Government

Letter From DC: Journalists Standing Together

Society of Environmental Journalists' Executive Director Meaghan Parker offers reassurance to members on SEJ's stability in a time of turmoil, while stressing the importance of ongoing initiatives to support a free press, as well as journalists and communities of color. See also:

SEJ Denounces NY Police Attacks on Journalists, June 6, 2020.
SEJ Demands Minnesota Officials Stop Police Attacks on Journalists, June 2, 2020.
SEJ Speaks Out Against Police Assaults on Journalists, May 31, 2020.

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Hurricane Season Collides With Coronavirus, as Communities Plan

"Robin Rokobauer doesn't like to chance it. When there's a hurricane, she almost always evacuates. Rokobauer lives in Cocoa Beach, on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and 153-mile-long Indian River Lagoon. Her mother is 93."

Source: InsideClimate News, 06/02/2020

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Using Data Sources To Track Climate-Driven Mayhem at Superfund Sites

Hazardous waste and floodwaters don’t typically mix well together. So when a Michigan dam recently burst, and flooded not just the local community, but also threatened a nearby Superfund site, it prompted Reporter’s Toolbox to look at how environmental journalists could track similar threats in their areas, especially as climate change raises the risks of similar disasters.

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Region:

Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI)

SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN)

Southwest (AZ NM OK TX)

International

Europe

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"Senior Interior Official Broke Ethics Rules a 2nd Time, Watchdog Says"

"A senior Department of Interior official violated federal ethics rules by using his position to try to get a family member a job at the Environmental Protection Agency, the Interior Department’s internal watchdog said in a report published Friday."

Environmental Politics

Source: NYTimes, 06/01/2020

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SEJ Speaks Out Against Police Assaults on Journalists

There have been multiple incidents over the last few days of police spraying tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets at journalists covering demonstrations and unrest sparked by the death of George Floyd, who died in police custody in Minneapolis last week. These assaults represent an attack on the freedoms to which all Americans are entitled under the U.S. Constitution. SEJ calls on all law enforcement officers and agencies to respect journalists’ First Amendment right to cover the demonstrations as well as police conduct. The people have a right to know, more than ever before, during this critical time.

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"EPA’s Biggest Union Pushes Back Against Reopening Plans"

"The EPA’s biggest union is pushing back against the agency’s plans to start the process that could lead to reopening some of its offices."

Disasters

Environmental Health

Environmental Politics

Source: Bloomberg Environment, 05/27/2020

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"Britain, Host of UN Climate Talks, Proposes Full-Year Pandemic Delay"

"International negotiations designed to address the sweeping global threat of climate change will quite likely be delayed by a full year because of the coronavirus pandemic."

Climate Change

Disasters

Environmental Health

Environmental Politics

Source: NYTimes, 05/27/2020

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"Virus Crisis Exposes Cascading Weaknesses in U.S. Disaster Response"

"For decades, the backbone of the nation’s disaster response system — and a hallmark of American generosity — has been its army of volunteers who race toward danger to help shelter, feed and counsel victims of hurricanes, wildfires and other calamities. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has exposed a critical weakness in this system."

Source: NYTimes, 05/26/2020

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Disaster Preparedness Key Amid Pandemic

Unheeded warnings are the hallmark of many disasters. And with coronavirus still hobbling the nation, communities and journalists must now watch for all the ways COVID-19 could make even the most familiar hazards far worse. Prepare with this extensive Backgrounder, which touches on issues around evacuations and emergency readiness when facing storms, fires, toxic releases and more.

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Region:

Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI)

Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV)

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While No One Was Watching — Changing Enviro Regs Under Trump

Regulations that sprang from cornerstone environmental laws in place for decades are now under attack by the Trump administration, per legal experts in a recent webinar co-sponsored by the Society of Environmental Journalists and Columbia University’s Earth Institute. Get key takeaways and resources from the event from SEJ’s Dale Willman. Plus, watch the full webinar video.

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Environmental Politics

Government

Health