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Is Climate Data at Risk From Natural Disasters? [1]

When Hurricane Helene ravaged a swath of the Southeast in September, leaving at least 230 people dead, it also temporarily took out a critical repository of climate data in Asheville, North Carolina. That got Reporter’s Toolbox thinking about the risks to some of the nation’s other important storehouses of environmental information, whether from extreme weather, hackers or politics. Here’s a shortlist.

SEJ Publication Types: 
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [4]
Environmental Politics [5]
Environmental Studies [6]
Government [7]
Science [8]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [9]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [10]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [11]
Visibility: 
Public [12]

Harris Must Shed More Light on Her Press Freedom Views [13]

Yes, press freedom advocates worry over the prospects of a Trump administration that considers journalists “the enemy of the people.” But the new WatchDog Opinion column argues the Harris campaign has, for its part, been uncomfortably quiet on those same issues. So it’s time for the Democratic presidential hopeful to answer some questions. WatchDog has 10 we should all be asking.

SEJ Publication Types: 
WatchDog [14]
Topics on the Beat: 
Government [7]
Journalism & Media [15]
Policy [16]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [9]
Visibility: 
Public [12]

Harris, In Impromptu CNN Call, Says Trump’s Hurricane Comments ‘Dangerous’ [17]

"Vice President Harris called into CNN on Wednesday to talk about Hurricane Milton as it approaches Florida, bashing former President Trump for his comments about the federal government’s response to the latest storms."

Climate Change [3]
Disasters [4]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [7]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [9]
Source: The Hill [18], 10/10/2024

"Fact Check: Six Days Of Trump Lies About The Hurricane Helene Response" [19]

"Former President Donald Trump has delivered a barrage of lies and distortions about the federal response to Hurricane Helene."

Climate Change [3]
Disasters [4]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [7]
Journalism & Media [15]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [9]
Source: CNN [20], 10/09/2024

"Back-to-Back Hurricanes Set to Strain FEMA as Its Funds Run Low" [21]

"The cash-strapped US Federal Emergency Management Agency is set to be tested by back-to-back major disasters as Hurricane Milton barrels toward Florida’s Gulf Coast less than two weeks after Helene devastated the Southeast."

Climate Change [3]
Disasters [4]
Economy & Business [22]
Government [7]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [9]
Source: Bloomberg Green [23], 10/08/2024

EPA Drinking Water Limits For PFAS Are Under Threat – And That’s Nothing New [24]

"Though utilities’ mission is to provide clean water, their trade groups for decades have often fiercely opposed initiatives to improve quality"

Chemicals [25]
Consumer [26]
Environmental Health [27]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [7]
Infrastructure [28]
Laws & Regulations [29]
Pollution [30]
Water & Oceans [31]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [9]
Source: Guardian [32], 10/07/2024

Public Records Bring Independent Reporting to the Next Level [33]

Freelancers may worry they don’t have time to chase down government documents. But if you’re looking for tools to help get your hands on public records, help is on the way. In the new Freelance Files, MuckRock’s Dillon Bergin offers a step-by-step guide to filing document requests, organizing and analyzing your documents and joining the FOIA community. Get started [33].

SEJ Publication Types: 
Freelance Files [34]
Topics on the Beat: 
Air [35]
Government [7]
Journalism & Media [15]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [36]
Pollution [30]
Water & Oceans [31]
Wildlife [37]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [9]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [38]
Visibility: 
Public [12]

"Former Top Interior Official Violated Ethics Rules, Watchdog Says" [39]

"Tommy Beaudreau, who served as the Interior Department’s No. 2 official before stepping down last year, violated federal ethics rules by failing to monitor his investments in oil companies and recuse himself from a related matter, the agency’s internal watchdog said in a report released Tuesday."

Energy & Fuel [40]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [7]
Laws & Regulations [29]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [9]
Source: Washington Post [41], 10/02/2024

Biden Says He Could Ask Congress to Pass Aid for ‘Catastrophic’ Helene Damage [42]

"The president, who plans to travel to North Carolina this week, said he might need to call Congress in for a special session after it did not include additional disaster relief in its spending bill."

Climate Change [3]
Disasters [4]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [7]
Laws & Regulations [29]
People & Population [43]
Water & Oceans [31]
Public [12]
National (U.S.) [9]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [11]
Source: NYTimes [44], 10/01/2024

Does Kamala Harris Have a Green Streak? [45]

While Kamala Harris has provided little detail about what her environment and energy policies would be as president, her record has been enough to win her the quick support of most major environmental groups, finds the latest Issue Backgrounder. A look at her record on the Green New Deal and fracking, her presidential environmental platform and her contrasts with GOP rival Donald Trump.

SEJ Publication Types: 
Backgrounders [46]
Topics on the Beat: 
Activism [47]
Climate Change [3]
Energy & Fuel [40]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [7]
Infrastructure [28]
Laws & Regulations [29]
Policy [16]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [9]
California [48]
International [49]
Visibility: 
Public [12]

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Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/publications/reporters-toolbox/climate-data-risk-natural-disasters [2] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/reporter%E2%80%99s-toolbox [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/environmental-politics [6] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmentalists [7] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government [8] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/science [9] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national [10] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mountain-west [11] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southeast [12] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81 [13] https://www.sej.org/publications/watchdog/harris-must-shed-more-light-her-press-freedom-views [14] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/watchdog [15] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media [16] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/policy [17] https://www.sej.org/headlines/harris-impromptu-cnn-call-says-trump-s-hurricane-comments-dangerous [18] https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/4924499-kamala-harris-impromptu-cnn-call-hurricane-milton/ [19] https://www.sej.org/headlines/fact-check-six-days-trump-lies-about-hurricane-helene-response [20] https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/06/politics/fact-check-trump-helene-response-north-carolina/index.html [21] https://www.sej.org/headlines/back-back-hurricanes-set-strain-fema-its-funds-run-low [22] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/business [23] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-07/back-to-back-hurricanes-set-to-strain-fema-as-its-funds-run-low?srnd=green [24] https://www.sej.org/headlines/epa-drinking-water-limits-pfas-are-under-threat-and-s-nothing-new [25] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/chemicals/toxics [26] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer [27] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-health [28] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/infrastructure [29] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/laws [30] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/pollution [31] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/water [32] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/02/epa-drinking-water-limits-pfas-analysis [33] https://www.sej.org/publications/freelance-files/public-records-bring-independent-reporting-next-level [34] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/freelance-files [35] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/air [36] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/nuclear-power/radiation [37] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/wildlife [38] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/great-lakes [39] https://www.sej.org/headlines/former-top-interior-official-violated-ethics-rules-watchdog-says [40] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy [41] https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/10/01/tommy-beaudreau-interior-department-ethics/ [42] https://www.sej.org/headlines/biden-says-he-could-ask-congress-pass-aid-catastrophic-helene-damage [43] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/people-population [44] https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/30/us/politics/biden-helene-congress.html [45] https://www.sej.org/publications/backgrounders/does-kamala-harris-have-green-streak [46] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/backgrounders [47] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/activism [48] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/california [49] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international [50] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=54 [51] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=51 [52] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=52 [53] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=53 [54] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=56 [55] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=57 [56] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=58 [57] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=59 [58] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government?page=290