Journalism & Media

Pulitzer Prize finalist Derrick Jackson had written about everything from sports to politics. But then as his interest in the environment began to grow, he had a close encounter with some threatened puffin chicks that became a defining long-term project. Our latest “Between the Lines” author Q&A explores how this newsman and columnist came to co-author and photograph “Project Puffin: The Improbable Quest to Bring a Beloved Seabird Back to Egg Rock.”

Incinerators — there may be fewer of them these days, but it’s likely there’s still one near you and it’s probably polluting the air. How a cheap method to make garbage go away now has become a problem of its own, one that often sparks debates over environmental justice. This week’s Tipsheet has a quick rundown on incinerator regulation, outlines key problem areas and offers resources for reporting your own local incinerator story.

Journalism has hit many a speed bump in recent years. But one veteran observer finds that over the long haul, environmental reporters have produced much exceptional work. In the latest EJ Academy, Editor Bob Wyss looks at how trends like the growth of collaboration, startup innovation, and the explosion of visual and data journalism have boosted the professional in the last decade. Here are seven major findings from his research.

Hog waste washing into the environment in the wake of flooding is not just a worry in the Carolinas after Hurricane Florence. Potential pollution from animal feed operations is a widespread risk around the United States — and climate change-induced extreme weather means that risk is rising. The latest TipSheet has resources and ideas for covering the story in your area.

From #enemyofnone to #DefendPressFreedom, the Society of Environmental Journalists has joined numerous other journalism groups in campaigns to support news media. That, plus the latest WatchDog looks at a new report on widespread public support for a free press, a study on the extent of science censorship in the Trump Administration, and an improved database for tracking drinking water stories.

​Local pesticide bans that go beyond federal restrictions may be a growing trend, but it’s one that has brought on a backlash by GOP politicians and farmers. The conflict may soon be resolved — or not — by Congress, as it closes in on a new U.S. Farm Bill. Meanwhile, this week’s TipSheet helps explain the dispute and provides resources and signs to watch.

An unexpected story, a never-before-seen photo — those are ingredients for the kinds of environment and climate story ideas that won one environment reporter top honors in large market beat reporting in SEJ’s annual awards last year. A conversation with Craig Welch of National Geographic for our latest Inside Story Q&A.

Now that a top court has tossed out parts of coal ash disposal rules, also in question is a planned loosening under the Trump EPA. That means potential state-level stories on how this coal combustion byproduct may threaten environmental health and water supplies. This week’s TipSheet runs down the issue and suggests resources and questions to ask.