As President Trump continues to fill environment and energy leadership positions in 2018, one source of stories will be potential conflicts of interest for appointed regulators and agency leaders. This week's TipSheet runs down more than 20 key appointments to watch at EPA, Interior, Ag, Energy and more.
"The effort by U.S. EPA to publicly debate mainstream climate science is on ice."
"The Trump administration is prohibiting officials at the nation’s top public health agency from using a list of seven words or phrases — including “fetus” and “transgender” — in official documents being prepared for next year’s budget."
In 2017, the New York Times launched a new desk to cover climate, and produced many stories presenting unique views of climate change and its impacts using in-depth journalism and stunning interactive graphics. The New York Times collected the stories December 6, 2017.
"Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke brought the leader of a California park to his office last month to reprimand him for climate change-related tweets the park had sent via Twitter, two sources close to the situation said."
As SEJ begins a search for a new executive director — its second in two years — President Bobby Magill reflects on the challenges faced by an ever-shifting journalism industry and an environment under political attack. Plus, in his latest President's Report, why the SEJ board is considering a different path for the search.
"Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt on Thursday defended his frequent taxpayer-funded travel and his purchase of a custom soundproof communications booth for his office, saying both were justified."
"Scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency will be free to publicly discuss their work from now on, Scott Pruitt, the agency’s administrator, has assured lawmakers who criticized the E.P.A. for preventing employees from presenting findings about climate change."
The Society of Environmental Journalists has joined other journalism and open-government groups in urging the Federal Communications Commission not to end its established net neutrality rule. When an internet service provider also owns a news outlet, then they can give their own news content an advantage if the net is not neutral. This will tend to push out smaller news media companies and increase concentration in the news industry. (Image by Darmokand)
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