WatchDog TipSheet

The Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ), in a letter to U.S.

The Society of Environmental Journalists condemned Indonesia’s arrest and imprisonment of Philip Jacobson, an editor for the environmental news site Mongabay.

SEJ joined with the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and 55 journalism groups and other interested parties in filing an amicus brief in Parekh v. CBS, supporting the right of CBS and reporter Brian Conybeare to recover attorneys’ fees under the Florida anti-SLAPP statute.

SEJ joined with the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and 15 other media organizations in filing an amicus brief in Carroll County E911 v. Hasnie. Carroll County refuses to disclose 911 recordings pertaining to a November 2016 house fire in which four Flora, Indiana children died.

SEJ joined with the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and 20 other media organizations in filing an amicus brief in La Liberte v. Reid.

January 16, 2020 — The Society of Environmental Journalists joined with the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and 56 other media organizations in a letter opposing restrictions on the press during the upcoming Senate impeachment trial of President Donald J. Trump. SEJ speaks out about right-to-know issues, such as this one, which would hinder journalists’ efforts to share timely and accurate updates and commentary with the American public.

SEJ has protested Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's retaliation against, and abuse of, National Public Radio and its reporters. SEJ President Meera Subramanian signed the January 30 letter.

The Small Business Administration announced an "environmental roundtable" Feb. 28, as being “open to all interested persons, with the exception of the press." The Society of Environmental Journalists, through its Freedom of Information Task Force, has protested this in a Feb 21 letter (full text).

FOIA is under fire. And for journalists who rely on open records to do their work, the coming year may prove a crucial test of policies at key federal agencies on the beat. This special WatchDog TipSheet takes a deep dive on looming FOIA controversies at Interior and EPA, flagging potential flashpoints for 2020.

"Last week, Sen. Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai‘i) and 21 of her US Senate colleagues sent a letter to Dr. James Reilly, the director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), to express their concern over recent reports that USGS will only utilize climate models that project the effects of climate change through 2040."