Finalists: SEJ 7th Annual Awards for Reporting on the Environment

Ethanol production and food shortages, energy and climate, energy and politics, asbestos and toxic trailers, land use/abuse were among the topics explored in the best environmental journalism of 2007-2008, according to judges in the seventh annual contest sponsored by the Society of Environmental Journalists.

Thirty-three entries in 11 categories — including the new Rachel Carson Environment Book Award — have been designated as finalists in the SEJ Awards for Reporting on the Environment, the world's largest and most comprehensive awards for journalism on environmental topics.

Reporters, editors and journalism educators who served as contest judges pored over 234 entries to choose the finalists representing the best environmental reporting in print and on television, radio, the Internet and in student publications. This year, the judges also chose the best environmental journalism book of 2007.

SEJ will announce the winners October 15 at a gala ceremony in the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center on the first day of SEJ's 18th Annual Conference. The Rachel Carson Environment Book Award winner will receive $10,000 and a trophy. Each of the other winning entries will receive $1,000 and a trophy.

This year's SEJ finalists, listed alphabetically by category and principal reporter, are:

Kevin Carmody Award For Outstanding Investigative Reporting, Print

Outstanding Beat Reporting, Print

Outstanding Beat/In-Depth Reporting, Radio

Outstanding Beat/In-Depth Reporting, Television

  • Peter Bull
    Center for Investigative Reporting
    Hot Politics
  • Vince Patton, Todd Sonflieth, Nick Fisher, Michael Bendixen
    Oregon Public Broadcasting, "Oregon Field Guide"
    Marmot Dam
    Opal Creek
    Ice Worms
    Toad Crossing
  • Dan Rather, Wayne Nelson, Chandra Simon, Resa Matthews, Elyse Kaftan
    HDNet
    "Dan Rather Reports: Toxic Trailers" (Available for sale only.)

Outstanding Explanatory Reporting, Print

Outstanding Online Reporting

Outstanding Small Market Reporting, Print

Outstanding Story, Radio

Outstanding Story, Television

  • Christopher Bauer, Shirley Gutierrez, Josh Rosen, Sheraz Sadiq, Paul Rogers
    KQED San Francisco
    Quest: Condors vs. Lead Bullets
  • Sidharth Pandey
    NDTV 24x7
    Mined to Death
  • Kerry Sanders
    NBC News
    Arctic Ice Melt for the North Pole

Outstanding Student Reporting

  • Katherine Harmon
    Missourian
    Murky Waters (The Big Muddy)
  • Gavin Off
    Columbia Tribune
    Lessons in Leniency
  • Kristin Phillips
    Scienceline
    The Venice of New York (Tainted Lavender: Apathy and Dreams along the Gowanus Canal)

SEJ'S Rachel Carson Environment Book Award

The Society of Environmental Journalists is an association of more than 1,400 journalists, educators and students. SEJ is run by journalists and for journalists. Its mission is to advance public understanding of environmental issues by improving the quality, accuracy and visibility of environmental reporting.

SEJ offers unique educational programs and services for working journalists, educators and students, including annual and regional conferences; daily EJToday news service; quarterly SEJournal; biweekly TipSheet and other publications; SEJ Awards for Reporting on the Environment; members-only listservs; mentoring program; website-based resources; and a lively membership network of journalists and academics.

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