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Septic Systems Often Hide Neglected Local Stories [1]

Millions of Americans rely on their own onsite wastewater treatment, commonly known as septic systems. And many of those systems are connected to private wells. But unless they are properly sited, designed, built and maintained, they can contaminate drinking water, bringing dangerous waterborne illnesses. The latest TipSheet explains how to turn this often ignored issue into a local story.

SEJ Publication Types: 
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Chemicals [3]
Consumer [4]
Environmental Justice [5]
Health [6]
Infrastructure [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Planning & Growth [10]
Pollution [11]
Waste [12]
Water & Oceans [13]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [14]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [15]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [16]
Visibility: 
Public [17]

Climate Change Action May Depend on Supreme Court [18]

A milestone legal challenge soon to be decided by the U.S. high court could severely limit how the U.S. government regulates the greenhouse gasses that cause climate change. The new Issue Backgrounder takes a look at West Virginia v. EPA, its legal implications, the politics behind it and what it would mean for efforts to curb future impacts of global warming.

SEJ Publication Types: 
Backgrounders [19]
Topics on the Beat: 
Air [20]
Climate Change [21]
Energy & Fuel [22]
Environmental Politics [23]
Government [24]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Policy [25]
Pollution [11]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [14]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [26]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [15]
Visibility: 
Public [17]

"Can Oysters Save New York City From The Next Big Storm?" [27]

"A new project aims to shore up the disappearing coastline of New York City’s Staten Island, while reviving a once famously thriving oyster population".

Climate Change [21]
Fish & Fisheries [28]
Infrastructure [7]
Natural Resources [29]
Water & Oceans [13]
Public [17]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [15]
Source: Guardian [30], 03/18/2022

"Adirondack Rail Trail Takes Another Step Closer To Reality" [31]

"The transfer of a 34-mile section of a Adirondacks railbed from one state agency to another is being heralded as the start of a major phase to convert it into a recreational pathway."

Infrastructure [7]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Natural Resources [29]
Transportation [32]
Public [17]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [15]
Source: Albany Times Union [33], 03/15/2022

"EPA To GE: Good To Go On Housatonic River Cleanup" [34]

"The Environmental Protection Agency’s approach to removing toxins from the Housatonic River, first outlined in broad terms two years ago, now is official."

Chemicals [3]
Environmental Health [35]
Environmental Politics [23]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Pollution [11]
Water & Oceans [13]
Public [17]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [15]
Source: Berkshire Eagle [36], 03/04/2022

"New Hampshire Town Polluted With PFAS Has Elevated Cancer Rates" [37]

"Residents of a New Hampshire town where drinking water was contaminated with the industrial compounds known as PFAS have elevated rates of several cancers compared to the national average and compared to several nearby communities that were not contaminated with the chemicals, according to a study published today in the journal Environmental Health Insights."

Chemicals [3]
Environmental Health [35]
Public [17]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [15]
Source: The Intercept [38], 02/21/2022

"Harris in NJ Points To Newark As Model For Lead Replacement" [39]

"The success of New Jersey’s biggest city at replacing nearly 24,000 lead drinking water pipes can serve as a national model and shows why infrastructure spending is vital, Vice President Kamala Harris said Friday in Newark."

Chemicals [3]
Consumer [4]
Environmental Health [35]
Environmental Justice [5]
Environmental Politics [23]
Infrastructure [7]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Pollution [11]
Water & Oceans [13]
Public [17]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [15]
Source: AP [40], 02/14/2022
March 3, 2022

DEADLINE: Diamonstein-Spielvogel Fellowships at Columbia Climate School [41]

Columbia University's Climate School in New York City invites applications for two fellowships, with all costs paid – tuition, fees and living expenses. So, journalists, if you’re considering getting a masters to enhance your environmental coverage, apply by Mar 3 for the 2022-23 academic year.

