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Air Needs Freshening in Most U.S. National Park Units [1]

The nation’s parks are generally thought to be pristine natural havens. But a recent study finds the overwhelming majority suffer from air pollution problems like smog and ozone. That makes for important local and regional news stories, per the latest biweekly TipSheet. Get background, story ideas, resources and more.

SEJ Publication Types: 
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Air [3]
Chemicals [4]
Consumer [5]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Environmental Studies [8]
Forests [9]
Government [10]
Health [11]
Journalism & Media [12]
Laws & Regulations [13]
Natural Resources [14]
Pollution [15]
Science [16]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [17]
Visibility: 
Public [18]

Closure of Civilian Conservation Centers Ignites Controversy [19]

A decades-old environmental jobs program that provided work for thousands of disadvantaged young people across more than a dozen states has been hit with one of the largest federal downsizings in a decade. Find out how the closing of some Civilian Conservation Centers may be a story near you, from the latest TipSheet.

SEJ Publication Types: 
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Economy & Business [20]
Environmental Politics [7]
Forests [9]
Government [10]
Journalism & Media [12]
Natural Resources [14]
People & Population [21]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [17]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [22]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [23]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [24]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [25]
Northwest (OR WA) [26]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [27]
Visibility: 
Public [18]

Urban Farming a Fertile Bed for Crop of Local Stories [28]

The rise of the modern environmental and food movements has shifted urban farming into high gear. For environmental journalists, that could yield a bumper crop of local stories. The latest TipSheet has more, along with questions to ask, story angles to follow and reporting resources to tap.

SEJ Publication Types: 
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Activism [29]
Agriculture [30]
Chemicals [4]
Consumer [5]
Food [31]
Health [11]
Journalism & Media [12]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [17]
International [32]
Visibility: 
Public [18]

Follow Fish Advisories To Catch Local Stories [33]

Toxic chemicals and disease-causing microorganisms can be found in some fresh-caught fish. And that means local stories for environmental journalists, who can pick up on problems through federal and state fish advisories. The latest TipSheet explains the health impacts and how they’re regulated, plus questions to ask and story ideas, including an environmental justice angle.

SEJ Publication Types: 
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Chemicals [4]
Consumer [5]
Environmental Health [6]
Fish & Fisheries [34]
Food [31]
Journalism & Media [12]
Laws & Regulations [13]
Natural Resources [14]
Pollution [15]
Water & Oceans [35]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [17]
Visibility: 
Public [18]

Is Your Local Landfill Leaking Methane? [36]

It’s a good case for the global-local nexus: The potent greenhouse gas methane may be leaking from your local landfill. And this week’s TipSheet explains the latest news developments in this long-standing controversy, as well as policy disputes over capturing the gas. Plus, get story ideas and questions to ask for your local reporting.

SEJ Publication Types: 
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Activism [29]
Air [3]
Chemicals [4]
Climate Change [37]
Consumer [5]
Environmental Politics [7]
Journalism & Media [12]
Laws & Regulations [13]
Waste [38]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [17]
California [39]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [22]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [24]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [40]
Northwest (OR WA) [26]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [41]
Visibility: 
Public [18]

State of the Air Report Spotlights Persistent Pollution Problems [42]

Happen to have any air breathers in your audience? Then the latest State of the Air Report will give you fodder to cover the persistent pollution problems that plague the skies. This week’s TipSheet has the backstory on the fight against air pollution and five smart ways to tell the story from a local-regional context.

SEJ Publication Types: 
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Air [3]
Chemicals [4]
Climate Change [37]
Government [10]
Health [11]
Journalism & Media [12]
Laws & Regulations [13]
Natural Resources [14]
Pollution [15]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [17]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [24]
International [32]
Asia [43]
Visibility: 
Public [18]

Track Wetlands Stories with National Inventory Tool [44]

As a battle brews over which U.S. waters are protected, environmental journalists can use an invaluable national database to pinpoint vulnerable wetlands. This week’s TipSheet has more on the National Wetlands Inventory, the backstory on wetlands protection, why it matters, and reporting resources and story ideas.

