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#SEJ2026 Live — Coverage of Conference Tours [1]

SEJournal is providing full coverage of all eight of the day-long tours from the annual Society of Environmental Journalists’ conference, April 15-18, in Chicago. In Part 2, contributors Meg Duff [2], Nathaniel Eisen [3], Nhung Nguyen [4] and Marlowe Starling [5] provide detailed reports from tours focused on the transitioning steel industry, microgrids, climate-friendly crop practices and evolving Midwestern agricultural systems.

Also check out the first round of tour coverage and read all the great work [1] from our team of early-career freelance journalists, part of SEJournal’s live #SEJ2026 Live conference reporting.

SEJ Publication Types: 
SEJ News [6]
Topics on the Beat: 
Activism [7]
Agriculture [8]
Air [9]
Biodiversity [10]
Chemicals [11]
Climate Change [12]
Consumer [13]
Economy & Business [14]
Energy & Fuel [15]
Environmental Health [16]
Environmental Justice [17]
Environmental Politics [18]
Environmental Studies [19]
Food [20]
Forests [21]
Government [22]
Health [23]
Infrastructure [24]
Journalism & Media [25]
Laws & Regulations [26]
Natural Resources [27]
People & Population [28]
Planning & Growth [29]
Policy [30]
Pollution [31]
Science [32]
Technology [33]
Transportation [34]
Waste [35]
Water & Oceans [36]
Wildlife [37]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [38]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [39]
Visibility: 
Public [40]
  • Read more about #SEJ2026 Live — Coverage of Conference Tours [1]

War and Pizza — #SEJ2026 in Chicago [41]

Nearly as rejuvenating as attending the Society of Environmental Journalists’ annual gathering is perusing the après-conference spoof by contributing quipster David Helvarg. While it seemed he was mostly there unabashedly preselling his forthcoming book, he somehow found time to send up SEJ’s earnest sessions, lambast its blown-up tours and rib its beat dinners. Read his Chicago roast.

SEJ Publication Types: 
SEJ News [6]
Topics on the Beat: 
Agriculture [8]
Air [9]
Chemicals [11]
Climate Change [12]
Economy & Business [14]
Energy & Fuel [15]
Environmental Health [16]
Environmental Justice [17]
Environmental Politics [18]
Fish & Fisheries [42]
Government [22]
Health [23]
Journalism & Media [25]
Natural Resources [27]
Policy [30]
Pollution [31]
Science [32]
Waste [35]
Water & Oceans [36]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [38]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [39]
Visibility: 
Public [40]
  • Read more about War and Pizza — #SEJ2026 in Chicago [41]

Maine Tightens Limits On PFAS In Drinking Water. Are Communities Ready? [43]

"Nearly four dozen water systems that provide drinking water across Maine would be at risk of violating new limits on “forever chemicals” if the state began enforcing updated rules on the toxic substances today, showing how much work they have left to do to meet new requirements."

Chemicals [11]
Consumer [13]
Environmental Health [16]
Environmental Politics [18]
Infrastructure [24]
Laws & Regulations [26]
People & Population [28]
Pollution [31]
Water & Oceans [36]
Public [40]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [44]
Source: Maine Monitor [45], 04/21/2026
  • Read more about Maine Tightens Limits On PFAS In Drinking Water. Are Communities Ready? [43]

Asia’s Longest Free-Flowing River Polluted By Arsenic From Myanmar Mines [46]

"Independent testing of the Salween River began in September 2025 after researchers found alarming levels of toxic contaminants in the nearby Kok, Sai and Ruak rivers in Thailand, much of it linked to unregulated mining in Myanmar."

Chemicals [11]
Environmental Health [16]
Fish & Fisheries [42]
Natural Resources [27]
Pollution [31]
Waste [35]
Water & Oceans [36]
Public [40]
Asia [47]
Source: Mongabay [48], 04/21/2026
  • Read more about Asia’s Longest Free-Flowing River Polluted By Arsenic From Myanmar Mines [46]

"‘The Absolute Edge Of Precedent’: FERC Prepares To Take On Data Centers" [49]

"The commission is pushing to get data centers onto the grid, and fast. The high-stakes move could tip the balance of regulatory power against the states."

