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"Hurricane Harvey: Beleaguered Watchdog Investigates Chemical Blaze" [1]

"A federal investigative agency that President Trump sought to eliminate is now looking into a fire and explosions at a facility northeast of Houston that is owned by a well-connected French chemical company."

Chemicals [2]
Disasters [3]
Environmental Health [4]
Environmental Studies [5]
Pollution [6]
Public [7]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [8]
Source: Greenwire [9], 09/05/2017

Harvey Uncovers Flood Insurance Dilemma [10]

Disaster cleanup from Hurricane Harvey is now bound up in Washington's brewing budget-related brouhaha, as Congress tries to fix the National Flood Insurance Program before authorization runs out at the end of September. The latest TipSheet explains, plus offers ideas and resources for localizing flood insurance stories.

SEJ Publication Types: 
TipSheet [11]
Topics on the Beat: 
Disasters [3]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [12]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [8]
Visibility: 
Public [7]

"The Terrifying Science Behind Floating Fire Ant Colonies" [14]

"In addition to widespread suffering and devastation, Hurricane Harvey has brought a plague of floating fire ants to the Houston region."

Disasters [3]
Wildlife [15]
Public [7]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [8]
Source: Washington Post [16], 09/01/2017

"A Sea of Health and Environmental Hazards in Houston’s Floodwaters" [17]

"Officials in Houston are just beginning to grapple with the health and environmental risks that lurk in the waters dumped by Hurricane Harvey, a stew of toxic chemicals, sewage, debris and waste that still floods much of the city."

Chemicals [2]
Disasters [3]
Environmental Health [4]
Pollution [6]
Water & Oceans [18]
Public [7]
National (U.S.) [12]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [8]
Source: NY Times [19], 09/01/2017

"Crosby, Texas, Chemical Plant Explodes Twice, Arkema Group Says" [20]

"CROSBY, Texas — A flooded chemical plant near Houston exploded twice early Thursday, sending a plume of smoke into the air and triggering a fire that the firm plans to let 'burn itself out.'"

Chemicals [2]
Disasters [3]
Water & Oceans [18]
Public [7]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [8]
Source: NBC News [21], 08/31/2017

Port Arthur Faces Harvey Flooding Disaster: ‘Whole City Is Underwater’ [22]

"Residents of cities in Jefferson County, Tex., about 100 miles east of Houston, were desperate for help Wednesday morning after rain there caused floodwaters to rise precipitously and lightning made things particularly difficult for those responding to the storm."

Disasters [3]
Water & Oceans [18]
Public [7]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [8]
Source: NY Times [23], 08/31/2017

Hurricane Harvey: Toolbox, Headlines and More [24]

To help environmental reporters track the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, SEJournal has compiled a series of resources, starting with a Toolbox on Hurricanes [25] that includes government, news and other sources, seasonal forecasts, background science and an SEJ hurricane archive. Also see our Hurricane Issue Backgrounder [26] and TipSheets [27] on hurricanes and on flooding [28], an Inside Story [29] on how one SEJ Award-winner looked ahead at the prospect of a perfect storm for Houston, plus the latest hurricane headlines [30] from EJ Today (subscribe [31]).

SEJ Publication Types: 
SEJournal Online [32]
Topics on the Beat: 
Disasters [3]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [12]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [8]
Visibility: 
Public [7]

Releasing Water from Houston Dams, Army Corps Picks Least Bad Option [33]

"With Tropical Storm Harvey dumping record rainfall on Houston, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers faced a dilemma as water volumes rose to perilous levels in its two reservoirs west of the city center."

Disasters [3]
Water & Oceans [18]
Public [7]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [8]
Source: Wall St. Journal [34], 08/29/2017

"Houston Inundated By Water As Harvey Pummels Texas" [35]

"Around 13 million people are under flood watches and warnings stretching from Corpus Christi to New Orleans as the remnants of Hurricane Harvey menace the already drenched Texas and Louisiana."

