REVISED FOIA BILL MAY BE SET FOR FAST TRACK

December 12, 2007–Senate sponsors of a bipartisan Senate bill to strengthen agency compliance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) have crafted a compromise version and reintroduced it in hopes of speeding Congressional action.

Border Fence Environmental Concerns Heat Up

December 5, 2007–Mexico released a report condemning the border fence along the U.S. border as environmentally destructive.

Draft EIS for Western Energy Corridors Released

December 5, 2007–The public comment period for a long-delayed EIS draft designating energy corridors in 11 Western states is open.

Nations Seek "Roadmap" to Post-Kyoto Climate Treaty at Bali

December 5, 2007–Post-Kyoto climate change negotiations began in earnest in Bali, Indonesia, to prepare for the next iteration of world consensus on the topic.

HOUSE PANEL TO HOLD HEARING ON PARK PHOTO FEES DEC. 12

November 28, 2007–The House Resources Committee will hold a hearing Dec. 12, 2007, to air concerns that proposed Interior Department rules requiring fees and permits for photography and sound recording on public lands could limit freedom of the press.

SEJ, OTHER J-GROUPS ASK SENATE TO DROP ANIMAL SECRECY

November 28, 2007–Even as major companies recalled their shipments of hamburgers made with possibly tainted meat, beef and pork lobbyists worked hard to keep U.S meat eaters from finding out what was going on. They lobbied to amend the Farm Bill to include secrecy language that would make make it illegal for anyone to publicly disclose such information. SEJ and other journalism organization are urging senators to remove that language from the bill.

GROUP WINS ACCESS TO FOREST SERVICE RECORDS ON OFF-ROAD VEHICLE DAMAGE

October 31, 2007–The AP reports that the conservation group Wildlands CPR has won a 2-year battle to get U.S. Forest Service records on damage caused by off-road vehicles and unmaintained roads in the West.

INTERIOR DEPT. FOIA LOGS PUBLISHED ONLINE

October 31, 2007–The group Governmentattic.org has published on its Website the FOIA request logs for the Interior Department's Office of Surface Mining, U.S. Geological Survey, Bureau of Land Management, and Minerals Management Service through Oct. 2007.

WHITE HOUSE EDITS OF CLIMATE TESTIMONY CAUSE FLAP

October 31, 2007–White House edits of testimony delivered Oct. 24 to the Senate Environment Committee by Centers for Disease Control director Julie Gerberding have brought consternation from Democrats and environmentalists and a circling of wagons at the White House.

Three National Academies Reports Coming in October

October 10, 2007–Three reports being released by the National Academies' National Research Council have strong environmental links. Reports concern water, biofuels and ongoing conflicts between national security and the open flow of scientific information.