Canadian Court Takes up Shield Issue

May 20, 2009–The Supreme Court of Canada will consider this week a request by the National Post, civil liberties and media groups to overturn an Appeal ruling that police investigations override the Charter guarantee of free expression.

EPA Puts Status of FOIA Requests Online

May 20, 2009–The browsable report lists the date the request was received, the date a response is due, and the status.

Forest Activists Drop Suit on Press-Conference Ejection

May 20, 2009–After an appeals court ruling against them, and running out of funds, conservationists dropped their suit against the Forest Service for escorting them from a press conference on a Bitterroot National Forest timber sale.

WV Reporter Uses FOIA To Probe Drilling Waste

May 20, 2009–Billy Wolfe, of the Clarksburg Exponent Telegram, learns more about the chemicals in the hydraulic fracturing fluid used by gas-drilling companies.

EPA Funding Boom Means Dollars for Local Projects

May 13, 2009–One result of increased EPA grant money going to state and local governments will be uptick in activity on many local environmental projects — which will translate into news.

Federal Crystal Ball Predicts Numerous Wildfire Hotspots

May 13, 2009–The National Interagency Fire Center maintains an ongoing set of wildfire forecasts, covering time periods ranging from daily to the full wildfire season.

Obama Has Yet To End PIO "Minders," Permissions

May 7, 2009–A new report from the Union of Concerned Scientists documents the Obama administration's declarations that it intends to be more open. But the same report also documents the many actions not taken at the agency level.

SEJ, Groups Ask Environment Canada for Openness

May 7, 2009–Environment Canada ignored a similar letter from SEJ sent a year ago, requesting restoration of public access to science that taxpayers have paid for.

NOAA To Swarm Around Tornadoes This Spring

April 29, 2009–Researchers, journalists in tow, will be chasing tornadoes around the central US in May and June to learn more about how tornadoes work, and better predict them and their paths.

"Trade Secrets" — Largely Untested Grounds for Toxic Secrecy

April 22, 2009–Witnesses at a House Energy Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection hearing in February said excessive and unjustified claims of "confidential business information" dampen EPA's efforts to regulate commonly used chemicals.