Publication Items

How Muzzling Scientists Helps the Chemical Industry [1]

A Chicago Tribune investigative series on flame retardant chemicals helps illustrate how federal agency control of what scientists say to reporters can help the chemical and tobacco industries. By reporter Michael Hawthorne.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Wildlife [3]
Science [4]
Pollution [5]
People & Population [6]
Health [7]
Environmental Politics [8]
Environmental Health [9]
Chemicals [10]
Visibility:
Public [11]
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Denver Post Exposes FDA Secrecy on Food Threats to Public Health [12]

Reporter Michael Booth's story resurrected the old issue of whether the public has a right to know the identity and source of foods in commerce that government agencies actually know may be causing fatal illness. The FDA refused to comment on the story.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Health [7]
Government [13]
Food [14]
Economy & Business [15]
Consumer [16]
Agriculture [17]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Denver Post Exposes FDA Secrecy on Food Threats to Public Health [12]
Are Data Behind Companies' Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trade Secrets? [18]

EPA's upcoming rulings on confidentiality for data going into the companies' GHG calculations will be important. Those determinations may impact whether companies' reporting is accurate — and whether they can ever be held accountable for their emissions.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Pollution [5]
Health [7]
Environmental Health [9]
Economy & Business [15]
Climate Change [19]
Air [20]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Are Data Behind Companies' Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trade Secrets? [18]
Dykstra Returns to the Calling of Journalism, Climate Change and the Next Best Story [21]

Bill Dawson has the "Inside Story" on ex-CNN science, environment, weather and technology executive producer Peter Dykstra's return to the journalism fold.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [23]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [24]
Climate Change [19]
Health [7]
Journalism & Media [25]
Water & Oceans [26]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Dykstra Returns to the Calling of Journalism, Climate Change and the Next Best Story [21]
Obama Vows Disclosure of Toxic Fracking Secrets on Federal Land [27]

Most current fracking operations happen on non-federal lands. But on federal lands, things are different — Obama intends to require disclosure of fluids as a condition of new leases for fracking on federal lands. If it takes place, this could push the ingredient lists further into the open.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Water & Oceans [26]
Pollution [5]
Health [7]
Environmental Politics [8]
Energy & Fuel [28]
Chemicals [10]
Region:
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [29]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [30]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [31]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [32]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Obama Vows Disclosure of Toxic Fracking Secrets on Federal Land [27]
EPA To Release Dioxin Noncancer Risk Reassessment [33]

The assessments, expected late January 2012, could have wide-ranging direct and indirect effects in realms such as toxic site cleanups, brownfield development, manufacturing processes, domestic food production and sales, and international trade of food and possibly other goods.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [34]
Topics on the Beat:
Pollution [5]
Health [7]
Environmental Health [9]
Chemicals [10]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about EPA To Release Dioxin Noncancer Risk Reassessment [33]
Judge Allows Pool Video, Audio Coverage of WV Monsanto Trial [35]

In response to a request for live-streaming of the trial, the judge has expanded the gag order for the case, a class-action lawsuit seeking medical monitoring for people who may have been exposed to hazardous chemicals produced at Monsanto's former plant in Nitro, W.V.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [36]
Health [7]
Environmental Health [9]
Chemicals [10]
Agriculture [17]
Region:
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [32]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Judge Allows Pool Video, Audio Coverage of WV Monsanto Trial [35]
Drug Researchers Routinely Risk Public Health by Withholding Info: Study [37]

It's a common practice, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal. Researchers even do it when the work is government-funded. Environmental reporters should be asking questions.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Health [7]
Chemicals [10]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Drug Researchers Routinely Risk Public Health by Withholding Info: Study [37]
"Changing Planet, Changing Health: How the Climate Crisis Threatens Our Health and What We Can Do About It" [38]

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [39]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [19]
Environmental Health [9]
Health [7]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about "Changing Planet, Changing Health: How the Climate Crisis Threatens Our Health and What We Can Do About It" [38]
Federal Law Fails To Protect Health and Safety Whistleblowers [40]

One example is Walt Tamosaitis, who works for an Energy Department subcontractor. He told a Senate panel on December 6, 2011, that when he raised technical issues about whether nuclear waste cleanup was being done right at the Hanford Site in Washington, he was taken off the project and exiled to the basement.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Health [7]
Government [13]
Visibility:
Public [11]
- Read more about Federal Law Fails To Protect Health and Safety Whistleblowers [40]

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