Lisa Song
I report on the EPA and related agencies that oversee the environment, climate change and science.
Have a Tip for a Story?
I’m interested in talking to people who work at the EPA, NOAA, USGS and similar agencies. Please reach out securely via Signal or email if you have a story idea.
What I Cover
I cover how environmental regulations (or the lack thereof) affect communities, human health and the natural world.
My Background
I joined ProPublica in 2017 to cover environmental health and the fossil fuel industry. I’ve written about false solutions related to plastic recycling, carbon credits and biodiversity offsets. I’ve chronicled conflicts of interest in scientific research and regulators’ inability to curb major polluters. I’m currently focused on how the Trump administration is changing environmental protections. My reporting has led to regulatory change and has been cited in lawsuits.
Prior to ProPublica, I worked at Inside Climate News, where I was part of the reporting team that revealed Exxon’s shift from conducting global warming research to supporting climate denial. I co-wrote “The Dilbit Disaster,” which won a Pulitzer Prize for national reporting. I have degrees in earth science and science writing from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Can Air Pollution Cause Cancer? What You Need to Know About the Risks.
If you live close to certain industrial facilities, you may have a higher estimated cancer risk. This may sound alarming. Here are answers to common questions, some crowdsourced tips and how to share your experience to help our investigation.
Lawmakers Question California Cap and Trade Policies, Citing ProPublica Report
California legislators asked the state Air Resources Board to review its forest offsets program after an investigation by ProPublica and MIT Technology Review found that up to 39 million carbon credits aren’t achieving real climate benefits.
The California Air Resources Board Challenges Our Carbon Credits Investigations. We Respond.
The California Air Resources Board wrote a letter critiquing ProPublica stories that showed flaws in its carbon offset program. Here’s where we disagree with the points the board made.
A Nonprofit Promised to Preserve Wildlife. Then It Made Millions Claiming It Could Cut Down Trees.
The Massachusetts Audubon Society has managed its land as wildlife habitat for years. Here’s how the carbon credits it sold may have fueled climate change.
The Climate Solution Actually Adding Millions of Tons of CO2 Into the Atmosphere
New research shows that California’s climate policy created up to 39 million carbon credits that aren’t achieving real carbon savings. But companies can buy these forest offsets to justify polluting more anyway.
Tracking the Trump Administration’s “Midnight Regulations”
The administration is rushing to implement dozens of policy changes in its final days. We’re following some of the most consequential and controversial.
Rapid Testing Is Less Accurate Than the Government Wants to Admit
Rapid antigen testing is a mess. The federal government pushed it out without a plan, and then spent weeks denying problems with false positives.
The EPA Refuses to Reduce Pollutants Linked to Coronavirus Deaths
Particulate matter kills people. That was true before the pandemic, and new research has tied it to coronavirus deaths. But the EPA is ignoring scientists who say stricter particulate matter limits could prevent tens of thousands of early deaths.
Politicians and Business Interests Pushed Health Officials Aside to Control Reopening. Then Cases Exploded.
Interviews and internal emails show that Utah prioritized the health of businesses over keeping coronavirus case counts down. As case counts rise, the state will now allow indoor gatherings of up to 3,000 people.
Millions of Homeowners Who Need Flood Insurance Don’t Know It — Thanks to FEMA
It is FEMA’s job to warn homeowners about major flood risks, but its approach is notoriously limited. In Cook County alone, researchers found about six times as many properties in danger as FEMA estimated. Look up your address with a new tool.