Publication Items

Leaked: New Secret CRS Explainers for the Environment-Energy Beat [1]

Here are some recent Congressional Research Service reports relevant to the environment and energy beat, thanks to the Federation of American Scientists' Government Secrecy Project.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [3]
Disasters [4]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Health [6]
Transportation [7]
Region:
Antarctica & Arctic [8]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Leaked: New Secret CRS Explainers for the Environment-Energy Beat [1]
Leaked Again: Secret CRS Reports for Environment Beat [10]

Here are the latest leaked explainers, written by the Congressional Research Service, that may be of use to environmental journalists.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [11]
Disasters [4]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Health [6]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Transportation [7]
Water & Oceans [13]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Leaked Again: Secret CRS Reports for Environment Beat [10]
Award-winning Photojournalist, on His Own Terms [14]

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [15]
Topics on the Beat:
Energy & Fuel [5]
Journalism & Media [16]
Natural Resources [17]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Award-winning Photojournalist, on His Own Terms [14]
Secret Congressional Reports of Interest to Environmental Reporters [18]

Thanks to the Federation of American Scientists' Project on Government Secrecy, we can share some recent CRS reports of interest to environmental journalists.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [19]
Air [3]
Chemicals [20]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Food [21]
Military [22]
Pollution [23]
Science [24]
Water & Oceans [13]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Secret Congressional Reports of Interest to Environmental Reporters [18]
Finding Pipelines Near You with Databases [25]

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.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [4]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Technology [26]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Finding Pipelines Near You with Databases [25]
Oil Lobby Group Part of Government — Doesn't Have To Disclose [27]

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.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [20]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Politics [28]
Pollution [23]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Oil Lobby Group Part of Government — Doesn't Have To Disclose [27]
Pavillion, Wyo., Fracking Study Unplugged with FOIA [29]

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.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Energy & Fuel [5]
Environmental Politics [28]
Pollution [23]
Water & Oceans [13]
Region:
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [30]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Pavillion, Wyo., Fracking Study Unplugged with FOIA [29]
Memo to Energy, Business, Science and Health Reporters [31]

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.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ Presidents Report [32]
Topics on the Beat:
Economy & Business [33]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Health [6]
Journalism & Media [16]
Science [24]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Memo to Energy, Business, Science and Health Reporters [31]
Congressional Research Service Reports of Use to Environmental Journos [34]

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.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [19]
Air [3]
Economy & Business [33]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Food [21]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Water & Oceans [13]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Congressional Research Service Reports of Use to Environmental Journos [34]
Maine Law Hid Threats to Public from Oil Trains [35]

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.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [4]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Government [36]
Laws & Regulations [12]
People & Population [37]
Transportation [7]
Region:
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [38]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [39]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [40]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [30]
Northwest (OR WA) [41]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Maine Law Hid Threats to Public from Oil Trains [35]

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