Elizabeth Shogren

Elizabeth Shogren, a veteran newspaper reporter, came to NPR in February 2005 to cover environmental issues on the National Desk.

Prior to NPR, Shogren spent 14 years as a reporter on a variety of beats at The Los Angeles Times. For the last four years she reported on environmental issues in Washington, D.C., and across the country. From 1993 - 2000, Shogren worked from The Los Angeles Times' Washington bureau covering the White House, Congress, social policy, money and politics, and presidential campaigns. During that time, Shogren was given the opportunity to travel abroad on short-term foreign reporting assignments, including the Kosovo crisis in 1999, the Bosnian war in 1996, and Russian elections in 1993 and 1996. Before joining the Washington bureau, Shogren was based in Moscow where she covered the breakup of the Soviet Union and the rise of democracy in Russia for the newspaper.

Beginning in 1988, Shogren worked as a freelance reporter based in Moscow, publishing in a variety of newspapers and magazines, including Newsweek, The Dallas Morning News, the San Francisco Chronicle, and The Washington Post. During that time, she covered the fall of the Berlin Wall and the peaceful revolution in Prague.

Shogren's career in journalism began in the wire services. She worked for the Associated Press in Chicago and at United Press International in Albany, NY.

After earning a B.A. in Russian studies at the University of Virginia in 1985, Shogren went on to receive an M.S. in journalism from Columbia University in 1987.

In her free time, Shogren enjoys hiking and backcountry skiing with her husband, Jeff, and their dog, Trekker.

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3:02am

Mon November 7, 2011
Poisoned Places: Toxic Air, Neglected Communities

Secret 'Watch List' Reveals Failure To Curb Toxic Air

Originally published on Thu November 10, 2011 12:02 pm

Credit David Gilkey / NPR

Part 1 of a four-part series, Poisoned Places: Toxic Air, Neglected Communities

The system Congress set up 21 years ago to clean up toxic air pollution still leaves many communities exposed to risky concentrations of benzene, formaldehyde, mercury and many other hazardous chemicals.

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8:01am

Thu September 22, 2011
Business

Air Force And Navy Turn To Bio-Fuels

The Pentagon's hunt for an alternative to petroleum has turned a lowly weed and animal fat into something indistinguishable from jet fuel and now the military is trying to kick-start a new bio-fuel industry.

"To flip the line from 'Field of Dreams', if the Navy comes, they will build it," Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said in a recent speech.

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1:55pm

Tue August 9, 2011
Business

Truck Industry Welcomes New Fuel Regulations

The Obama administration announced Tuesday the first ever fuel efficiency standards for larger trucks and buses. New vehicles sold in 2018 will go up to 20 percent farther on a gallon of fuel. So far, the truck manufacturing industry is welcoming the rules.

Outside the White House today, the heavyweights of the truck manufacturing industry took the microphone one after another.

"We're happy to be part of this. We really appreciate the process," says Denny Slagle, CEO of Mack Trucks.

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1:00pm

Mon August 8, 2011
NPR Story

No Child Left Behind Update

Originally published on Mon August 8, 2011 4:12 pm

The Obama Administration is giving school districts a waiver from some mandates of the No Child Left Behind education law.

The law requires schools to reach higher goals each year, and by 2014, it demands that every student be graded proficient in reading and math. The Obama administration, which has repeatedly called on Congress to rewrite the legislation, says the law is overly punitive.

In an announcement on Monday, Education Secretary Arne Duncan opened the door for states to avoid the penalties and deadlines of the current No Child Left Behind Law.

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2:00am

Thu July 28, 2011
NPR Story

Obama To Announce New Fuel Economy Standards

Automakers and the White House have reached agreement on a new fuel economy standard of 54.5 mpg for cars and light trucks, sources tell NPR. The new standard would be phased in beginning with model year 2017 and fully implemented by 2025. The president is expected to formally announce the agreement tomorrow.

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