Climate Change [12]
Consumer [13]
Energy & Fuel [15]
Environmental Politics [18]
Government [22]
Infrastructure [24]
Laws & Regulations [26]
Planning & Growth [29]
Pollution [31]
Technology [33]
Water & Oceans [36]
Public [40]
National (U.S.) [38]
Source: E&E News [50], 04/21/2026
  • Read more about "‘The Absolute Edge Of Precedent’: FERC Prepares To Take On Data Centers" [49]

Green Group Warns Potomac Is Nation's Most Endangered River [51]

"The Potomac River, otherwise known as “the nation’s river,” has been named the most endangered river in the country, following a massive sewage spill earlier this year and the ongoing buildout of thirsty data centers across the watershed."

Biodiversity [10]
Chemicals [11]
Climate Change [12]
Disasters [52]
Environmental Health [16]
Environmental Politics [18]
Fish & Fisheries [42]
Infrastructure [24]
Pollution [31]
Waste [35]
Water & Oceans [36]
Public [40]
National (U.S.) [38]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [53]
Source: Virginia Mercury [54], 04/21/2026
  • Read more about Green Group Warns Potomac Is Nation's Most Endangered River [51]

"Environmental Groups Sue to Block BP’s Plan to Drill in Deep Gulf Waters" [55]

"Environmental groups sued the Trump administration on Monday to stop the British oil giant BP, which operated the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform that exploded in 2010, from starting a new $5 billion drilling project in ultra-deep waters in the Gulf of Mexico."

Biodiversity [10]
Chemicals [11]
Consumer [13]
Disasters [52]
Energy & Fuel [15]
Environmental Health [16]
Environmental Justice [17]
Environmental Politics [18]
Fish & Fisheries [42]
Health [23]
Infrastructure [24]
Laws & Regulations [26]
People & Population [28]
Pollution [31]
Water & Oceans [36]
Public [40]
National (U.S.) [38]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [56]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [57]
Source: NYTimes [58], 04/21/2026
  • Read more about "Environmental Groups Sue to Block BP’s Plan to Drill in Deep Gulf Waters" [55]

DOJ Files Complaint Against DC And Its Sewage Authority For Massive Spill [59]

"The Justice Department filed a complaint Monday in federal court against the city of Washington, D.C., and its water and sewer authority, seeking financial penalties for their role in a leak that led to millions of gallons of raw sewage spilling into the Potomac River."

Consumer [13]
Disasters [52]
Environmental Health [16]
Environmental Politics [18]
Infrastructure [24]
Laws & Regulations [26]
Pollution [31]
Water & Oceans [36]
Public [40]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [53]
Source: AP [60], 04/21/2026
  • Read more about DOJ Files Complaint Against DC And Its Sewage Authority For Massive Spill [59]

Owner of Polluting Plastic Waste Plant Seeks To Build Another [61]

"Belching smoke from a new plastic waste processing plant in central Ohio has stirred opposition to an even larger “chemical recycling” factory planned for Arizona by the same company."

Air [9]
Chemicals [11]
Consumer [13]
Environmental Health [16]
Environmental Justice [17]
Environmental Politics [18]
Laws & Regulations [26]
Pollution [31]
Waste [35]
Public [40]
National (U.S.) [38]
Source: Inside Climate News [62], 04/21/2026
  • Read more about Owner of Polluting Plastic Waste Plant Seeks To Build Another [61]

Illinois Weighs Warning System For Pesticide Spraying Near Parks, Schools [63]

"A bill in the Illinois General Assembly would require certified pesticide users—anyone licensed by the Illinois Department of Agriculture to use Restricted Use pesticides, such as paraquat or fumigant insecticides—to give written or emailed notice at least 24 hours before application at any school, child care facility or park located within 1,500 feet of application that opted to receive them."

