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"Top Leader at Interior Dept. Pushes a Policy Favoring His Former Client" [1]

"David Bernhardt, the agency’s acting chief, wants to roll back endangered-species protections on a tiny fish, a change that benefits few outside a California group he once represented as a lobbyist."

Environmental Politics [2]
Fish & Fisheries [3]
Government [4]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Water & Oceans [6]
Public [7]
National (U.S.) [8]
Source: NY Times [9], 02/12/2019

Delay in EPA Rule on Wood Stove Heating Fires Controversy [10]

If a wood stove seems like a good solution to the winter’s bitter cold, you may want to think again. The unhealthful particulate pollution many such stoves generate has prompted new federal emission standards. But some states are pushing back, and the EPA is now considering a two-year delay in the new regulations. This week’s TipSheet has the latest news and why it matters, plus story ideas and reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types: 
TipSheet [11]
Topics on the Beat: 
Air [12]
Consumer [13]
Energy & Fuel [14]
Government [4]
Health [15]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Pollution [16]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [8]
Alaska and Hawaii [17]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [18]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [19]
Northwest (OR WA) [20]
International [21]
Visibility: 
Public [7]

Prominent Reporters See Critical Year Ahead on Energy, Environment [22]

It’s a “make or break” year for a range of environmental and energy issues, advise leading journalists at the Society of Environmental Journalists’ annual “2019 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment” event in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 25. The gathering also featured a surprise appearance by a top EPA official, who was questioned about administration policy on climate change. Read our coverage of the forum in this SEJ News report.

SEJ Publication Types: 
SEJ News [23]
Topics on the Beat: 
Activism [24]
Agriculture [25]
Air [12]
Climate Change [26]
Disasters [27]
Economy & Business [28]
Energy & Fuel [14]
Environmental Politics [2]
Government [4]
Journalism & Media [29]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Natural Resources [30]
Policy [31]
Pollution [16]
Science [32]
Waste [33]
Water & Oceans [6]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [8]
International [21]
Visibility: 
Public [7]

Under Siege from Ethics Probes, Interior Dept. Proposes Gutting Rules on Open Records [34]

Journalism groups, among them the Society of Environmental Journalists, have raised objections to an under-the-radar plan by the Interior Department that would essentially allow it to turn down almost any Freedom of Information Act requests it chose. SEJ filed comments opposing the proposal on Jan. 28. See what rules change Interior has requested and get more on SEJ’s response in the latest WatchDog Tipsheet.

SEJ Publication Types: 
WatchDog TipSheet [35]
Topics on the Beat: 
Activism [24]
Environmental Politics [2]
Government [4]
Journalism & Media [29]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Natural Resources [30]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [8]
Visibility: 
Public [7]

Environment and Energy News Outlook for 2019 [36]

With 2019 in full swing, the SEJournal offers an analysis of the year ahead in environment and energy news, with an overview of our full special report, the “2019 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment [37].” Plus, don’t miss SEJ’s Jan. 25 event with top reporters [38] to help you keep track of the big stories on the beat. RSVP here [39] to attend in-person or online.

SEJ Publication Types: 
Features [40]
Topics on the Beat: 
Activism [24]
Air [12]
Chemicals [41]
Climate Change [26]
Disasters [27]
Economy & Business [28]
Energy & Fuel [14]
Environmental Health [42]
Environmental Politics [2]
Government [4]
Health [15]
Journalism & Media [29]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Natural Resources [30]
People & Population [43]
Policy [31]
Pollution [16]
Science [32]
Transportation [44]
Waste [33]
Water & Oceans [6]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [8]
Visibility: 
Public [7]

Will the Downturn in Environmental Enforcement Continue in 2019? [45]

Enforcement on the environment front is way down recently, and that may not just be true at the EPA but other federal and state agencies as well. This special edition of TipSheet, part of our 2019 Journalists’ Guide to Energy and Environment, tracks the trend, pointing to some exemplary reporting that’s been covering the issue and showing how to use numerous data sources to investigate it on your own.

SEJ Publication Types: 
TipSheet [11]
Topics on the Beat: 
Activism [24]
Environmental Politics [2]
Government [4]
Journalism & Media [29]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [8]
Visibility: 
Public [7]

Trump Admin To Bring Back Offshore Drilling Staff During Shutdown [46]

"The Trump administration is bringing dozens of federal employees back to work to carry out the administration’s plan to expand offshore oil and natural gas drilling."

