with patchy regulatory history will be permitted thousands of allowances for injury or harassment of humpback whales, harbor seals and other marine life as it explores for oil in Cook Inlet, Alaska."

Energy & Fuel [6]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Water & Oceans [17]
Wildlife [30]
Public [14]
Alaska and Hawaii [35]
Source: Greenwire [36], 08/01/2019
  • Read more about "Offshore Drilling: NOAA Greenlights Alaska Whale Harassment" [34]

"Electric Vehicles: EV Tax Credit Fight Sparks Lobbying Frenzy" [37]

"Automakers are expanding lobbying efforts to extend the federal tax credit for buying electric vehicles, as the oil industry and conservatives push back against further incentives."

Energy & Fuel [6]
Environmental Politics [8]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Transportation [38]
Public [14]
National (U.S.) [12]
Source: EnergyWire [39], 08/01/2019
  • Read more about "Electric Vehicles: EV Tax Credit Fight Sparks Lobbying Frenzy" [37]

Alaska Natives Accuse White House Of Hiding Arctic Oil Impact Info [40]

"Alaska Natives and environmental groups sued the Trump administration on Wednesday, accusing it of concealing information about the effects of oil development in the long-protected Arctic National Wildlife Refuge."

Energy & Fuel [6]
Environmental Politics [8]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Pollution [11]
Public [14]
National (U.S.) [12]
Source: Reuters [41], 08/01/2019
  • Read more about Alaska Natives Accuse White House Of Hiding Arctic Oil Impact Info [40]

"EPA Proposal Scraps Limits On Coal Plant Waste" [42]

"The Trump administration on Wednesday proposed scrapping restrictions on arsenic-laden waste from coal-fired power plants."

Chemicals [4]
Energy & Fuel [6]
Environmental Health [7]
Environmental Politics [8]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Pollution [11]
Water & Oceans [17]
Public [14]
National (U.S.) [12]
Source: The Hill [43], 07/31/2019
  • Read more about "EPA Proposal Scraps Limits On Coal Plant Waste" [42]

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Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/publications/inside-story/making-complex-clear-wonky-pollution-story [2] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/inside-story [3] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/air [4] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/chemicals/toxics [5] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/business [6] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy [7] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-health [8] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-politics [9] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media [10] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/laws [11] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/pollution [12] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national [13] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mid-atlantic [14] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81 [15] https://www.sej.org/headlines/california-farmers-are-planting-solar-panels-water-supplies-dry [16] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/agriculture [17] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/water [18] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/california [19] https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-agriculture-farmlands-solar-power-20190703-story.html [20] https://www.sej.org/headlines/states-sue-us-save-obama-era-car-efficiency-rules [21] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/climate-change [22] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-08-02/states-sue-trump-administration-again-over-car-efficiency-rules [23] https://www.sej.org/publications/watchdog-tipsheet/alaska-natives-accuse-white-house-hiding-arctic-oil-impact-info [24] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication/watchdog-tipsheet [25] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmentalists [26] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/people-population [27] https://www.sej.org/headlines/forest-service-change-sage-grouse-protections-5-states [28] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/forests [29] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/land [30] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/wildlife [31] https://apnews.com/a8070d4b1f1c426d93b36d71f01f9216 [32] https://www.sej.org/headlines/trump-epa-proposes-weaker-coal-ash-rules-more-use-construction-sites [33] https://insideclimatenews.org/news/01082019/toxic-coal-ash-epa-rule-change-construction-fill-water-contamination [34] https://www.sej.org/headlines/offshore-drilling-noaa-greenlights-alaska-whale-harassment [35] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/alaska-and-hawaii [36] https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060818197 [37] https://www.sej.org/headlines/electric-vehicles-ev-tax-credit-fight-sparks-lobbying-frenzy [38] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/transportation [39] https://www.eenews.net/stories/1060814477 [40] https://www.sej.org/headlines/alaska-natives-accuse-white-house-hiding-arctic-oil-impact-info [41] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-alaska-lawsuit-oil/alaska-natives-accuse-white-house-of-hiding-arctic-oil-impact-information-idUSKCN1UQ2NG [42] https://www.sej.org/headlines/epa-proposal-scraps-limits-coal-plant-waste [43] https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/455386-epa-proposal-scraps-limits-on-coal-plant-waste [44] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy?page=539 [45] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy?page=536 [46] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy?page=537 [47] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy?page=538 [48] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy?page=541 [49] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy?page=542 [50] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy?page=543 [51] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy?page=544 [52] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy?page=1148