SEJ Publication Types: 
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Activism [29]
Agriculture [30]
Biodiversity [45]
Environmental Health [6]
Environmental Politics [7]
Fish & Fisheries [34]
Journalism & Media [12]
Laws & Regulations [13]
Natural Resources [14]
Pollution [15]
Water & Oceans [35]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [17]
Visibility: 
Public [18]

Is Your Favorite River Endangered? Check the List. [46]

The latest release of the annual endangered rivers list provides boatloads of environmental reporting angles, including climate change-related threats like flooding and drought. This week’s TipSheet has the backstory and the new top-10 list, plus 10 suggested starting points for stories and a half-dozen key reporting resources.

SEJ Publication Types: 
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Activism [29]
Climate Change [37]
Consumer [5]
Environmental Health [6]
Fish & Fisheries [34]
Journalism & Media [12]
Natural Resources [14]
Pollution [15]
Science [16]
Water & Oceans [35]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [17]
Alaska and Hawaii [47]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [22]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [23]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [25]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [40]
Northwest (OR WA) [26]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [27]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [41]
Visibility: 
Public [18]

Use EPA TRI Database To Find Toxic Threats [48]

The Toxics Release Inventory database, refreshed annually, has long been the foundation of many a good environmental news story. The latest release is now out, and this week’s TipSheet reminds journalists why the searchable online TRI can be such a valuable reporting tool in tracking toxic dangers.

SEJ Publication Types: 
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Activism [29]
Air [3]
Chemicals [4]
Disasters [49]
Environmental Health [6]
Government [10]
Health [11]
Journalism & Media [12]
Laws & Regulations [13]
Pollution [15]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [17]
International [32]
Asia [43]
Visibility: 
Public [18]

Styrofoam Container Bans May Be Trending [50]

The first state ban on styrofoam food containers makes this a good time to see how things stand with styrofoam in your area, as the controversial plastic draws negative attention for overflowing landfills, causing litter and polluting waters. More, plus story ideas and reporting resources, in this week’s TipSheet.

SEJ Publication Types: 
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Activism [29]
Chemicals [4]
Consumer [5]
Environmental Politics [7]
Fish & Fisheries [34]
Food [31]
Health [11]
Journalism & Media [12]
Laws & Regulations [13]
Pollution [15]
Waste [38]
Water & Oceans [35]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [17]
California [39]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [24]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [40]
Northwest (OR WA) [26]
Visibility: 
Public [18]

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Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/air-needs-freshening-most-us-national-park-units [2] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication/tipsheet [3] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/air [4] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/chemicals/toxics [5] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer [6] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-health [7] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-politics [8] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmentalists [9] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/forests [10] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government [11] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/health [12] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media [13] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/laws [14] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/land [15] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/pollution [16] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/science [17] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national [18] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81 [19] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/closure-civilian-conservation-centers-ignites-controversy [20] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/business [21] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/people-population [22] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/great-lakes [23] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/great-plains [24] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mid-atlantic [25] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mountain-west [26] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northwest [27] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southeast [28] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/urban-ag-fertile-bed-crop-local-stories [29] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/activism [30] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/agriculture [31] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/food [32] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international [33] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/follow-fish-advisories-catch-local-stories [34] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/fisheries [35] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/water [36] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/your-local-landfill-leaking-methane [37] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/climate-change [38] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/waste [39] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/california [40] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northeast [41] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest [42] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/state-air-report-spotlights-persistent-pollution-problems [43] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/asia [44] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/track-wetlands-stories-national-inventory-tool [45] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/biodiversity-1 [46] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/your-favorite-river-endangered-check-list [47] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/alaska-and-hawaii [48] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/use-epa-tri-database-find-toxic-threats [49] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster [50] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/styrofoam-container-bans-may-be-trending [51] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication/tipsheet?page=13 [52] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication/tipsheet?page=10 [53] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication/tipsheet?page=11 [54] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication/tipsheet?page=12 [55] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication/tipsheet?page=15 [56] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication/tipsheet?page=16 [57] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication/tipsheet?page=17 [58] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication/tipsheet?page=18 [59] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication/tipsheet?page=90