The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "rain" ...
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"Amazon Crude"
More than 15 years ago, Ecuadorean residents sued Texaco for contaminating the Amazon Rain Forest with crude oil. The "oil waste pits" built by Texaco, now owned by Chevron, continue to leak toxins into the "region's waterways." According to an agreement between the company and the Ecuadorean government, Chevron is to cleanup 40 percent of the mess; however, the company "admitted" there is no record of all the contaminated sites.
Tags: Ecuador; Chevron; Texaco; Amazon; oil spill; toxic waste; rainforest; environmental; Petroecuador
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Plundering the Amazon
In "Plundering the Amazon," the reporters expose illegal land destruction of the Brazilian rain forest by well-known companies such as Alcoa and Cargill. These companies are destroying land without federal permits and in "violation of Brazilian law."
Tags: Alcoa; Cargill; rain forest; rainforest; Brazil; Brazilian; JBS SA; global warming; environmental; jungle
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Muddy 98
"Reporter Ben Raines discovered that lax oversight and poor engineering of a major highway project had allowed thousands of tons of mud to wash into Mobile's drinking water supply and the numerous creeks and wetlands that feed it."
Tags: environment; water supply; unsafe construction; public health; highway development; environmental agency
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Money Down the River
"This package documented how an apartment complex built in a flood plain received $10.7 million -- more than twice its assessed value -- from the National Flood Insurance Program. Basked on figures obtained through FOIA, the story detailed how the federally backed insurance program allowed Willow River Apartments to rebuild time and time again in a flood-prone area where development is no longer allowed."
Tags: FEMA; weather; rain; flood plain; flooding; water damamge; insurance; natural disaster; government spending
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Betrayed
A former health inspector and environmental health specialist is now permanently disabled because of his exposure to toxic mold at his workplace, the Southern Nevada Health District's Environmental Health Wing, and he's not the only worker affected. Although his employer knew the problem existed (and was serious, as they are the agency that investigates and shuts down mold-infected sites) they fought correcting the situation, refused to re-locate infected workers, and contested their disability claims.
Tags: Mold; Air quality; Southern Nevada Health District; Harry Reid Center for Environmental Studies at UNLV; rashes; Keck School of Medicine Environmental Sciences Laboratory at USC; Public Employees Retirement System of Nevada; U.S. Department of Labor Family and Medical Leave Act; Dan Pauluk; Apergillus; Stachybotrys; Yellow Rain; Aflatoxin; Saddam Hussein; Biological Weapons
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Mercury Menace
The author documented widespread mercury contamination in the town of McIntosh, AL. Most of the very public contamination had apparently escaped the attention of the EPA during Superfund investigations between 1984 and 2005. The reporter showed that mercury levels in creeks and rivers would rank among the highest mercury-contaminated areas of the U.S.
Tags: FOIA; contamination; Mercury; McIntosh; Superfund; E.P.A; Fish and Wildlife Service; Alabama Department of Environmental Management; Olin Corp.; Ciba Corp.
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Natural Gas
The authors investigated the price of natural gas in Mobile, AL and compared it to neighboring communities in Southeast states. They found that the gas in Alabama, particularly in Mobile, was more expensive than other regions, with no clear explanation for the price spike.
Tags: natural gas; energy; power; Public Service Commission; FOIA; Department of Energy; energy pricing
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Hurricane Coverage
Substandard and poorly enforced building codes led to houses that were unsafe during hurricanes in Mobile, Alabama. Gaps were also found in the county's evacuation plan and in the sturdiness of oil rigs constructed in the Gulf of Mexico.
Tags: hurricane; oil rigs; gas rigs; building codes; Hurricane Katrina
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Why Roofs Failed: Lessons of Two Hurricanes
Following the four hurricanes that hit Florida in 2004, this investigative team probed into why damage to homes was so significant despite seemingly high building codes. Politicians took 10 years to enact these stricter codes, meaning all homes built within that period were inadequately prepared for hurricanes. The most common type of damage was that done to roofs. This investigation found roofing tiles were not fit for Florida housetops. A flaw existed even in the brand new building codes: inland homes were not held to the same standards as those on the coast. However, these 2004 hurricanes proved damage was comparable no matter how close homes were to the water.
Tags: hurricane; wind; rain; weather; damage; building code; home; house; roof; shingle
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LNG: Analyzing risk
This ongoing investigation examines the potential risks of damage from a liquified natural gas supertanker or onshore facility. The Register's research, analyzed with help from those in the academic community, showed that if such a supertanker caught fire, the blaze would be much, much larger than what federal documents and officials have suggested. Federal officials also conceded that a certain type of flammable insulation is commonly used on the supertankers, despite earlier assertions to the contrary.
Tags: LNG; liquified natural gas; supertanker; shipping; environmental risk; public safety