Agriculture [8]
Chemicals [11]
Consumer [13]
Environmental Health [16]
Government [22]
Laws & Regulations [26]
People & Population [28]
Pollution [31]
Public [40]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [39]
Source: Inside Climate News [64], 04/20/2026
  • Read more about Illinois Weighs Warning System For Pesticide Spraying Near Parks, Schools [63]

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Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/publications/sej-news/sej2026-live-coverage-conference-tours [2] https://www.sej.org/publications/sej-news/sej2026-live-coverage-conference-tours#Duff [3] https://www.sej.org/publications/sej-news/sej2026-live-coverage-conference-tours#Eisen [4] https://www.sej.org/publications/sej-news/sej2026-live-coverage-conference-tours#Nguyen [5] https://www.sej.org/publications/sej-news/sej2026-live-coverage-conference-tours#Starling [6] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/sej-news [7] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/activism [8] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/agriculture [9] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/air [10] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/biodiversity-1 [11] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/chemicals/toxics [12] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/climate-change [13] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer [14] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/business [15] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy [16] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-health [17] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-justice [18] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-politics [19] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmentalists [20] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/food [21] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/forests [22] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government [23] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/health [24] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/infrastructure [25] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media [26] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/laws [27] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/land [28] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/people-population [29] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/cities-towns [30] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/policy [31] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/pollution [32] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/science [33] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/technology [34] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/transportation [35] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/waste [36] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/water [37] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/wildlife [38] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national [39] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/great-lakes [40] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81 [41] https://www.sej.org/publications/sej-news/war-and-pizza-sej2026-chicago [42] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/fisheries [43] https://www.sej.org/headlines/maine-tightens-limits-pfas-drinking-water-are-communities-ready [44] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northeast [45] https://themainemonitor.org/maine-tightening-limits-forever-chemicals-drinking-water/ [46] https://www.sej.org/headlines/asia-s-longest-free-flowing-river-polluted-arsenic-myanmar-mines [47] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/asia [48] https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/asias-longest-free-flowing-river-contaminated-by-arsenic-linked-to-myanmar-mines/ [49] https://www.sej.org/headlines/absolute-edge-precedent-ferc-prepares-take-data-centers [50] https://www.eenews.net/articles/the-absolute-edge-of-precedent-ferc-prepares-to-take-on-data-centers/ [51] https://www.sej.org/headlines/green-group-warns-potomac-nations-most-endangered-river [52] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster [53] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mid-atlantic [54] https://virginiamercury.com/briefs/conservation-groups-raise-alarm-as-potomac-river-named-most-endangered-in-the-nation/ [55] https://www.sej.org/headlines/environmental-groups-sue-block-bp-s-plan-drill-deep-gulf-waters [56] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southeast [57] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest [58] https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/20/climate/bp-kaskida-drilling-lawsuit.html?unlocked_article_code=1.cVA.YnZ_.wSVM97nYP8H0&smid=url-share [59] https://www.sej.org/headlines/doj-files-complaint-against-dc-and-its-sewage-authority-massive-spill [60] https://apnews.com/article/potomac-river-sewage-leak-washington-345cf68d19670892408d1fffdf3cefe5 [61] https://www.sej.org/headlines/owner-polluting-plastic-waste-plant-seeks-build-another [62] https://insideclimatenews.org/news/20042026/plastic-waste-plant-violating-pollution-rules-expands/ [63] https://www.sej.org/headlines/illinois-weighs-warning-system-pesticide-spraying-near-parks-schools [64] https://insideclimatenews.org/news/18042026/illinois-pesticide-warning-system/ [65] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/120/all/target%3D%27_blank%27 [66] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/120/all/target%3D%27_blank%27?page=11 [67] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/120/all/target%3D%27_blank%27?page=8 [68] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/120/all/target%3D%27_blank%27?page=9 [69] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/120/all/target%3D%27_blank%27?page=10 [70] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/120/all/target%3D%27_blank%27?page=13 [71] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/120/all/target%3D%27_blank%27?page=14 [72] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/120/all/target%3D%27_blank%27?page=15 [73] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/120/all/target%3D%27_blank%27?page=16 [74] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/120/all/target%3D%27_blank%27?page=814