Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV)

Rockets and Bombs and Chemicals — The Environmental Horrors of War

With the world in the midst of wars in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, it’s time for journalists to appraise — and report on — the intersection of conflict and the environment, argues the new Backgrounder. That means considering the environment not only as a victim of war, but also as the cause of war and a means of carrying it out.

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Drainage Infrastructure Leads to Wet Basement Stories

Nothing may seem more personal than a home flooded by heavy rains. But the latest TipSheet points out that for local environmental reporters, there’s a bigger story to be told: how your community regulates stormwater and storm sewers, especially in the face of climate change-driven extreme precipitation. More than a dozen reporting ideas and resources.

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"Maryland Hails ‘Remarkable’ Year For Young Oysters In The Chesapeake Bay"

"There’s still a long way to go, but oyster recovery efforts in Maryland’s portion of Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries continue to show promising results, state officials for the agency charged with monitoring the mollusk ecosystem said."

Source: Washington Post, 01/16/2024

Clearing the Smoke — Collaboration Exposes Impacts of Wildfire Pollution-Reporting Rules

Climate change is fueling the frequency and severity of wildfires, but a little-known Clean Air Act rule lets environmental agencies downplay the impacts of wildfire smoke. A collaborative investigation into this loophole connected dots that even the experts didn’t know about. Journalists Dillon Bergin and Molly Peterson explain their reporting process and offer advice for following your own local leads.

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January 22, 2024

DEADLINE: Advancing Democracy Fellowship

Hearken, Trusting News and Solutions Journalism Network are inviting 20 U.S.-based newsroom teams to apply for this fellowship which is designed to help newsrooms think big, plan long term and reinvent coverage of politics, governance and elections with and for their communities. Deadline is Jan 22, 2024.

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"Virginia County Approves Data Center Project After 27-Hour Public Hearing"

"County supervisors in northern Virginia approved one of the world’s largest data center projects after a public hearing that ran through the night and lasted more than 24 hours."

Source: AP, 12/14/2023

"Sewers Are Overflowing Everywhere. One Solution Is Right In Your Backyard."

"When a heavy rainstorm hits D.C., it’s bad news for the city’s rivers. The city’s sewer system, which combines storm runoff and raw sewage in some areas, has a history of overflowing. Instead of flowing into a treatment plant, that toxic mix, along with the sediment, trash and other pollutants storm water washes off streets, ends up in rivers."

Source: Washington Post, 12/12/2023

Student Journalists Show the Way on Data With Methane Flaring Project

The global warming gas methane was much in the news at the start of the just-ended COP28 climate meeting, with a final Biden administration rule to trim releases by the fossil fuel industry. But when it comes to good journalism on the problem, the latest Reporter’s Toolbox spotlights the work of a team of journalism students who used sophisticated satellite data to tell the story of underreported methane flaring at drilling sites.

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December 13, 2023

SEJ Webinar: Learn How To Apply for Report for America Job Openings

Learn about Report for America and how to apply for more than 50 full-time journalism positions, including 11 environmental positions offered through a partnership with the University of Missouri School of Journalism and the Society of Environmental Journalists. These 11 positions are part of the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk, a collaborative network meant to boost coverage of environmental and agricultural issues throughout the river basin. 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET.

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"West Virginians Could Get Stuck Cleaning Up the Coal Industry’s Messes"

"West Virginia’s fund to clean up abandoned coal mines is in such dire shape that it threatens to stick taxpayers with hundreds of millions — perhaps even billions — of dollars in cleanup costs. And yet, little is being done to turn things around."

Source: Mountain State Spotlight, 12/04/2023

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