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An Editor’s Eye View to Successful Pitching [1]

The not-so-simple act of pitching story ideas is among the biggest challenges facing freelance environmental reporters. Is the pitch smartly targeted, thoroughly researched, well-crafted? Our new Freelance Files co-editor Marianne Messina spoke to four top-level editors at well-known outlets to get their perspectives on making a successful pitch. Learn why outlets need you, what they look for and how to avoid basic mistakes.

SEJ Publication Types: 
Freelance Files [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Journalism & Media [3]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [4]
International [5]
Visibility: 
Public [6]

Follow the Money … for Lobbying State Legislatures [7]

With many states dominated by a few powerful industries — whether oil, mining or agriculture — the influence of campaign dollars can have an outsize effect on legislation, even to the point of corruption, notes the latest Reporter’s Toolbox. So while the U.S. Congress may be languishing, environmental journalists can dig up stories on lobbying at the state level using a powerful data source.

SEJ Publication Types: 
Reporters Toolbox [8]
Topics on the Beat: 
Activism [9]
Agriculture [10]
Economy & Business [11]
Energy & Fuel [12]
Environmental Politics [13]
Government [14]
Journalism & Media [3]
Laws & Regulations [15]
Policy [16]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [4]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [17]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [18]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [19]
Visibility: 
Public [6]
April 11, 2025

Mongabay Webinar: How To Cover Wildlife Corridors [20]

This edition of Mongabay’s webinar series will examine how journalists can report on corridors and answer key questions related to their use in law, policy, scientific research, conservation and human development. 10:30 a.m. ET.

Other Events [21]
Visibility: 
Public [6]
Topics on the Beat: 
Journalism & Media [3]
Planning & Growth [22]
Wildlife [23]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [4]
International [5]
April 24, 2025

The Language of Climate Politics: Author Genevieve Guenther in Conversation With Journalist Daniel Wolfe [24]

This in-person event, 5-7 p.m. at the University of Rhode Island, is open to the public. Join The Washington Post's Daniel Wolfe for a conversation with Guenther about her investigation into the propaganda that justifies the fossil-fuel economy and offering new ways to talk about the climate crisis in an effort to create transformative change.

Other Events [21]
Visibility: 
Public [6]
Topics on the Beat: 
Climate Change [25]
Environmental Politics [13]
Journalism & Media [3]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [4]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [26]
April 3, 2025

DEADLINE: Metcalf Ocean Nexus Academy — A Fellowship for Journalists [27]

This new three-month fellowship program for US-based, mid-career journalists was created by Ocean Nexus and Metcalf Institute, in collaboration with the Uproot Project, to advance transformative changes at the intersection of ocean governance, social justice, and equity. Apply by Apr 3, 2025.

Workshops and Fellowships [28]
Visibility: 
Public [6]
Topics on the Beat: 
Environmental Health [29]
Environmental Justice [30]
Environmental Studies [31]
Fish & Fisheries [32]
Journalism & Media [3]
Water & Oceans [33]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [4]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [26]

Trump’s FEMA Deleted A New Extreme Weather Risk Tool. We Recreated It [34]

"The Guardian has recreated a searchable climate future risk tool developed by Fema but then deleted"

Climate Change [25]
Disasters [35]
Environmental Health [29]
Environmental Politics [13]
Journalism & Media [3]
People & Population [36]
Public [6]
National (U.S.) [4]
Source: Guardian [37], 03/27/2025

"Why Will It Take DOGE Three Years To Respond To A Simple FOIA?" [38]

"District Judge Christopher Cooper recently found that the Department of Government Efficiency is “likely covered” by the Freedom of Information Act, and, because it has “substantial authority independent of the President,” cannot hide its records in the Presidential Records Act’s giant loopholes. This is good news, but it’s not a guarantee DOGE’s records will soon see the light of day."

