DHS and CDC Refuse To Give House Panel Docs on Failed BioWatch Program

November 28, 2012–After wasting billions of taxpayer dollars on a non-working program aimed at protecting the US public from biological attack, the Department of Homeland Security and Centers for Disease Control may be refusing to give documents on the program to House Energy Committee investigators. 

GOPers Attack EPA's Jackson for Alias E-Mail Account

November 28, 2012–Critics say Jackson's use of an e-mail account using her dog's name is an effort to hide agency business. Agency officials maintain the practice is innocent.

Obama Signs Whistleblower Bill

November 28, 2012–President Obama on November 27, 2012, signed into law a bill beefing up previously flimsy protections for federal employee whistleblowers who disclose waste, fraud, and abuse. The legislation was supported by good-government watchdog groups.

Open-Source Background on Federal BioWatch Program

November 28, 2012–

Undercover Muckraking a Lonely, Dangerous Job

November 28, 2012–Humaneitarian's Caroline Abels relates the story of today's muckrakers going undercover in investigations of American factory farms conducted by the Humane Society of the U.S.

ABC News Urges Judge To Toss Out "Pink Slime" Defamation Suit

November 14, 2012–In September, South Dakota meat processor Beef Products, Inc., had sued ABC, some of its anchors and correspondents, and a USDA microbiologist under South Dakota law for reporting on the controversial meat filler. The company said it would oppose the October 31st motion to dismiss.

Congress Sends Bill Strengthening Whistleblower Protection to Obama's Desk

November 14, 2012–Whistleblowers are key sources for investigative journalists. The bill, approved by unanimous consent in the House and Senate, was hailed by watchdog groups Government Accountability Project and Project on Government Oversight, who had fought for its passage.

Secret CRS Reports on Environmental Topics Published

November 14, 2012–Here are more Congressional Research Service reports relevant to the environment/energy beat, published by the Federation of American Scientists' Project on Government Secrecy.

Some Resources for Covering Environmental Disasters

November 14, 2012–Superstorm Sandy was a wake-up call on many levels — especially as a lesson on the need to be prepared for disasters. Here are some reporting tools that may come in handy.

When News Embargoes May Endanger Public Health

November 14, 2012–When NPR's David Schultz wanted to report last month on whether extra mumps vaccinations given in 2009 to Jewish children in the NYC area had worked or had side effects, he ran up against an embargo imposed by the journal Pediatrics. If you worry about how embargoes affect journalists' access, you may want to follow Embargo Watch.