Jeff Brady
Jeff Brady is a National Desk Correspondent based in Philadelphia, where he covers energy issues, climate change and the mid-Atlantic region. Brady helped establish NPR's environment and energy collaborative which brings together NPR and Member station reporters from across the country to cover the big stories involving the natural world.
Brady approaches energy stories from the consumer side of the light switch and the gas pump in an effort to demystify an industry that can seem complicated and opaque. Frequently traveling throughout the country for NPR, Brady has reported on the Texas oil business hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, the closing of a light bulb factory in Pennsylvania and a new generation of climate activists holding protests from Oregon to New York. In 2017 his reporting showed a history of racism and sexism that have made it difficult for the oil business to diversify its workforce.
In 2011 Brady led NPR's coverage of the Jerry Sandusky child sexual abuse scandal at Penn State—from the night legendary football coach Joe Paterno was fired to the trial where Sandusky was found guilty.
In 2005, Brady was among the NPR reporters who covered the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. His reporting on flooded cars left behind after the storm exposed efforts to stall the implementation of a national car titling system. Today, the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System is operational and the Department of Justice estimates it could save car buyers up to $11 billion a year.
Before coming to NPR in September 2003, Brady was a reporter at Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) in Portland. He has also worked in commercial television as an anchor and a reporter, and in commercial radio as a talk-show host and reporter.
Brady graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Southern Oregon State College (now Southern Oregon University). In 2018 SOU honored Brady with its annual "Distinguished Alumni" award.
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BP is challenging hundreds of millions of dollars in claims that were filed after the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, saying some have no connection to the spill. But legal experts say the claims don't have to be spill-related and BP is relying on a friendly court to limit how much it will pay. -
New York has a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, for natural gas, but the region is still benefiting from the drilling boom next door in Pennsylvania. A new pipeline is bringing gas into New York City, pushing down prices and improving the air quality as buildings convert from oil to gas furnaces. -
After Sandy hit the region around New York City last year, many residents had difficulty finding gas for their cars and generators. It's now clear there were problems all along the fuel supply chain. Policymakers have been examining what happened and how to prevent it in the future. -
Both the U.S. government and BP have estimates on just how much oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico after the Deepwater Horizon explosion in 2010. The problem: They reached two different numbers. At stake is up to $18 billion in fines and penalties under federal environmental laws. -
Gov. Tom Corbett hopes to tap into federal money offered as part of the Affordable Care Act to extend Medicaid coverage to more people. But he has conditions. His alternative would require some people to pay an insurance premium and to look for work. -
The Amish are perceived as shunning technology, but it's more complicated than that. Many Amish communities embrace newer technologies such as power tools and word processors, but only after determining they won't harm the community or disrupt family life. -
Americans are using less gasoline, and that affects how much money is available for constructing and repairing highways. Some states are levying taxes and fees on hybrids and electric cars to make up for lost revenue. -
The university plans to charge employees who refuse to submit to health screenings an extra $100 a month for their health care benefits. But some employees object, saying the university should encourage workers to be healthy rather than penalize those who don't want to participate in the new program. -
After this week's Supreme Court rulings on gay marriage, supporters and opponents are turning their attention to individual states, where several legislatures are expected to take up the issue. -
A fraternal agriculture organization known as the Grange must bring in younger members to survive. But the new generation's interest in environmental issues and food politics is clashing with the Grange's support of industrial farms.
