Connecticut reporter takes first-place in SEJ awards for outstanding beat writing

Neena Satija

The Society of Environmental Journalists announced its winners of the 2012-2013 Awards for Reporting on the Environment. Of the 234 entries, 21 winners are being awarded in seven categories. While most of the winners are from major metropolitan newspapers, the lone rural winner was Neena Satija of The Connecticut Mirror, who took first-place for small-market outstanding beat writing for her story collection titled "Shoreline Vulnerability in Farifield County." The awards will be held Oct. 2 at the Chattanooga Convention Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in conjunction with SEJ's 23rd Annual Conference. First-place winners receive $500 and a trophy.

Judge's wrote of Satija: "With deft, detailed writing, for instance, she tactfully balances the plight of a low-income community, built in a flood plain and still recovering from major storms, with the struggles of an overtaxed housing department without the resources to truly fix the problem. Then Satija turns around and explains why it’s problematic that a $120 billion investment company, with enough money to build anywhere, would choose to locate its new headquarters in the middle of another high-risk flood zone."

"Truly jaw-dropping, however, was Satija’s two-part series on problems at Stamford’s Water Pollution Control Authority. Satija spent four months digging into public records and tracking down dozens of current and former employees to show readers how infrastructure problems fell by the wayside as former leaders – including Connecticut’s current governor – pushed ahead with an expensive and poorly-planned waste-to-energy project. The stories do what every good investigation should: hold public officials accountable." (Read more)

To read Satija's stories click on the links:
"Bridgeport residents still suffering from Sandy's hardships"
"Bridgewater plan faces another potential setback: climate change"
"Striving for innovation, spending millions, Stamford leaders ignored major problems"
"Stamford's failed attempt at energy innovation cost taxpayers tens of millions"
"Public housing residents nervously await next storm -- with good reason"