Searchable archives of the biweekly WatchDog TipSheet's story ideas, articles, updates, events and other information with a focus on freedom-of-information issues of concern to environmental journalists in both the U.S. and Canada are posted here on the day of publication. Journalists are eligible for a free email subscription; send name and full contact information to the SEJ office. WatchDog TipSheet is also available via RSS feed. 
Latest WatchDog TipSheet Items
April 8, 2009
Judge Rules That Feedlot Phone-Book Can Be Secret
April 8, 2009–As of March 31, 2009, the Agriculture Department may keep secret the locations and phone numbers of feedlots — however much the public may complain about their smell and the pollution emanating from them.NIH Open-Access Policy Celebrates 1st Birthday — Will It Make 2nd?
April 8, 2009–A year-old National Institutes of Health policy requiring results of taxpayer-funded research articles to be posted online could be reversed by a bill introduced by Rep. John Conyers, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.Toolbox: Financial Disclosure Info on Obama WH Officials Online
April 8, 2009–The Executive Branch Personnel Public Financial Disclosure reports themselves are not online, but you can request them.WA State Secret Deal on Coal-Plant Emissions Raises Ire
April 8, 2009–Seattle Times lets the cat out of the bag with an April 7, 2009, story describing the secret agreement between the administration of Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire and Canada-based TransAlta.March 25, 2009
Attorney General Sets Openness as Standard for Fed Info
March 25, 2009–Carrying out a January 21 order by President Barack Obama, Attorney General Eric Holder has reversed the so-called "Ashcroft Memo," which had encouraged agencies during the George Bush presidency to err on the side of secrecy.Blue Sky for TRI?
March 25, 2009–EPA's public release of the latest Toxics Release Inventory data -- and rollback of Bush-era cutbacks on the amount of information chemical companies must report -- may have marked the beginning of a new era for the embattled program.CSB Reschedules W.VA. Meeting After Bayer Secrecy Demands
March 25, 2009–A public meeting regarding the U.S. Chemical Safety Board's investigation of the August 2008 explosion at Bayer CropScience which killed two workers, originally scheduled for March 19, was postponed to April 23, 2009.EPA Inspector General Rips Risk Management Plan Follow-Up
March 25, 2009–A new Office of Inspector General report found many chemical facilities storing large amounts of dangerous chemicals had not filed their required RMPs -- and that EPA was not checking often for compliance.Leahy, Cornyn Introduce FOIA Exemption-Flagging Bill
March 25, 2009–A new bill would require Congress to explicitly declare when it was creating a new exemption to the Freedom of Information Act in any legislation.March 11, 2009
Commerce Seeks Wildlife Leakers
March 11, 2009–A Bush-appointed holdover inspector general has teamed up with an ultraconservative Senator in a "plumber" operation aimed at punishing agency employees who revealed attempts to gut the Endangered Species Act via "midnight regulations."
Advertisements 
