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SEJ Speaks Out Against Police Assaults on Journalists [1]

There have been multiple incidents over the last few days of police spraying tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets at journalists covering demonstrations and unrest sparked by the death of George Floyd, who died in police custody in Minneapolis last week. These assaults represent an attack on the freedoms to which all Americans are entitled under the U.S. Constitution. SEJ calls on all law enforcement officers and agencies to respect journalists’ First Amendment right to cover the demonstrations as well as police conduct. The people have a right to know, more than ever before, during this critical time.

Topics on the Beat: 
Activism [2]
Government [3]
Journalism & Media [4]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Visibility: 
Public [6]

"EPA’s Biggest Union Pushes Back Against Reopening Plans" [7]

"The EPA’s biggest union is pushing back against the agency’s plans to start the process that could lead to reopening some of its offices."

Disasters [8]
Environmental Health [9]
Environmental Politics [10]
Government [3]
Health [11]
Public [6]
National (U.S.) [12]
Source: Bloomberg Environment [13], 05/27/2020

"Britain, Host of UN Climate Talks, Proposes Full-Year Pandemic Delay" [14]

"International negotiations designed to address the sweeping global threat of climate change will quite likely be delayed by a full year because of the coronavirus pandemic."

Climate Change [15]
Disasters [8]
Environmental Health [9]
Environmental Politics [10]
Government [3]
Health [11]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Public [6]
International [16]
Source: NYTimes [17], 05/27/2020

"Virus Crisis Exposes Cascading Weaknesses in U.S. Disaster Response" [18]

"For decades, the backbone of the nation’s disaster response system — and a hallmark of American generosity — has been its army of volunteers who race toward danger to help shelter, feed and counsel victims of hurricanes, wildfires and other calamities. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has exposed a critical weakness in this system."

Disasters [8]
Environmental Health [9]
Government [3]
Health [11]
Public [6]
National (U.S.) [12]
Source: NYTimes [19], 05/26/2020

Disaster Preparedness Key Amid Pandemic [20]

Unheeded warnings are the hallmark of many disasters. And with coronavirus still hobbling the nation, communities and journalists must now watch for all the ways COVID-19 could make even the most familiar hazards far worse. Prepare with this extensive Backgrounder, which touches on issues around evacuations and emergency readiness when facing storms, fires, toxic releases and more.

SEJ Publication Types: 
Backgrounders [21]
Topics on the Beat: 
Air [22]
Chemicals [23]
Disasters [8]
Environmental Health [9]
Government [3]
Health [11]
Journalism & Media [4]
Laws & Regulations [5]
People & Population [24]
Planning & Growth [25]
Policy [26]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [12]
California [27]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [28]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [29]
Visibility: 
Public [6]

While No One Was Watching — Changing Enviro Regs Under Trump [30]

Regulations that sprang from cornerstone environmental laws in place for decades are now under attack by the Trump administration, per legal experts in a recent webinar co-sponsored by the Society of Environmental Journalists and Columbia University’s Earth Institute. Get key takeaways and resources from the event from SEJ’s Dale Willman. Plus, watch the full webinar video.

SEJ Publication Types: 
SEJ News [31]
Topics on the Beat: 
Activism [2]
Air [22]
Chemicals [23]
Climate Change [15]
Energy & Fuel [32]
Environmental Health [9]
Environmental Politics [10]
Government [3]
Health [11]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Natural Resources [33]
Policy [26]
Pollution [34]
Science [35]
Transportation [36]
Waste [37]
Water & Oceans [38]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [12]
Visibility: 
Public [6]

Parks Post-Coronavirus Reopening a Political Football? [39]

As the United States restarts fitfully following the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, one source of controversy — and of numerous local or regional environmental stories — is what to do at the nation’s park system. The latest TipSheet explains why public access to these national treasures is so contentious, then provides numerous story ideas and reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types: 
TipSheet [40]
Topics on the Beat: 
Disasters [8]
Environmental Politics [10]
Government [3]
Health [11]
Journalism & Media [4]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Natural Resources [33]
People & Population [24]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [12]
Visibility: 
Public [6]

"Pandemic: EPA Starts 'Measured And Deliberate' Reopening" [41]

"EPA has begun the slow process of reopening offices despite its employees' worries about potential exposure to COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus."

Disasters [8]
Environmental Health [9]
Government [3]
Health [11]
Public [6]
National (U.S.) [12]
Source: Greenwire [42], 05/25/2020

"Built by Oil’s Riches, Houston Goes 100% Green Years Earlier" [43]

"The oil and natural gas capital of the world is going all-in on solar power. Houston will begin a new five-year contract in July with NRG Energy Inc. to power all of its city-owned properties, from fire stations to airports, with renewable energy."

Climate Change [15]
Energy & Fuel [32]
Government [3]
Public [6]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [44]
Source: Bloomberg Green [45], 05/25/2020
May 26, 2020 to May 28, 2020

Webinar: An Inside Look at How NASA Measures Air Pollution [46]

With the world’s eyes and media coverage turned to recent global changes in air pollution from the economic downturn, NASA offers a free two-part webinar series (May 26 and 28, 1.5 hours each) in both English and Spanish.

Other Events [47]
Visibility: 
Public [6]
Topics on the Beat: 
Air [22]
Government [3]
Pollution [34]

Pages

The Society of Environmental Journalists
1629 K Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006
Telephone: (202) 558-2055
Email: sej@sej.org
© 2026 The Society of Environmental Journalists. All Rights Reserved.
All graphics © SEJ, unless otherwise stated.
Source URL:https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=122

Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/sej-speaks-out-against-police-assaults-journalists [2] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/activism [3] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government [4] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media [5] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/laws [6] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81 [7] https://www.sej.org/headlines/epa-s-biggest-union-pushes-back-against-reopening-plans [8] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster [9] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-health [10] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-politics [11] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/health [12] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national [13] https://bnanews.bna.com/environment-and-energy/epas-biggest-union-pushes-back-against-agencys-reopening-plans [14] https://www.sej.org/headlines/britain-host-un-climate-talks-proposes-full-year-pandemic-delay [15] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/climate-change [16] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international [17] https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/26/climate/cop26-climate-talks.html [18] https://www.sej.org/headlines/virus-crisis-exposes-cascading-weaknesses-us-disaster-response [19] https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/22/climate/fema-volunteer-disaster-response.html [20] https://www.sej.org/publications/backgrounders/disaster-preparedness-key-amid-pandemic [21] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/backgrounders [22] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/air [23] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/chemicals/toxics [24] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/people-population [25] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/cities-towns [26] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/policy [27] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/california [28] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/great-lakes [29] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mid-atlantic [30] https://www.sej.org/publications/sej-news/while-no-one-was-watching-changing-enviro-regs-under-trump [31] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/sej-news [32] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy [33] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/land [34] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/pollution [35] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/science [36] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/transportation [37] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/waste [38] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/water [39] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/parks-post-coronavirus-reopening-political-football [40] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication/tipsheet [41] https://www.sej.org/headlines/pandemic-epa-starts-measured-and-deliberate-reopening [42] https://www.eenews.net/stories/1063205377 [43] https://www.sej.org/headlines/built-oil-s-riches-houston-goes-100-green-years-earlier [44] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest [45] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-22/built-by-oil-s-riches-houston-goes-100-green-five-years-early [46] https://www.sej.org/calendar/webinar-inside-look-how-nasa-measures-air-pollution [47] https://www.sej.org/category/event-type/other-events [48] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=121 [49] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=118 [50] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=119 [51] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=120 [52] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=123 [53] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=124 [54] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=125 [55] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=126 [56] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=285