Published on SEJ (https://www.sej.org)

Home > Journalism & Media

Grid Data Can Guide Reporting on Power Disasters [1]

The power and water fiasco that followed a deep freeze in Texas was a predictable debacle and, thus, a warning signal to journalists covering disasters and climate-driven weather extremes. To help, the latest Reporter’s Toolbox provides a rundown of data sources about power grids, from local, regional and national entities, and recommends you start tracking the numbers and be prepared.

SEJ Publication Types: 
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Climate Change [3]
Consumer [4]
Disasters [5]
Energy & Fuel [6]
Government [7]
Infrastructure [8]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Planning & Growth [11]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [12]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [13]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [14]
Visibility: 
Public [15]
April 1, 2021

DEADLINE: Green River Field Institute [16]

This journalistic exploration of the Green River’s Desolation Canyon in Utah, Jun 12-18, 2021, will focus on inquiry, truth-telling and resonance in the realm of Western water resources, hosted by SEJ member Heather Hansman (pictured at left), author of "Downriver: Into the Future of Water in the West." Register by Apr 1 or earlier; space is limited.

Other Events [17]
Visibility: 
Public [15]
Topics on the Beat: 
Environmental Studies [18]
Journalism & Media [9]
Region: 
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [19]

SEJ Urges Interior To Let the Sun Shine In Again [20]

The Society of Environmental Journalists sent a letter on February 19, 2021 to Interior Secretary-Designate Debra Haaland with a list of more than a dozen recommendations for letting the sun shine more fully in the Department of the Interior, including respecting the vital role that journalists play in our democracy. Read text of the letter [21].

Topics on the Beat: 
Environmental Politics [22]
Government [7]
Journalism & Media [9]
Visibility: 
Public [15]
December 31, 2025

DEADLINE: National Science-Health-Environment Reporting Fellowships [23]

Applications are open for the National Science-Health-Environment Reporting Fellowships (SHERF), a collaboration of the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing (CASW), the Association of Health Care Journalists (AHCJ) and the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ). Early-career US journalists will receive training, networking, mentoring, new sources and story ideas — while allowing them to stay at their jobs. Read the announcement, watch the recording of the Nov. 21 info webinar or apply now [24] (Dec. 31 deadline).

Workshops and Fellowships [25]
Visibility: 
Public [15]
Topics on the Beat: 
Environmental Health [26]
Health [27]
Journalism & Media [9]
Science [28]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [12]

After Pork Giant Was Exposed for Cruel Killings, FBI Pursued Its Critics [29]

"The agency, seeking information on an animal rights group, attempted to recruit a former truck driver as an informant, the truck driver says."

Agriculture [30]
Food [31]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [12]
Source: The Intercept [32], 02/18/2021

DuPont Sold La. Plant Amid Fears Over Cost Of Offsetting Toxic Emissions [33]

"Chemicals giant DuPont decided to sell a plant in south Louisiana that emits a likely cancer causing pollutant, citing “major concerns” that government agencies would regulate its emissions to protect the community living nearby, internal documents seen by the Guardian reveal."

Chemicals [34]
Environmental Health [26]
Environmental Justice [35]
Environmental Politics [22]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Pollution [36]
Public [15]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [37]
Source: Guardian [38], 02/18/2021

"Firefighters Face Lies, 'Phony' Studies on PFAS Exposure" [39]

"Firefighters attempting to uncover the truth about carcinogens in their protective clothing are confronted with the same playbook chemical companies have used for decades: twisting science to deny and downplay the dangers of their products."

Chemicals [34]
Disasters [5]
Environmental Health [26]
Environmental Politics [22]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [12]
Source: E&E News [40], 02/18/2021

"Texas Was Warned a Decade Ago Its Grid Was Unready for Cold" [41]

"Federal regulators warned Texas that its power plants couldn’t be counted on to reliably churn out electricity in bitterly cold conditions a decade ago, when the last deep freeze plunged 4 million people into the dark."

Climate Change [3]
Disasters [5]
Energy & Fuel [6]
Environmental Politics [22]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Public [15]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [14]
Source: Bloomberg [42], 02/18/2021

"How the Fossil Fuel Industry Convinced Americans to Love Gas Stoves" [43]

Public relations operatives for a gas company posed as neighbors to convince Californians to stick with gas stoves.

Climate Change [3]
Energy & Fuel [6]
Environmental Health [26]
Environmental Politics [22]
Journalism & Media [9]
Laws & Regulations [10]
Public [15]
National (U.S.) [12]
Source: Mother Jones [44], 02/17/2021
February 19, 2021

Workshop: How Professional Communicators Decode Climate Misinformation [45]

Join Climate Central, 1-2pm ET, in a conversation with academic experts and journalists for advice on recognizing, decoding, avoiding and covering climate misinformation. Includes live Q&A. Registration required.

Other Events [17]
Visibility: 
Public [15]
Topics on the Beat: 
Climate Change [3]
Journalism & Media [9]

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/journalism/media?page=247

Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/publications/reporters-toolbox/grid-data-can-guide-reporting-power-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/consumer [5] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster [6] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy [7] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government [8] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/infrastructure [9] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media [10] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/laws [11] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/cities-towns [12] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national [13] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northeast [14] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest [15] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81 [16] https://www.sej.org/calendar/deadline-green-river-field-institute [17] https://www.sej.org/category/event-type/other-events [18] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmentalists [19] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mountain-west [20] https://www.sej.org/sej-urges-interior-let-sun-shine-again [21] https://www.sej.org/sites/default/files/sej-interior-haaland-letter-02192021.pdf [22] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-politics [23] https://www.sej.org/calendar/deadline-national-science-health-environment-reporting-fellowships [24] https://healthjournalism.org/fellowships/national-science-health-environment-reporting-fellowships/ [25] https://www.sej.org/category/event-type/workshops/fellowships [26] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-health [27] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/health [28] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/science [29] https://www.sej.org/headlines/after-pork-giant-was-exposed-cruel-killings-fbi-pursued-its-critics [30] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/agriculture [31] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/food [32] https://theintercept.com/2021/02/17/fbi-iowa-select-pigs-whistleblower/ [33] https://www.sej.org/headlines/dupont-sold-la-plant-amid-fears-over-cost-offsetting-toxic-emissions [34] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/chemicals/toxics [35] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-justice [36] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/pollution [37] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southeast [38] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/feb/17/revealed-chemicals-dupont-giant-sold-louisiana-plant-fears-offsetting-toxic-emissions [39] https://www.sej.org/headlines/firefighters-face-lies-phony-studies-pfas-exposure [40] https://www.eenews.net/stories/1063725299 [41] https://www.sej.org/headlines/texas-was-warned-decade-ago-its-grid-was-unready-cold [42] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-17/texas-was-warned-a-decade-ago-its-grid-was-unprepared-for-cold [43] https://www.sej.org/headlines/how-fossil-fuel-industry-convinced-americans-love-gas-stoves [44] https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2021/02/how-the-fossil-fuel-industry-convinced-americans-to-love-gas-stoves/ [45] https://www.sej.org/calendar/workshop-how-professional-communicators-decode-climate-misinformation [46] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media?page=246 [47] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media?page=243 [48] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media?page=244 [49] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media?page=245 [50] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media?page=248 [51] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media?page=249 [52] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media?page=250 [53] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media?page=251 [54] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media?page=553