Workshops and Fellowships [42]
Visibility: 
Public [17]
Topics on the Beat: 
Climate Change [21]
Region: 
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [15]

"Climate Change May Be Fueling Increase In Major Northeast Snowstorms" [43]

"Scientists say the recent surge of intense Northeast winter storms is probably tied to rising ocean temperatures and changes in the Arctic".

Climate Change [21]
Disasters [44]
Public [17]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [15]
Source: Washington Post [45], 02/02/2022

Conflict Over Biden’s Offshore Wind Drive To Generate News in 2022 and Beyond [46]

Offshore wind, which some see as a panacea in the search for climate-friendly energy solutions, is getting a push from the Biden administration. But as noted in this week’s TipSheet, part of our 2022 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment, there are numerous obstacles to the renewable power source, whether from states, coastal property owners and towns, fishing industry and even some environmentalists.

SEJ Publication Types: 
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Activism [47]
Climate Change [21]
Economy & Business [48]
Energy & Fuel [22]
Environmental Politics [23]
Fish & Fisheries [28]
Government [24]
Infrastructure [7]
Journalism & Media [8]
Laws & Regulations [9]
Natural Resources [29]
Policy [25]
Water & Oceans [13]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [14]
California [49]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [26]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [15]
Northwest (OR WA) [50]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [16]
Visibility: 
Public [17]

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Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/septic-systems-often-hide-neglected-local-stories [2] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication/tipsheet [3] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/chemicals/toxics [4] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/consumer [5] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-justice [6] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/health [7] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/infrastructure [8] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media [9] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/laws [10] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/cities-towns [11] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/pollution [12] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/waste [13] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/water [14] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national [15] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northeast [16] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southeast [17] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81 [18] https://www.sej.org/publications/backgrounders/climate-change-action-may-depend-supreme-court [19] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/backgrounders [20] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/air [21] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/climate-change [22] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy [23] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-politics [24] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government [25] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/policy [26] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mid-atlantic [27] https://www.sej.org/headlines/can-oysters-save-new-york-city-next-big-storm [28] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/fisheries [29] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/land [30] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/17/can-oysters-save-new-york-city-from-next-big-storm [31] https://www.sej.org/headlines/adirondack-rail-trail-takes-another-step-closer-reality [32] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/transportation [33] https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Adirondack-Rail-Trail-plan-takes-big-step-16997039.php?IPID=Times-Union-HP-CP-spotlight [34] https://www.sej.org/headlines/epa-ge-good-go-housatonic-river-cleanup [35] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-health [36] https://www.berkshireeagle.com/news/local/epa-official-decision-ge-rest-of-river-pcb-cleanup/article_b860cdb4-99a0-11ec-89a3-0bcdc6e89b8a.html [37] https://www.sej.org/headlines/new-hampshire-town-polluted-pfas-has-elevated-cancer-rates [38] https://theintercept.com/2022/02/12/pfoa-cancer-new-hampshire-merrimack-pfas-pollution/ [39] https://www.sej.org/headlines/harris-nj-points-newark-model-lead-replacement [40] https://apnews.com/article/business-health-new-jersey-newark-kamala-harris-f8b04ce51d980765c6ec3028ecc2c9ea [41] https://www.sej.org/calendar/deadline-diamonstein-spielvogel-fellowships-columbia-climate-school [42] https://www.sej.org/category/event-type/workshops/fellowships [43] https://www.sej.org/headlines/climate-change-may-be-fueling-increase-major-northeast-snowstorms [44] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster [45] https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2022/02/01/northeast-snow-storm-climate/ [46] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/conflict-over-biden-s-offshore-wind-drive-generate-news-2022-and-beyond [47] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/activism [48] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/business [49] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/california [50] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northwest [51] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northeast?page=27 [52] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northeast?page=24 [53] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northeast?page=25 [54] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northeast?page=26 [55] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northeast?page=29 [56] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northeast?page=30 [57] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northeast?page=31 [58] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northeast?page=32 [59] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northeast?page=116