Southern California reporter @insideclimatenews.org. Former NJ.com/ @starledger.bsky.social. Syracuse University alum. Tips: steven.rodas@insideclimatenews.org. Bilingual: English | Spanish https://insideclimatenews.org/profile/steven-rodas/https://bsky.app/profile/stevenrodas.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/stevenrodas.bsky.social/post/3myl52qydik2emini-exclusive for @insideclimatenews.org, a site one former Los Angeles official described as “a mini Chernobyl in our backyard” is being demolished despite concerns from families nearby about the dust and its potential to lead to cancer if inhaled (wt @ninardietz.bsky.social) https://insideclimatenews.org/news/23102026/boeings-demolition-of-nuclear-facility-cancer/23 Oct 2026 21:35 +0000at://did:plc:c3ampnvszl7rt5mwitjeway6/app.bsky.feed.post/3myl52qydik2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/stevenrodas.bsky.social/post/3myl52qydik2emini-exclusive for @insideclimatenews.org, a site one former Los Angeles official described as “a mini Chernobyl in our backyard” is being demolished despite concerns from families nearby about the dust and its potential to lead to cancer if inhaled (wt @ninardietz.bsky.social) https://insideclimatenews.org/news/23102026/boeings-demolition-of-nuclear-facility-cancer/23 Oct 2026 21:35 +0000at://did:plc:c3ampnvszl7rt5mwitjeway6/app.bsky.feed.post/3myl52qydik2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/stevenrodas.bsky.social/post/3mx2phqr2o22lwe spent months reporting in Altadena for @insideclimatenews.org and found outside parties have advanced development faster than owners of homes that burned in Eaton Fire Upwards of 300 new structures, from what families call “predatory” developers, have been approved; wt @ninardietz.bsky.social https://insideclimatenews.org/news/04102026/california-law-aims-to-stop-predatory-developers-after-disasters/04 Oct 2026 15:24 +0000at://did:plc:c3ampnvszl7rt5mwitjeway6/app.bsky.feed.post/3mx2phqr2o22lhttps://bsky.app/profile/stevenrodas.bsky.social/post/3mx2phqr2o22lwe spent months reporting in Altadena for @insideclimatenews.org and found outside parties have advanced development faster than owners of homes that burned in Eaton Fire Upwards of 300 new structures, from what families call “predatory” developers, have been approved; wt @ninardietz.bsky.social https://insideclimatenews.org/news/04102026/california-law-aims-to-stop-predatory-developers-after-disasters/04 Oct 2026 15:24 +0000at://did:plc:c3ampnvszl7rt5mwitjeway6/app.bsky.feed.post/3mx2phqr2o22lhttps://bsky.app/profile/stevenrodas.bsky.social/post/3mwnvsts75k2wAs a record breaking El Niño continues to grow in the Pacific, @weatherwest.bsky.social explains what may be in store for the next year as we brace for an El Niño “so far above anything we've previously seen, it doesn't even fit on the same axis.” (@ninardietz.bsky.social for @insideclimatenews.org) https://insideclimatenews.org/news/29092026/record-breaking-el-nino-grows-in-pacific/29 Sep 2026 13:13 +0000at://did:plc:c3ampnvszl7rt5mwitjeway6/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwnvsts75k2whttps://bsky.app/profile/stevenrodas.bsky.social/post/3mvsgxe5qn223breaking for @insideclimatenews.org, 700+ dairies in California are within 1 mile of an area at high risk for nitrate groundwater contamination. The valley with the most dairy farms in the state has adopted an order that gets stricter on regulating harmful manure waste. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/18092026/california-dairy-manure-groundwater-regulation/18 Sep 2026 15:05 +0000at://did:plc:c3ampnvszl7rt5mwitjeway6/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvsgxe5qn223https://bsky.app/profile/stevenrodas.bsky.social/post/3mvsgxe5qn223breaking for @insideclimatenews.org, 700+ dairies in California are within 1 mile of an area at high risk for nitrate groundwater contamination. The valley with the most dairy farms in the state has adopted an order that gets stricter on regulating harmful manure waste. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/18092026/california-dairy-manure-groundwater-regulation/18 Sep 2026 15:05 +0000at://did:plc:c3ampnvszl7rt5mwitjeway6/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvsgxe5qn223https://bsky.app/profile/stevenrodas.bsky.social/post/3mvapdqo6ws24@columjournreview.bsky.social wrote about the Keyport investigation I launched (wt @karinpricemueller.bsky.social) Environmental testing, commissioned by NJ.com, revealed that the neighborhood around the landfill, which was first shut down in 1979, “is a ‘hot spot’ of toxins.” [contains quote post or other embedded content]11 Sep 2026 13:47 +0000at://did:plc:c3ampnvszl7rt5mwitjeway6/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvapdqo6ws24https://bsky.app/profile/stevenrodas.bsky.social/post/3mvapdqo6ws24@columjournreview.bsky.social wrote about the Keyport investigation I launched (wt @karinpricemueller.bsky.social) Environmental testing, commissioned by NJ.com, revealed that the neighborhood around the landfill, which was first shut down in 1979, “is a ‘hot spot’ of toxins.” [contains quote post or other embedded content]11 Sep 2026 13:47 +0000at://did:plc:c3ampnvszl7rt5mwitjeway6/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvapdqo6ws24https://bsky.app/profile/stevenrodas.bsky.social/post/3mtujgxecds2cnew for @insideclimatenews.org, Arizona, California and Colorado