Activism [9]
Environmental Justice [30]
Environmental Politics [13]
Government [14]
Journalism & Media [3]
Laws & Regulations [15]
Public [6]
National (U.S.) [4]
Source: Freedom of Press Foundation [39], 03/27/2025

Group Targets Law Prof Who Inspired Laws to Hold Fossil Industry Accountable [40]

"A conservative group is suing for emails of a law professor who helped create legislation to force oil, gas and coal companies to pay for climate damage."

Activism [9]
Climate Change [25]
Environmental Politics [13]
Journalism & Media [3]
Laws & Regulations [15]
Pollution [41]
Public [6]
National (U.S.) [4]
Source: NYTimes [42], 03/27/2025

In Testimony, RCFP Attorney Highlights Government Threats To Free Speech [43]

"An attorney from the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press highlighted several government threats to free speech, including the recent White House ban on The Associated Press, while testifying on Tuesday before a U.S. Senate subcommittee about “The Censorship-Industrial Complex.”

Environmental Politics [13]
Government [14]
Journalism & Media [3]
Laws & Regulations [15]
Public [6]
National (U.S.) [4]
Source: RCFP [44], 03/27/2025

"The Doublespeak of Energy Secretary Chris Wright" [45]

"In his confirmation hearing, the Liberty Energy founder pledged broad support for renewable energy. But when speaking to conservatives, he declared, “We don’t have replacements” for coal, oil and gas."

Climate Change [25]
Energy & Fuel [12]
Environmental Politics [13]
Journalism & Media [3]
Public [6]
National (U.S.) [4]
Source: ProPublica [46], 03/25/2025

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Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/publications/freelance-files/editor-s-eye-view-successful-pitching [2] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/freelance-files [3] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media [4] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national [5] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international [6] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81 [7] https://www.sej.org/publications/reporters-toolbox/follow-money-lobbying-state-legislatures [8] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/reporter%E2%80%99s-toolbox [9] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/activism [10] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/agriculture [11] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/business [12] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy [13] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-politics [14] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government [15] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/laws [16] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/policy [17] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/great-plains [18] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mid-atlantic [19] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest [20] https://www.sej.org/calendar/mongabay-webinar-how-cover-wildlife-corridors [21] https://www.sej.org/category/event-type/other-events [22] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/cities-towns [23] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/wildlife [24] https://www.sej.org/calendar/language-climate-politics-author-genevieve-guenther-conversation-journalist-daniel-wolfe [25] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/climate-change [26] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northeast [27] https://www.sej.org/calendar/deadline-metcalf-ocean-nexus-academy-fellowship-journalists [28] https://www.sej.org/category/event-type/workshops/fellowships [29] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-health [30] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-justice [31] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmentalists [32] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/fisheries [33] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/water [34] https://www.sej.org/headlines/trump-s-fema-deleted-new-extreme-weather-risk-tool-we-recreated-it [35] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster [36] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/people-population [37] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2025/mar/26/extreme-weather-risk-tool-fema-trump [38] https://www.sej.org/headlines/why-will-it-take-doge-three-years-respond-simple-foia [39] https://freedom.press/the-classifieds/why-will-it-take-doge-three-years-to-respond-to-a-simple-foia/ [40] https://www.sej.org/headlines/group-targets-law-prof-who-inspired-laws-hold-fossil-industry-accountable [41] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/pollution [42] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/27/climate/she-inspired-laws-to-hold-the-fossil-fuel-industry-accountable-now-shes-a-target.html [43] https://www.sej.org/headlines/testimony-rcfp-attorney-highlights-government-threats-free-speech [44] https://www.rcfp.org/rottman-senate-judiciary-testimony/ [45] https://www.sej.org/headlines/doublespeak-energy-secretary-chris-wright [46] https://www.propublica.org/article/energy-secretary-chris-wright-climate-change-double-speak-oil-gas-trump [47] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media?page=77 [48] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media?page=74 [49] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media?page=75 [50] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media?page=76 [51] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media?page=79 [52] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media?page=80 [53] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media?page=81 [54] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media?page=82 [55] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media?page=583