Do we need a bill to criminalize attacks against those who report the news? Some Dems in Congress think so. And the Interior Department is at the center of a conflicts over freedom of information involving lobbying contacts with the newly confirmed secretary. The latest WatchDog has those developments, plus more.
The latest release of the annual endangered rivers list provides boatloads of environmental reporting angles, including climate change-related threats like flooding and drought. This week’s TipSheet has the backstory and the new top-10 list, plus 10 suggested starting points for stories and a half-dozen key reporting resources.
"The climate change primary officially began last night. The starting gun was a marathon session of five town halls that CNN hosted with five of the big names running as Democrats for president. In most of the hourlong sessions, global warming was a major theme, and — more significantly — all five candidates started to sketch out how their visions on climate change would differ from those of their rivals."
"On its 49th birthday, Earth Day is having a midlife crisis. In the beginning, it was a policy-shaking event that awakened a new generation of activists. But now even environmentalists have misgivings about it. Sure, they can get behind planting trees and clearing trash out of rivers, but they have issues with Earth Day itself."
"The new interior secretary, David Bernhardt, met with a lawyer for a Native American tribe that is linked to the political scandal haunting Bernhardt’s predecessor, according to internal agency records."
"The Interior Department has acknowledged that Secretary David Bernhardt’s staff intentionally left controversial meetings with representatives of fossil fuel, timber and water interests off his public calendar, citing “internal protocol” governing his schedules."
The tale of a failing nation’s climate woes is revealed in a cache of scientific notes hidden in a London attic after their author goes missing. The gripping mystery was unraveled with award-winning skill by journalist Laura Heaton, in our latest “Inside Story” Q&A. Read on and find out the story’s significance for climate adaptation.
The Toxics Release Inventory database, refreshed annually, has long been the foundation of many a good environmental news story. The latest release is now out, and this week’s TipSheet reminds journalists why the searchable online TRI can be such a valuable reporting tool in tracking toxic dangers.
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