Disasters [3]
Water & Oceans [18]
Public [7]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [8]
Source: CNN [36], 08/28/2017

Beware Gateway Bugs Bringing Insect-Borne Disease [37]

It's a deadly threat only fitfully reported by news media. But coverage of insect-borne diseases could be improved by environmental journalists who understand the intersection of bugs, humans and climate. A two-part Issue Backgrounder with basics, key resources and a rundown on significant illnesses brought by mosquitoes [38], and by ticks and other insects [39]. 

SEJ Publication Types: 
Backgrounders [40]
Topics on the Beat: 
Climate Change [41]
Health [42]
People & Population [43]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [12]
Alaska and Hawaii [44]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [45]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [46]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [8]
Canada [47]
Africa [48]
Asia [49]
Central America & the Caribbean [50]
South America [51]
Visibility: 
Public [7]

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Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/headlines/hurricane-harvey-beleaguered-watchdog-investigates-chemical-blaze [2] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/chemicals/toxics [3] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster [4] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-health [5] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmentalists [6] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/pollution [7] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81 [8] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest [9] https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060059603 [10] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/harvey-uncovers-flood-insurance-dilemma [11] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication/tipsheet [12] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national [13] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southeast [14] https://www.sej.org/headlines/terrifying-science-behind-floating-fire-ant-colonies [15] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/wildlife [16] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/08/30/the-terrifying-science-behind-floating-fire-ant-colonies-and-how-to-destroy-them/?utm_term=.372347d62ca3 [17] https://www.sej.org/headlines/sea-health-and-environmental-hazards-houston%E2%80%99s-floodwaters [18] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/water [19] https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/31/us/houston-contaminated-floodwaters.html?smid=tw-share [20] https://www.sej.org/headlines/crosby-texas-chemical-plant-explodes-twice-arkema-group-says [21] https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/harvey-danger-major-chemical-plant-near-houston-likely-explode-facility-n797581 [22] https://www.sej.org/headlines/port-arthur-faces-harvey-flooding-disaster-%E2%80%98whole-city-underwater%E2%80%99 [23] https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/30/us/port-arthur-flooding.html [24] https://www.sej.org/publications/sejournal-online/hurricane-harvey-toolbox-headlines-and-more [25] https://www.sej.org/library/disasters/toolbox-hurricanes-and-tropical-storms [26] https://www.sej.org/publications/backgrounders/hurricane-season-brings-surprises-and-surprising-depth [27] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/get-ready-hurricanes [28] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/are-you-ready-flood-season [29] https://www.sej.org/publications/inside-story/award-winner-looks-ahead-prospects-perfect-storm [30] https://www.sej.org/headlines/list [31] https://www.sej.org/sej-beat-ejtoday-daily-digest [32] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication/sejournal [33] https://www.sej.org/headlines/releasing-water-houston-dams-army-corps-picks-least-bad-option [34] https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-releasing-water-from-houston-dams-army-corps-picks-least-bad-option-1503955902 [35] https://www.sej.org/headlines/houston-inundated-water-harvey-pummels-texas [36] http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/28/us/harvey-houston-texas-louisiana/index.html [37] https://www.sej.org/publications/backgrounders/beware-gateway-bugs-bringing-insect-borne-disease [38] https://www.sej.org/publications/backgrounders/beware-gateway-bugs-bringing-insect-borne-disease#mosquitoes [39] https://www.sej.org/publications/backgrounders/beware-gateway-bugs-bringing-insect-borne-disease#ticks [40] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/backgrounders [41] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/climate-change [42] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/health [43] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/people-population [44] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/alaska-and-hawaii [45] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mountain-west [46] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northeast [47] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/canada [48] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/africa [49] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/asia [50] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/central-america-caribbean [51] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/south-america [52] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest?page=72 [53] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest?page=69 [54] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest?page=70 [55] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest?page=71 [56] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest?page=74 [57] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest?page=75 [58] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest?page=76 [59] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest?page=77 [60] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest?page=133