(19 entries)

Judge: Mark Schleifstwin, environmental reporter, The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune
Schleifstwin was part of a three-member team whose 13-month investigation into the future of fisheries won the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for public service.

First Place
STEVE YOZWIAK
The Arizona Republic
"Canyon logging: A Grand debate"
"Clear and compelling discussion of a complex debate. The author searched beyond the government-environmentalist debate to gather knowledge necessary for the public to understand the risks and benefits of the various choices facing National Forest Service and National Park Service officials."

Second Place
MICHAEL KIEFER
Phoenix New Times
"Tributary bypass"
"The reporter breathes fire into what could have been a bullet-proof, document-driven bureaucracy story. Explaining details of the electric industry and basic geology in one story is no easy task. Well done."

Third Place
JOYESHA CHESNICK
Tucson Citizen
"Air war: State accused of letting mine pollute"
"Excellent attempt at tackling a chemical risk problem, and using it as a springboard to explored the effectiveness of state regulators."

Honorable Mention
CHRIS FISCUS and BETTY BEARD
The Arizona Republic
"Paradise lost?"
"The best of a batch of sprawl stories submitted in this category, this one successfully explains how Ahwatukee got to where it is today, and some of its potential future problems."