Publication Items

Why Doesn't Congress Want You To Read These Reports? [1]

For decades, Congress has refused to release taxpayer-funded reports by the Congressional Research Service. Fortunately, the Federation of American Scientists' Government Secrecy Project gets them and releases them. Here are some new explainers that may be of use to environmental journalists.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Air [4]
Climate Change [5]
Energy & Fuel [6]
Natural Resources [7]
Pollution [8]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Why Doesn't Congress Want You To Read These Reports? [1]
Getting Past Park Service PIO Harder Than 13-Mile Hike [10]

It's true — some public information officers are really paranoid. High Country News reporter Tristan Baurick, trying to report on preservation of a historic chalet in Olympic National Park, found "a bizarre blockade on press freedom, the likes of which I’d never experienced outside a military base or murder scene."

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Politics [11]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Natural Resources [7]
Transportation [13]
Region:
Northwest (OR WA) [14]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Getting Past Park Service PIO Harder Than 13-Mile Hike [10]
"The Last Ocean: Antarctica's Ross Sea Project: Saving the Most Pristine Ecosystem on Earth" [15]

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [16]
Topics on the Beat:
Journalism & Media [17]
Natural Resources [7]
Region:
Antarctica & Arctic [18]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about "The Last Ocean: Antarctica's Ross Sea Project: Saving the Most Pristine Ecosystem on Earth" [15]
Fresh Secret Reports from the Congressional Research Service [19]

Here are some recent explainers of interest to environmental journalists from the CRS, which Congress does not allow to be released to the taxpaying public who paid for them. The WatchDog thanks those who leaked them and the Federation of American Scientists' Project on Government Secrecy for publishing them.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [3]
Chemicals [20]
Climate Change [5]
Economy & Business [21]
Energy & Fuel [6]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Natural Resources [7]
People & Population [22]
Policy [23]
Pollution [8]
Transportation [13]
Water & Oceans [24]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Fresh Secret Reports from the Congressional Research Service [19]
Senate Kills Bill with Fees, Permits for Photogs in Parks [25]

A sloppily written provision that could have opened the door wider for federal land managers to charge fees or require permits for news photography died in the Senate July 10, 2014, along with the "Bipartisan Sportsmen's Bill" to which it was attached. SEJ and other media groups had objected to the language. According to the AP, the bill "would have opened more federal lands to hunters and other sportsmen, increased funds for shooting ranges and blocked government curbs on bullets and fishing gear containing lead."

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Journalism & Media [17]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Natural Resources [7]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Senate Kills Bill with Fees, Permits for Photogs in Parks [25]
SEJ Objects to Sportsmen's Act Section Affecting Public Lands Reporting [26]

SEJ and five other journalism groups sent a letter July 8, 2014 objecting to a bill up for debate on the US Senate floor this week that could restrict the ability of journalists to report on stories in National Parks, National Forests and other public lands. Photo: Fern Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. Courtesy U.S. NPS.

Topics on the Beat:
Government [27]
Journalism & Media [17]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Natural Resources [7]
Region:
National (U.S.) [28]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about SEJ Objects to Sportsmen's Act Section Affecting Public Lands Reporting [26]
Reporters Curious About Tar Sands Not Very Welcome in Canada [29]

Reporter Emily Atkin of the Climate Progress blog told recently of flying into Fort McMurray, Alberta to see the tar sands and being hassled for some 45 minutes by "security" officials because she was a journalist — including being told "We might have to send you back to the States."

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Energy & Fuel [6]
Environmental Politics [11]
Journalism & Media [17]
Natural Resources [7]
Region:
Canada [30]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Reporters Curious About Tar Sands Not Very Welcome in Canada [29]
"Elwha: A River Reborn" [31]

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [16]
Topics on the Beat:
Natural Resources [7]
Water & Oceans [24]
Wildlife [32]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about "Elwha: A River Reborn" [31]
"The Bet: Paul Ehrlich, Julian Simon, and Our Gamble over Earth’s Future" [33]

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [16]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [5]
Economy & Business [21]
Natural Resources [7]
People & Population [22]
Technology [34]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about "The Bet: Paul Ehrlich, Julian Simon, and Our Gamble over Earth’s Future" [33]
Secret CRS Reports on Environment Published [35]

Taxpayers' money funds the Congressional Research Service as it produces objective and authoritative reports on issues facing Congress — many on subjects of interest to environmental journalists. Congress, however, does not share these reports with the public who paid for them. Thanks to the Project on Government Secrecy, another batch of the reports has been leaked and published.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Technology [34]
Natural Resources [7]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Government [27]
Energy & Fuel [6]
Visibility:
Public [9]
- Read more about Secret CRS Reports on Environment Published [35]

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