Chemical plant explosions make for fiery headlines, but then the reporting tends to flame out. The latest Backgrounder spells out why environmental journalists should stay vigilant on chemical safety coverage, with news hooks and ingredients for a potent mix of advance stories.
It’s summer smog season, with all its unpleasant environmental and health impacts. But if you’re reporting on this perpetual problem, you may not be able to rely on the EPA to help you figure out where it is worst. This week’s TipSheet explains, then helps get you started on your own smog coverage.
"Since the 1990s, Sarah Flack has helped livestock farmers across the country manage their animals to increase the health and sustainability of their farms."
"The idea that pesticides are essential to feed a fast-growing global population is a myth, according to UN food and pollution experts."
"As President Trump tries to tilt global trade in the United States’ favor, he is increasingly putting his finger on the scale to help once-iconic industries that are declining as a share of the American economy, at the expense of some of the country’s fastest-growing sectors."
"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers have beefed up their guidelines for wetlands mitigation in Alaska, elaborating on ways a developer can compensate for disturbing bogs, ponds and streams."
"Hawaii became the first state in the country to ban pesticides containing chlorpyrifos, a chemical that has been linked to disruptions in the brain development of babies and young children, with Gov. David Ige signing the measure into law on Wednesday."
"Last summer, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt was publicly talking up his plans to launch a debate aimed at poking holes in mainstream climate science."
"Harvard University is working on an international survey that researchers believe could revolutionize the world's understanding of how buildings affect public health. There's just one problem: Because of a change to scientific standards proposed by Administrator Scott Pruitt, EPA regulators likely won't be able to use the study's findings to better protect Americans."
"The Environmental Protection Agency on Monday approved the first state permit program for disposal of toxic ash from coal plants, a switch from federal oversight that the coal industry had sought."
