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Home > National (U.S.) > Southwest (AZ NM OK TX)

Will Thousands of Orphan Wells Be Safely Plugged? [1]

Abandoned oil and gas wells are found in significant numbers in some 27 states. Reporters who want to track their status can dig into several databases, but will need to support their data crunching with lots of shoe-leather and ground-truth reporting. Reporter’s Toolbox has insights into what the databases offer. Plus, a primer on API numbers.

SEJ Publication Types: 
Reporters Toolbox [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Air [3]
Climate Change [4]
Economy & Business [5]
Energy & Fuel [6]
Environmental Health [7]
Environmental Politics [8]
Government [9]
Health [10]
Infrastructure [11]
Journalism & Media [12]
Laws & Regulations [13]
Natural Resources [14]
Policy [15]
Pollution [16]
Technology [17]
Water & Oceans [18]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [19]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [20]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [21]
International [22]
Canada [23]
Visibility: 
Public [24]

Tijuana River Sewage May Be Contaminating Air Along S. Calif. Coast: Study [25]

"Chronic coastal contamination from the Tijuana River can end up in the atmosphere as “sea spray aerosol” — spreading far beyond the San Diego County beaches where it has long polluted the water, a new study has found."

Air [3]
Environmental Health [7]
Laws & Regulations [13]
Pollution [16]
Waste [26]
Water & Oceans [18]
Public [24]
California [27]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [21]
Mexico [28]
Source: The Hill [29], 03/03/2023

"Here's Why Arizona Says It Can Keep Growing Despite Historic Megadrought" [30]

"Drive traffic-clogged Interstate 10 through Phoenix's West Valley suburbs and you'd hardly know the Southwest is as dry as it's been in 1,200 years. Water gulping data centers, large warehouses and distribution centers have sprouted in the barren desert. Housing development after housing development is slated for construction."

Climate Change [4]
Economy & Business [5]
Environmental Politics [8]
Infrastructure [11]
People & Population [31]
Planning & Growth [32]
Water & Oceans [18]
Public [24]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [21]
Source: NPR [33], 03/01/2023

"Border Plant Joins ESA List Despite Texas AG’s Objections" [34]

"The Fish and Wildlife Service on Monday dismissed border-control concerns raised by the Texas attorney general and announced federal protections for the prostrate milkweed, along with a designated critical habitat of 661 acres for the plant."

Biodiversity [35]
Laws & Regulations [13]
Public [24]
National (U.S.) [19]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [21]
Source: E&E News [36], 02/28/2023

"Here Comes The Haboob: Texas High Plains Getting Walloped By Dust Storms" [37]

"High Plains residents are used to wind and dust, but an ongoing drought and recent tropical-storm-level winds have brought some epic dust storms."

Agriculture [38]
Air [3]
Climate Change [4]
Environmental Health [7]
Pollution [16]
Public [24]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [21]
Source: Texas Tribune [39], 02/27/2023

Covering Indigenous Communities — Tips for Non-Native Journalists [40]

Non-Indigenous journalists may think they’re doing “marginalized” Indigenous communities a favor by covering them, but their coverage is too often extractive and riddled with racist tropes. Contributor Valerie Vande Panne offers insights and advice for avoiding these pitfalls. Seeking permission, listening, sharing and respecting are all critical tools for the job.

SEJ Publication Types: 
Features [41]
Topics on the Beat: 
Activism [42]
Diversity [43]
Environmental Justice [44]
Government [9]
Journalism & Media [12]
People & Population [31]
Religion, Faith and Spirituality [45]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [19]
Alaska and Hawaii [46]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [47]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [21]
International [22]
Visibility: 
Public [24]

"Deadly Arizona Crash, Leak Leaves Highway Stretch Blocked" [48]

"There is no timetable for reopening part of the main southern Arizona highway southeast of downtown Tucson, officials said Wednesday afternoon, a day after a deadly desert crash caused a hazardous material leak and forced evacuations nearby."

Chemicals [49]
Disasters [50]
Environmental Health [7]
Pollution [16]
Transportation [51]
Public [24]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [21]
Source: AP [52], 02/16/2023

SEJ Panel Gauges Issues in the Works in the U.S. West [53]

As part of our 2023 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment special report, we’ve got highlights from last week’s reporter panel on the year ahead, led by #SEJ2023 conference co-chair Tom Michael (pictured, left). The focus was largely on the U.S. West, where challenges abound over issues like equitable siting of renewable energy infrastructure, regulating natural gas, managing wildfires and addressing the health consequences of climate-driven heat waves. Read our account [53], plus check out the full 2023 Guide [54].