are still reviewing Nevada’s new lawsuit against the Trump administration’s 10-year Colorado River plan. Nevada commented on the suit. As did Wyoming on the federal plan. h/t @jakebolster.bsky.social and @wyattmyskow.bsky.social https://insideclimatenews.org/news/24082026/nevada-sues-trump-administration-over-colorado-river-plan/25 Aug 2026 00:04 +0000at://did:plc:c3ampnvszl7rt5mwitjeway6/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtujgxecds2chttps://bsky.app/profile/stevenrodas.bsky.social/post/3mtujgxecds2cnew for @insideclimatenews.org, Arizona, California and Colorado are still reviewing Nevada’s new lawsuit against the Trump administration’s 10-year Colorado River plan. Nevada commented on the suit. As did Wyoming on the federal plan. h/t @jakebolster.bsky.social and @wyattmyskow.bsky.social https://insideclimatenews.org/news/24082026/nevada-sues-trump-administration-over-colorado-river-plan/25 Aug 2026 00:04 +0000at://did:plc:c3ampnvszl7rt5mwitjeway6/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtujgxecds2chttps://bsky.app/profile/stevenrodas.bsky.social/post/3msvgjpj3u22preporting for @insideclimatenews.org, as a wildfire approached the site of one of the worst nuclear meltdowns in U.S. history, California officials scrambled to respond and establish proper real-time radiation and air monitoring, internal emails show (wt Nina Dietz) https://insideclimatenews.org/news/12082026/california-sandy-fire-santa-susana-nuclear-site-safety/12 Aug 2026 15:20 +0000at://did:plc:c3ampnvszl7rt5mwitjeway6/app.bsky.feed.post/3msvgjpj3u22phttps://bsky.app/profile/stevenrodas.bsky.social/post/3mr5u5b4gvc2yOne of my final projects at @starledger.bsky.social published today. Wildfires are erupting more frequently in #NewJersey, encroaching ever closer to crowded neighborhoods with limited escape routes. The state faces a myriad deficiencies in its preparation, I found. https://www.nj.com/news/2026/07/a-catastrophic-california-level-wildfire-will-scorch-nj-someday-were-not-ready-for-it.html21 Jul 2026 12:54 +0000at://did:plc:c3ampnvszl7rt5mwitjeway6/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr5u5b4gvc2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/stevenrodas.bsky.social/post/3mpvwchnztk2onew for @insideclimatenews.org, I spent several days in Planada, #California, where people are known to shut themselves indoors during the summer and use bottled water or Brita filters out of their concern over dairy operations’ contamination of air and water https://insideclimatenews.org/news/05072026/california-dairy-farm-expansion-plan-worries-residents/05 Jul 2026 15:46 +0000at://did:plc:c3ampnvszl7rt5mwitjeway6/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpvwchnztk2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/stevenrodas.bsky.social/post/3mpvwchnztk2onew for @insideclimatenews.org, I spent several days in Planada, #California, where people are known to shut themselves indoors during the summer and use bottled water or Brita filters out of their concern over dairy operations’ contamination of air and water https://insideclimatenews.org/news/05072026/california-dairy-farm-expansion-plan-worries-residents/05 Jul 2026 15:46 +0000at://did:plc:c3ampnvszl7rt5mwitjeway6/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpvwchnztk2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/stevenrodas.bsky.social/post/3moxq3j4sw222The latest chapter in the Keyport investigation I launched, from @karinpricemueller.bsky.social. People who live in neighborhoods near an old dump are 15% more likely to have cancer than other residents of their county, according to a preliminary disease incidence study nj.com commissioned. [contains quote post or other embedded content]23 Jun 2026 15:35 +0000at://did:plc:c3ampnvszl7rt5mwitjeway6/app.bsky.feed.post/3moxq3j4sw222https://bsky.app/profile/stevenrodas.bsky.social/post/3mnhvidav6c2gAlready 2 months since I left Jersey! It has been a very rewarding start at @insideclimatenews.org and I just wanted to share a few stories as I get settled into California. I spent a day on a mountain ridge near Ojai where families fear an oil spill was never fully cleaned up 1/ https://insideclimatenews.org/news/23052026/california-oil-spill-cleanup-worries-residents/04 Jun 2026 15:04 +0000at://did:plc:c3ampnvszl7rt5mwitjeway6/app.bsky.feed.post/3mnhvidav6c2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/stevenrodas.bsky.social/post/3mk3lsppugc2t**Some personal news** After 5 years at @nj.com/ @starledger.bsky.social — including 4 years covering the environment — I will be leaving the newsroom. I’ve loved my time here, which began as part of a fellowship wt Syracuse University. I’m beyond proud of the work I’ve produced in my home state!22 Apr 2026 13:23 +0000at://did:plc:c3ampnvszl7rt5mwitjeway6/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk3lsppugc2thttps://bsky.app/profile/stevenrodas.bsky.social/post/3mjoy3phhus26new investigation for @starledger.bsky.social, I spoke with several families at the Jersey bayshore over fears contamination is linked to cancer diagnoses. So far: 41 cancer cases. Most are near a town’s old, improperly-capped and heavily-cited dump. h/t @karinpricemueller.bsky.social https://www.nj.com/news/2026/04/new-cancer-cluster-feared-in-nj-neighborhood.html17 Apr 2026 12:59 +0000at://did:plc:c3ampnvszl7rt5mwitjeway6/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjoy3phhus26