Adam Goldstein covers climate, the environment, public health, and more at the New Bedford Light in New Bedford, Mass. Prior to joining the Light, Goldstein covered agricultural policy and Capitol Hill for States Newsroom in Washington D.C., regularly reporting on the farm bill. He has also worked as an education reporter at the the Columbia Missourian, and prior to that, as a digital producer for ABC7 Bay Area. Goldstein also won a 2023 NAAJ Best Student Writing Award for a story he did about climate change impacting Corn Belt agriculture. Goldstein is a San Francisco native, and a graduate of Tulane University and the Missouri School of Journalism.
Beat: Climate and environment
This is a huge and complex issue in New Bedford. The legacy of industrial pollutants, primarily from the textile industry, is present in the water, the air, the ground, the food and the health issues of residents whose low incomes and other factors make them especially vulnerable. We are a Super Fund site, and dotted with brown fields where residential housing is occupied by the poorest residents. Heat deserts in these neighborhoods are an urgent health issue, as is asthma and lead-poisoning. In addition, we are a coastal region whose residents and primary industries (fishing, wind) are directly affected by climate issues including sea-level rise, and changes in ocean temperatures, acidity, tides, and aquatic ecosystems, to name just a few. This is a challenging beat, requiring substantial experience with public records, government agencies and regulators, science and health data. It requires sharp research and investigative reporting skills, coupled with an aptitude for vivid storytelling.