Congress Chiefs Want Probe into Secret Bayer Poison Gas

May 7, 2009–House Energy Chair Waxman and Senate Commerce Chair Rockefeller call for investigation of whether Bayer could use safer chemicals at its Institute WV plant.

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.

RTK NET Relaunches Chemical Risk Data Site

May 7, 2009–RTK NET's powerful tools make it easy to see which cities face the worst chemical risks, and what chemicals are involved.

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.

"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.

After Secrecy Claims, Bayer's Own Lapses Revealed as Biggest Threat

April 22, 2009–A U.S. Chemical Safety Board public hearing, delayed for a month due to Bayer's pleas for secrecy, finds lack of safety to be contributing factors to the 'accident' that killed two at an Institute, WV, plant in August 2008.

EPA Reverses Bush-Era Toxics Release Inventory Blackout

April 22, 2009–A new rule signed by EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson restores cuts in how much data communities can get about nearby industrial releases of toxic substances.

Justice Department Issues New Guidelines on Handling FOIA Requests

April 22, 2009–The guidance was the latest in a series of orders seeking to turn around Bush administration secrecy, although "altering the mind set" might make change more difficult than originally thought.

Toolbox: EPA's Pesticide Emergency Exemptions Database

April 22, 2009–There could be a story breeding behind the emergency pesticide exemptions — which could number in the hundreds — in your state.

House Passes Limited Journalists' Shield Bill

April 8, 2009–The bill passed by the House now goes to the Senate, which had previously failed to act on a similar bill passed by the House in 2007.