California

"These Communities Are Unaware They’ve Lived Near Toxic Gas For Decades"

"Five facilities near schools and houses in LA County fumigate produce shipped from overseas with methyl bromide. But the air agency doesn’t plan to monitor the air or take any immediate steps to protect people from the gas, which can damage lungs and cause neurological effects."

Source: CalMatters, 04/24/2025

Can a City on Fire Be Photographed? Yes, Says One Photojournalist

Will images of a burning Los Angeles last in our consciousness? EJ InSight editor Andrew Cullen makes a powerful argument that they will, illustrating the point with potent photographs of that disaster, as well as from recent hurricanes. An exploration of how photojournalists, working amid the destruction, strive to document not just the devastation but its deeper significance and its human toll.

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Covering Wildfire — Expert Advice on Emerging Issues, Recurring Risks

With wildfires becoming more extreme in every way, reporters covering them face new challenges along with familiar hazards. A pair of experienced wildfire journalists and others on the front lines offer advice on dealing with access restrictions, on-the-ground dangers, toxic exposure risks and traumatized survivors — as climate change speeds up the news cycle and misinformation muddies the reporting landscape.

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Commercial Salmon Fishing In Calif. Will Be Closed For 3rd Year In A Row

"The 2025 commercial salmon fishing season in California will be closed for an unprecedented third year running, and sportfishing will be restricted to only a few days due to dwindling numbers of fish, fishing regulators voted Tuesday."

Source: AP, 04/16/2025

Oil Company Fined $18 Million For Defying State Orders To Stop Pipeline Work

"The California Coastal Commission today fined an oil company a record $18 million for repeatedly defying orders to stop work on a corroded pipeline in Santa Barbara County that caused a major oil spill nearly a decade ago."

Source: CalMatters, 04/14/2025

Trump Makes Sweeping Move To Undercut State Climate Laws Like Calif.'s

"President Trump issued a sweeping executive order aimed at undermining states’ ability to set their own environmental policies. The order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to identify and “stop the enforcement” of state laws that address climate change and other environmental initiatives."

Source: LA Times, 04/10/2025

Dam Safety Firings Leave Downstream Residents at Risk

Among the widespread federal firings that look like they’re putting the public increasingly at risk are those that strip away government oversight of dam safety. The latest TipSheet looks at what’s at stake and offers up a dozen story ideas, questions to ask and reporting resources to help environmental journalists spot the dam dangers nearest them.

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CA Suspends Environmental Laws To Speed Rebuilding Of Utilities After Fires

"In a continued effort to expedite rebuilding after Los Angeles' devastating firestorms, Gov. Gavin Newsom this week suspended California environmental laws for utility providers working to reinstall key infrastructure."

Source: LA Times, 04/01/2025

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