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Beyond the Fires and Floods — Comprehensively Covering Disasters [1]

Reporting on extreme-weather disasters is complicated, challenging work. Besides covering immediate impacts, there’s the broader context to consider, from climate change to social and political dynamics — all while looking out for your personal safety and well-being. Environmental journalist Colleen Hagerty draws on her own and others’ front-line experiences as she shares insights and advice for telling these high-stakes stories.

SEJ Publication Types: 
Features [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [4]
Diversity [5]
Environmental Justice [6]
Government [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [9]
California [10]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [11]
Visibility: 
Public [12]
  • Read more about Beyond the Fires and Floods — Comprehensively Covering Disasters [1]

Is Disaster Aid Backlog Becoming a (Blue State) Disaster? [13]

A critical logjam is emerging for post-disaster aid to U.S. states, $11 billion or more, according to some calculations. At the same time, FEMA, which dispenses much of it, is in the Trump administration’s crosshairs. TipSheet explores how this looks on the ground and how politics play into the backlog, plus offers 10 story ideas and resources for local reporting.

SEJ Publication Types: 
TipSheet [14]
Topics on the Beat: 
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [4]
Environmental Politics [15]
Government [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Policy [16]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [9]
Visibility: 
Public [12]
  • Read more about Is Disaster Aid Backlog Becoming a (Blue State) Disaster? [13]

"Hospitality Executive Gets Trump Nod To Lead National Parks" [17]

"President Donald Trump has nominated a hotel and food management executive to be director of the National Park Service."

Biodiversity [18]
Consumer [19]
Environmental Politics [15]
Fish & Fisheries [20]
Forests [21]
Government [7]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Natural Resources [23]
People & Population [24]
Water & Oceans [25]
Wildlife [26]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [9]
Source: E&E News [27], 02/13/2026
  • Read more about "Hospitality Executive Gets Trump Nod To Lead National Parks" [17]

"Former Federal Renewables Lab Lays Off 134 People" [28]

"A federal research lab formerly known as the National Renewable Energy Lab laid off more than 100 people this week."

Climate Change [3]
Energy & Fuel [29]
Environmental Politics [15]
Government [7]
Pollution [30]
Technology [31]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [9]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [32]
Source: The Hill [33], 02/12/2026
  • Read more about "Former Federal Renewables Lab Lays Off 134 People" [28]

National Park Service Removes Pride Flag From Stonewall After Trump Order [34]

"A Pride flag has been removed from New York’s historic Stonewall National Monument in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, following a memorandum issued by the federal National Park Service (NPS)."

Diversity [5]
Environmental Justice [6]
Environmental Politics [15]
Government [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [22]
People & Population [24]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [9]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [35]
Source: WPIX/The Hill [36], 02/11/2026
  • Read more about National Park Service Removes Pride Flag From Stonewall After Trump Order [34]

FEMA Will Resume Staff Reductions That Were Paused During Storm: Managers [37]

"The Federal Emergency Management Agency will resume staff cuts that were briefly paused during January’s severe winter storm, according to two FEMA managers, stoking concern across the agency over its ability to address disasters with fewer workers."

Climate Change [3]
Disasters [4]
Environmental Health [38]
Environmental Politics [15]
Government [7]
People & Population [24]
Water & Oceans [25]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [9]
Source: AP [39], 02/10/2026
  • Read more about FEMA Will Resume Staff Reductions That Were Paused During Storm: Managers [37]

Poison at Play: Unsafe Lead Levels Found In Half Of New Orleans Playgrounds [40]

"Verite News tested lead levels at more than 80 parks. Even trace amounts of the toxic metal can cause learning problems and behavioral issues in children."

Chemicals [41]
Consumer [19]
Environmental Health [38]
Environmental Justice [6]
Government [7]
People & Population [24]
Pollution [30]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [9]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [11]
Source: Verite News [42], 02/09/2026
  • Read more about Poison at Play: Unsafe Lead Levels Found In Half Of New Orleans Playgrounds [40]

Trouble on the Elwha: Trump’s Budget Cuts Undermine Salmon Restoration [43]

"A staffing exodus at Olympic National Park has put salmon recovery efforts in jeopardy."

