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
November 28, 2007
FERC SLIGHTLY EASES SOME SECRECY REQUIREMENTS
November 28, 2007–The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has slightly relaxed some requirements for secrecy on decisions it makes on "critical energy infrastructure."SEJ, OTHER J-GROUPS ASK SENATE TO DROP ANIMAL SECRECY
November 28, 2007–Even as major companies recalled their shipments of hamburgers made with possibly tainted meat, beef and pork lobbyists worked hard to keep U.S meat eaters from finding out what was going on. They lobbied to amend the Farm Bill to include secrecy language that would make make it illegal for anyone to publicly disclose such information. SEJ and other journalism organization are urging senators to remove that language from the bill.October 31, 2007
GROUP WINS ACCESS TO FOREST SERVICE RECORDS ON OFF-ROAD VEHICLE DAMAGE
October 31, 2007–The AP reports that the conservation group Wildlands CPR has won a 2-year battle to get U.S. Forest Service records on damage caused by off-road vehicles and unmaintained roads in the West.SECRECY ON ANIMAL ID SYSTEM CHALLENGED, WRITTEN INTO FARM BILL
October 31, 2007–The Senate Agriculture Committee has written an exemption from the Freedom of Information Act for records in the National Animal Identification System (NAIS). The language, which is in the draft version of the Farm Bill and would prevent American meat eaters from knowing about any problems with their meat was introduced by farmers and members of the food industry.SEJ, J-GROUPS URGE INTERIOR TO LOOSEN LIMITS ON FILMING
October 31, 2007–SEJ and 18 other journalism groups urged the Department of the Interior Oct. 19, 2007, to revise a proposed rule that would keep freelancers and documentarians from covering news in National Parks, Wildlife Refuges, and other DOI lands.CA PESTICIDE SPRAYING PITS TRADE SECRETS AGAINST RIGHT TO KNOW
October 31, 2007–California is trying to eradicate the brown apple moth along the state's central coast by aerial spraying of a pheromone-based pesticide intended to interfere with the insect's natural reproductive cycle. Some residents want to know what's being sprayed on them.INTERIOR DEPT. FOIA LOGS PUBLISHED ONLINE
October 31, 2007–The group Governmentattic.org has published on its Website the FOIA request logs for the Interior Department's Office of Surface Mining, U.S. Geological Survey, Bureau of Land Management, and Minerals Management Service through Oct. 2007.WHITE HOUSE EDITS OF CLIMATE TESTIMONY CAUSE FLAP
October 31, 2007–White House edits of testimony delivered Oct. 24 to the Senate Environment Committee by Centers for Disease Control director Julie Gerberding have brought consternation from Democrats and environmentalists and a circling of wagons at the White House.October 17, 2007
HOUSE PASSES SHIELD LAW 398-21; WHITE HOUSE THREATENS VETO
October 17, 2007–The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Oct. 16, 2007, to create a federal shield law which would offer limited protection for reporters from being compelled to disclose confidential sources.INTERIOR PROPOSES FEE/PERMIT RULE FOR FILMING IN PARKS, REFUGES
October 17, 2007–The Interior Department has proposed codifying its rules on photography, filming, and sound-recording on public lands it administers. Some newsgatherers are worried that the rules would hurt their ability to do their jobs.
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