In the waning days of the 2004 presidential campaign, some newspapers and broadcast outlets may still be pondering whether to pay any attention to the environmental issues and if so, how many column inches or air-time minutes to devote. Not the Seattle Times. During five days in late September, the Seattle Times presented an impressive series that closely examined a variety of key issues, with particular attention to subjects of interest to people in the Northwest.

Reporters Craig Welch, Alex Fryer and Hal Bernton didn't just look through a local or regional lens, however. In 11 stories published during five days, they also assumed a decidedly national (and international, in the article on global climate change) perspective. The series kicked off with a close look at the Bush administration's energy-development policies ("From Montana to New Mexico, extraction of natural gas, coal and coal-bed methane is reaching levels unmatched since the early 1980s, sparking environmental disputes and creating new pockets of wealth."). On the last day, it examined Sen. John Kerry's record, with particular attention to his response to a fishery issue off the shores of his native New England (Kerry walked "a tightrope between saving fish, whose plight was championed by environmentalists, and saving fishermen, whose fiery independence and passion for the water help define New England.") In between, the primary focus was on Bush's record in the White House, ranging from wildlife protection to air pollution. The series is a skillfully executed example of how a newspaper can help its readers understand vital issues at a time they're about to decide who will lead the nation for the next four years. Environmental journalists should check it out, if only to marvel in envy. All installments in the series can be reached through the web (see http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002046456_bushenergy26m.html).