Biodiversity [18]
Environmental Politics [15]
Fish & Fisheries [20]
Government [7]
Water & Oceans [25]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [9]
Northwest (OR WA) [44]
Source: The Revelator [45], 02/05/2026
  • Read more about Trouble on the Elwha: Trump’s Budget Cuts Undermine Salmon Restoration [43]

NYC Congestion Pricing Improves Air Quality, but Trump Threatens Its Future [46]

"A toll program in New York City has resulted in environmental gains across all five boroughs. The Trump administration is seeking to end it."

Air [47]
Climate Change [3]
Consumer [19]
Energy & Fuel [29]
Environmental Health [38]
Environmental Politics [15]
Government [7]
Laws & Regulations [22]
People & Population [24]
Pollution [30]
Transportation [48]
Public [12]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [35]
Source: Inside Climate News [49], 02/04/2026
  • Read more about NYC Congestion Pricing Improves Air Quality, but Trump Threatens Its Future [46]

"Staff Exodus, Case Gridlock: DOJ Environment Division Under Trump 2.0" [50]

"One year after President Donald Trump’s return to the White House, at least a third of the lawyers on staff at the Justice Department’s environment division have walked out the door, gutting the government’s capacity to defend its own energy and climate policies and kneecapping its power to keep polluters in check."

Environmental Health [38]
Environmental Politics [15]
Government [7]
Laws & Regulations [22]
Natural Resources [23]
People & Population [24]
Policy [16]
Pollution [30]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [9]
Source: E&E News [51], 02/04/2026
  • Read more about "Staff Exodus, Case Gridlock: DOJ Environment Division Under Trump 2.0" [50]

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Source URL:https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=10

Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/publications/features/beyond-fires-and-floods-comprehensively-covering-disasters [2] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/features [3] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/climate-change [4] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster [5] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/diversity [6] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-justice [7] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government [8] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media [9] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national [10] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/california [11] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southeast [12] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81 [13] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/disaster-aid-backlog-becoming-blue-state-disaster [14] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication/tipsheet [15] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-politics [16] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/policy [17] https://www.sej.org/headlines/hospitality-executive-gets-trump-nod-lead-national-parks [18] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/biodiversity-1 [19] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer [20] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/fisheries [21] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/forests [22] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/laws [23] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/land [24] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/people-population [25] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/water [26] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/wildlife [27] https://www.eenews.net/articles/hospitality-executive-gets-trump-nod-to-lead-national-parks/ [28] https://www.sej.org/headlines/former-federal-renewables-lab-lays-134-people [29] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy [30] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/pollution [31] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/technology [32] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mountain-west [33] https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5732319-renewable-energy-lab-job-cuts/ [34] https://www.sej.org/headlines/national-park-service-removes-pride-flag-stonewall-after-trump-order [35] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northeast [36] https://thehill.com/homenews/lgbtq/5731921-national-parks-service-nps-stonewall-pride-flag-trump-order/ [37] https://www.sej.org/headlines/fema-will-resume-staff-reductions-were-paused-during-storm-managers [38] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-health [39] https://apnews.com/article/fema-staff-cuts-kristi-noem-winter-storm-fern-1b3a4ea77c6f299abda3f5046a6b24e5 [40] https://www.sej.org/headlines/poison-play-unsafe-lead-levels-found-half-new-orleans-playgrounds [41] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/chemicals/toxics [42] https://veritenews.org/2026/02/05/poison-at-play-playgrounds-lead-levels/ [43] https://www.sej.org/headlines/trouble-elwha-trump-s-budget-cuts-undermine-salmon-restoration [44] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northwest [45] https://therevelator.org/elwha-trump-salmon/ [46] https://www.sej.org/headlines/nyc-congestion-pricing-improves-air-quality-trump-threatens-its-future [47] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/air [48] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/transportation [49] https://insideclimatenews.org/news/03022026/todays-climate-nyc-congestion-pricing-air-quality-trump/ [50] https://www.sej.org/headlines/staff-exodus-case-gridlock-doj-environment-division-under-trump-20 [51] https://www.eenews.net/articles/staff-exodus-case-gridlock-doj-environment-division-under-trump-2-0/ [52] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=9 [53] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=6 [54] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=7 [55] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=8 [56] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=11 [57] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=12 [58] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=13 [59] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=14 [60] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=291