SEJ members are saddened to learn of the passing of longtime member and volunteer JoAnn Valenti on July 23, 2023. JoAnn joined SEJ in October of 1990. Her volunteer work for SEJ had been primarily behind-the-scenes work that quietly spread SEJ's name over several continents.
Meet SEJ member Max Chesnes! Max is the environment reporter for the Tampa Bay Times, where he reports on water quality, environmental justice, obscure Florida wildlife and everything in between.
"The Amazon rainforest is a massive area, twice the size of India and sprawling across eight countries and one territory. It’s a crucial carbon sink for the climate, has about 20% of the world’s freshwater reserves and boasts astounding biodiversity, including 16,000 known tree species."
"Excessive pollution in Paris' Seine River forced organizers to cancel a pre-Olympics test swimming competition due to take place on Sunday, the sport's international federation said."
"For almost 20 years, U.S. public-health advocates have worried that toxic chemicals are getting into ground water and harming human health because of an exemption to the federal Safe Drinking Water Act that allows operators of oil and gas fracking operations to use chemicals that would be regulated if used for any other purpose."
"Nearly 1 million people in China's northern Hebei province were relocated after record rains forced authorities to channel water from swollen rivers to some populated areas for storage, sparking anger online over the homes sacrificed to save Beijing."
"Water breaks will no longer be guaranteed for construction workers in Austin and Dallas when a new state law that prevents municipalities from regulating everything from evictions to payday loans takes effect next month."
"The GOP governor and presidential candidate has touted his environmental and economic credentials. He’s ignoring an environmental and economic disaster at home."
"America’s first major offshore wind farm is coming into focus on the wavy horizon off Massachusetts."
"The closure of one of Pittsburgh’s largest coal-processing plants in 2016 led to a lasting reduction in hazardous air pollution and a decrease in heart-related hospital visits, according to a new study."
