National (U.S.)

Road Salt Spreading a Slippery Slope to Water Pollution

With wintry conditions still present in much of the country, there’s an important local story for environmental reporters to chase. No, not climate change this time. It’s salt. Road salt can end up in bodies of water, damaging the environment and risking human health. TipSheet offers a dash of background and a good dose of questions to ask, plus story ideas and resources to flavor your reporting with.

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Epic Struggles Ahead in 2023 on Energy Transition, Pollution

In our annual analysis of what’s ahead on the environment beat in 2023, there are some things to count on: worsening climate disasters and continued politicking over energy transitions, but also regulatory action on greenhouse gas emissions (not to mention on “forever chemicals”). Other things are less clear: environmental rulings by a conservative U.S. Supreme Court, energy impacts of war in Europe and the effectiveness of COP28 and treaty talks on plastic pollution. Read the full overview and get more in our “2023 Journalists’ Guide to Energy & Environment” special report.

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"The Colorado River Drought Crisis: How Did This Happen? Can It Be Fixed?"

"The Colorado River is in crisis. The problem has been building for decades but has come to a head in recent years because the major manufactured reservoirs on the river have fallen to dangerously low levels, prompting the Biden administration to call for unprecedented cuts in water usage among the 40 million people who rely on the river."

Source: Washington Post, 02/06/2023

Cutting Red Tape For Clean Energy: The Pros And Cons Of Permitting Reform

"Last year permitting reform emerged as one of the most divisive climate policy debates in the United States. During my own reporting on geothermal energy, an underutilized source of renewable power, industry representatives insisted that the onerous permitting process is the single biggest challenge to expanding geothermal development."

U.S. Includes Dam Emissions in UN Climate Reporting for the First Time

"For the first time, the U.S. government in 2022 included methane emissions from dams and reservoirs in its annual report of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions to the Inventory of Greenhouse Gases and Sinks required by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change."

Source: The Revelator, 02/06/2023
February 23, 2023

DEADLINE: The Sunrise Project RFP for Journalistic investigations Into Financial Institutions and Climate Change

The Sunrise Project is looking to fund freelance investigative journalists to conduct medium- to long-term investigations into private financial institutions' role in driving the climate crisis. Submissions are due by Feb 23, 2023.

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Oversight Chair Seeks Info On Kerry’s International Climate Negotiations

"House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) on Thursday requested information from U.S. climate envoy John Kerry on the details of Kerry’s international negotiations for the Biden administration, particularly with Chinese officials."

Source: The Hill, 02/03/2023

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