SEJ Publication Types: 
SEJ News [55]
Topics on the Beat: 
Agriculture [38]
Air [3]
Biodiversity [35]
Climate Change [4]
Disasters [50]
Economy & Business [5]
Energy & Fuel [6]
Environmental Health [7]
Environmental Justice [44]
Environmental Politics [8]
Fish & Fisheries [56]
Food [57]
Forests [58]
Government [9]
Health [10]
Infrastructure [11]
Journalism & Media [12]
Natural Resources [14]
People & Population [31]
Planning & Growth [32]
Policy [15]
Pollution [16]
Water & Oceans [18]
Wildlife [59]
Region: 
California [27]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [60]
Northwest (OR WA) [61]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [21]
Visibility: 
Public [24]
April 22, 2023

ECH 2023 Climate Solutions Symposium: Texas, the Energy Capital of the Planet, Can and Should Lead [62]

The Engineering, Science and Technology Council of Houston (ECH) will host this half-day symposium virtually and in person at the University of Houston Student Center Theater, 1:00-4:00pm, followed by a Meet-and-Greet in the Student Center’s Ballroom, 4:00-5:30pm. $10 cost.

Other Events [63]
Visibility: 
Public [24]
Topics on the Beat: 
Climate Change [4]
Economy & Business [5]
Energy & Fuel [6]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [19]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [21]
International [22]

"Drifting Toward Disaster: Breaking the Brazos" [64]

"Few rivers can claim as strong a connection to Texas’ natural and cultural history—and its very identity—as the Brazos."

Biodiversity [35]
Natural Resources [14]
Water & Oceans [18]
Public [24]
National (U.S.) [19]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [21]
Source: Texas Observer [65], 02/09/2023

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Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/publications/reporters-toolbox/will-thousands-orphan-wells-be-safely-plugged [2] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/reporter%E2%80%99s-toolbox [3] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/air [4] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/climate-change [5] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/business [6] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy [7] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-health [8] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-politics [9] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government [10] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/health [11] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/infrastructure [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/policy [16] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/pollution [17] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/technology [18] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/water [19] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national [20] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mid-atlantic [21] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest [22] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international [23] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/canada [24] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81 [25] https://www.sej.org/headlines/tijuana-river-sewage-may-be-contaminating-air-along-s-calif-coast-study [26] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/waste [27] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/california [28] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/mexico [29] https://thehill.com/policy/equilibrium-sustainability/3881055-tijuana-river-sewage-may-be-contaminating-air-along-southern-california-coast-study/ [30] https://www.sej.org/headlines/heres-why-arizona-says-it-can-keep-growing-despite-historic-megadrought [31] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/people-population [32] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/cities-towns [33] https://www.npr.org/2023/02/27/1159281768/heres-why-arizona-says-it-can-keep-growing-despite-historic-megadrought [34] https://www.sej.org/headlines/border-plant-joins-esa-list-despite-texas-ag-s-objections [35] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/biodiversity-1 [36] https://www.eenews.net/articles/border-plant-joins-esa-list-despite-texas-ags-objections/ [37] https://www.sej.org/headlines/here-comes-haboob-texas-high-plains-getting-walloped-dust-storms [38] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/agriculture [39] https://www.texastribune.org/2023/02/24/texas-lubbock-dust-storms-drought-haboob/ [40] https://www.sej.org/publications/features/covering-indigenous-communities-tips-non-native-journalists [41] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/features [42] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/activism [43] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/diversity [44] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-justice [45] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/religion-faith-and-spirituality [46] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/alaska-and-hawaii [47] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northeast [48] https://www.sej.org/headlines/deadly-arizona-crash-leak-leaves-highway-stretch-blocked [49] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/chemicals/toxics [50] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster [51] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/transportation [52] https://apnews.com/article/arizona-tucson-climate-and-environment-evacuations-6aff8d704954045fcc72efdec7579fcc [53] https://www.sej.org/publications/sej-news/sej-panel-gauges-issues-works-us-west [54] https://www.sej.org/publications/sej-news/2023-journalists-guide-energy-environment [55] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/sej-news [56] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/fisheries [57] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/food [58] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/forests [59] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/wildlife [60] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mountain-west [61] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northwest [62] https://www.sej.org/calendar/ech-2023-climate-solutions-symposium-texas-energy-capital-planet-can-and-should-lead [63] https://www.sej.org/category/event-type/other-events [64] https://www.sej.org/headlines/drifting-toward-disaster-breaking-brazos [65] https://www.texasobserver.org/brazos-river-development-pollution-drifting-toward-disaster/ [66] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest?page=38 [67] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest?page=35 [68] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest?page=36 [69] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest?page=37 [70] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest?page=40 [71] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest?page=41 [72] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest?page=42 [73] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest?page=43 [74] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest?page=137