Are You Ready for Sunshine Week? — March 15-21

January 28, 2009–News media across the country will again be undertaking open-government projects in 2009. The Sunshine Week website offers you ideas on stories you could dig out of hard-to-see public records.

CJR: "What We Didn't Know Has Hurt Us"

January 28, 2009–A Jan/Feb 2009 Columbia Journalism Review article enumerates many kinds of information the Bush administration veiled with secrecy; argues that disclosure is essential for democracy, yet the harm will not be easily undone.

FDA Knew About Mercury in Corn Syrup — And Kept Silent

January 28, 2009–In spite of one of its own scientists co-authoring a 2005 study finding toxic mercury in high fructose corn syrup, the Food and Drug Administration gave a green light to the corn industry's campaign advertising corn syrup as "natural."

Perchlorates Offer Early Test of EPA Openness

January 28, 2009–Incoming EPA administrator Lisa Jackson faces an immediate test on perchlorate secrecy, as the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia rejects EPA's argument for FOIA exemption. Will EPA and the Justice Department appeal, even though Obama urges agency openness?

Whistleblower Bill Awaits Congressional Action

January 28, 2009–An amendment adding whistleblower protection to the economic stimulus bill before the House will be voted on soon.

Obama Orders Rollback of Bush Secrecy on 1st Day

January 22, 2009–President Barack Obama signalled that open access to information will be a top priority for his administration, issuing two memos to all executive agencies and one executive order at a January 21, 2009, session open to reporters and cabinet members.

Bush OMB Claims Public Health Endangerment As Secret

January 14, 2009–The White House Office of Management and Budget has denied a FOIA request by the online newsletter Greenwire to release EPA's public health "endangerment finding" on climate change.

SEJ Urges Energy Department To Drop New Secrecy Rule

January 14, 2009–The Society of Environmental Journalists has urged the Energy Department to abandon a new rule making it easier for the agency to deny or resist Freedom of Information Act requests.

SEJ Urges Prompt, Full EPA Release of Ash Spill Testing Data

January 14, 2009–SEJ urged EPA Region 4 to release promptly and fully any environmental monitoring data it collects related to the December 2008 spill of coal ash from an east Tennessee impoundment.

CNN, Weather Channel Axe Environmental Units

December 31, 2008–At a time when public understanding of complex science and environmental issues grows critical, CNN laid off its entire science/enviro team and NBC's The Weather Channel fired the staff of the "Forecast Earth" environmental program.