Economy & Business [28]
Energy & Fuel [14]
Environmental Politics [2]
Government [4]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Public [7]
National (U.S.) [8]
Source: The Hill [47], 01/16/2019

How the Shutdown Is Delaying Climate Data and Undercutting Scientists [48]

"If you want official numbers on how 2018 ranks in the annals of recent record-breaking temperatures, you’ll have to wait."

Government [4]
Science [32]
Public [7]
National (U.S.) [8]
Source: NY Times [49], 01/16/2019

"U.S. Lettuce Industry, Wary Of E. Coli, Wants FDA Back On The Job" [50]

"It’s the peak of the leafy greens growing season in Yuma, Ariz., where irrigated valleys are lush and verdant amid cactus-covered mountains. .... But these are anxious times for the leafy greens industry, and the partial federal government shutdown and furloughing of many Food and Drug Administration officials has deepened the distress."

Agriculture [25]
Environmental Politics [2]
Food [51]
Government [4]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Public [7]
National (U.S.) [8]
Source: Washington Post [52], 01/16/2019

"Senators Consider Former Lobbyist As EPA’s Permanent Chief" [53]

"Acting Environmental Protection Agency chief Andrew Wheeler’s past lobbying work for coal companies and other industries regulated by the agency is expected to draw scrutiny Wednesday when a Senate committee considers his nomination to the position."

Environmental Politics [2]
Government [4]
Laws & Regulations [5]
Public [7]
National (U.S.) [8]
Source: AP [54], 01/16/2019

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Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/headlines/top-leader-interior-dept-pushes-policy-favoring-his-former-client [2] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-politics [3] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/fisheries [4] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government [5] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/laws [6] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/water [7] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81 [8] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national [9] https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/12/climate/david-bernhardt-endangered-species.html [10] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/delay-epa-rule-wood-stove-heating-fires-controversy [11] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication/tipsheet [12] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/air [13] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer [14] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy [15] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/health [16] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/pollution [17] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/alaska-and-hawaii [18] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mid-atlantic [19] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northeast [20] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northwest [21] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international [22] https://www.sej.org/publications/sej-news/prominent-reporters-see-critical-year-ahead-energy-environment [23] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/sej-news [24] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/activism [25] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/agriculture [26] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/climate-change [27] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster [28] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/business [29] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media [30] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/land [31] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/policy [32] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/science [33] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/waste [34] https://www.sej.org/publications/watchdog-tipsheet/under-siege-ethics-probes-interior-dept-proposes-gutting-rules-open [35] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication/watchdog-tipsheet [36] https://www.sej.org/publications/features/environment-and-energy-news-outlook-2019 [37] https://www.sej.org/publications/sej-news/2019-journalists-guide-energy-environment [38] https://www.sej.org/2019-journalists-guide-energy-environment [39] https://engage.wilsoncenter.org/onlineactions/bURnhdX8gkmiY05WVePN4w2 [40] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/features [41] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/chemicals/toxics [42] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-health [43] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/people-population [44] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/transportation [45] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/will-downturn-environmental-enforcement-continue-2019 [46] https://www.sej.org/headlines/trump-admin-bring-back-offshore-drilling-staff-during-shutdown [47] https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/425501-trump-administration-to-bring-back-offshore-drilling-staff-during [48] https://www.sej.org/headlines/how-shutdown-delaying-climate-data-and-undercutting-scientists [49] https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/15/climate/government-shutdown-climate-change.html [50] https://www.sej.org/headlines/us-lettuce-industry-wary-e-coli-wants-fda-back-job [51] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/food [52] https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/us-lettuce-industry-wary-of-e-coli-wants-fda-back-on-the-job/2019/01/15/36a9b268-18d4-11e9-8813-cb9dec761e73_story.html?utm_term=.7d1c02c8d57a [53] https://www.sej.org/headlines/senators-consider-former-lobbyist-epa%E2%80%99s-permanent-chief [54] https://www.apnews.com/a01e307f6f0a44bf9626fed2fd12d698 [55] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=144 [56] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=141 [57] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=142 [58] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=143 [59] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=146 [60] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=147 [61] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=148 [62] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=149 [63] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=280