Leaked Again: Secret CRS Reports for Environment Beat [1]
Here are the latest leaked explainers, written by the Congressional Research Service, that may be of use to environmental journalists.
Here are the latest leaked explainers, written by the Congressional Research Service, that may be of use to environmental journalists.
Thanks to the Federation of American Scientists' Project on Government Secrecy, we can share some recent CRS reports of interest to environmental journalists.
For environmental reporters, pipelines are a frequent source of major news stories. Enterprising journalists may want to find nearby pipelines before they leak or blow up. The National Pipeline Mapping System is a basic tool that can help.
The Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC) lobbied successfully to pass and preserve the "Halliburton Loophole," which exempts the oil and gas industry from the law requiring disclosure of toxic fracking chemicals.
In 2011, EPA produced — and subsequently buried — a draft report on fracking contamination at Pavillion, Wyoming. Now one of the authors of the original draft has co-published a review of the research in the independent journal Environmental Science & Technology. The new study, based on FOIA'd documents, links fracking and polluted wells.
Fellow Journalists, we have a lot in common. We’ve read many of your stories on issues surrounding energy, business, science and health. We couldn’t help noticing a common link in so many of your stories: The environment. Those of us at the Society of Environmental Journalists think we are a very good fit for you. Read all the reasons why, by board president Jeff Burnside in the new issue of SEJournal.
The reports aren't released to the taxpayers who funded them but the Federation of American Scientists' Government Secrecy Project publishes leaked copies. Here are 17 of the latest, from air to water, food to fuel, and much more.
Maine passed a law in 2015 that allowed railroads to keep oil-train routing information from the public — over the governor's veto. In the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting's Pine Tree Watchdog, Dave Sherwood reports how the provision was a bait-and-switch.
Although you, as a taxpayer, pay for reports by the Congressional Research Service, Congress does not allow you to read them. Fortunately, somebody leaked these reports of interest to environmental journalists.
Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/publications/watchdog-tipsheet/leaked-again-secret-crs-reports-environment-beat
[2] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication/watchdog-tipsheet
[3] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/climate-change
[4] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster
[5] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy
[6] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/health
[7] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/laws
[8] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/transportation
[9] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/water
[10] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81
[11] https://www.sej.org/publications/sejournal-sp-2016/award-winning-photojournalist-his-own-terms
[12] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/inside-story
[13] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media
[14] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/land
[15] https://www.sej.org/publications/watchdog-tipsheet/secret-congressional-reports-interest-environmental-reporters
[16] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/agriculture
[17] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/air
[18] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/chemicals/toxics
[19] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/food
[20] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/military
[21] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/pollution
[22] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/science
[23] https://www.sej.org/publications/watchdog-tipsheet/finding-pipelines-near-you-databases
[24] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/technology
[25] https://www.sej.org/publications/watchdog-tipsheet/oil-lobby-group-part-government-%E2%80%94-doesnt-have-disclose
[26] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-politics
[27] https://www.sej.org/publications/watchdog-tipsheet/pavillion-wyo-fracking-study-unplugged-foia
[28] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mountain-west
[29] https://www.sej.org/sejournal-sp-2016/memo-energy-business-science-health-reporters
[30] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/sej-president%E2%80%99s-report
[31] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/business
[32] https://www.sej.org/publications/watchdog-tipsheet/congressional-research-service-reports-use-environmental-journos
[33] https://www.sej.org/publications/watchdog-tipsheet/maine-law-hid-threats-public-oil-trains
[34] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government
[35] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/people-population
[36] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/great-lakes
[37] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/great-plains
[38] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mid-atlantic
[39] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northwest
[40] https://www.sej.org/publications/watchdog-tipsheet/congressional-think-tank-reports-leaked-again
[41] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/fisheries
[42] https://www.sej.org/publications/list/%2A/112
[43] https://www.sej.org/publications/list/%2A/112?page=25
[44] https://www.sej.org/publications/list/%2A/112?page=22
[45] https://www.sej.org/publications/list/%2A/112?page=23
[46] https://www.sej.org/publications/list/%2A/112?page=24
[47] https://www.sej.org/publications/list/%2A/112?page=27
[48] https://www.sej.org/publications/list/%2A/112?page=28
[49] https://www.sej.org/publications/list/%2A/112?page=29
[50] https://www.sej.org/publications/list/%2A/112?page=30
[51] https://www.sej.org/publications/list/%2A/112?page=60
[52] https://www.sej.org/publications/list/Watchdog+TipSheet