Publication Items

Top Weather Service Official Fired for Talking to Press [1]

According to the Washington Post, the National Weather Service is firing William Proenza, who once headed the National Hurricane Center, for revealing to the Post that looming budget cuts would harm forecasting effectiveness (something that can affect public safety and the profits of business).

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Policy [3]
Laws & Regulations [4]
Environmental Politics [5]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Top Weather Service Official Fired for Talking to Press [1]
Does New Interior Draft Put Fracking Data Under Industry Thumb? [7]

A leaked draft of the replacement rule suggested Interior would leave handling of fracking data to the industry-run "FracFocus" project, which has come under criticism by environmental and watchdog groups for being hard to use and incomplete.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [4]
Government [8]
Energy & Fuel [9]
Chemicals [10]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Does New Interior Draft Put Fracking Data Under Industry Thumb? [7]
Group Sues California over Enforcement of Fracking Disclosure [11]

The Arizona-based Center for Biological Diversity filed suit in Alameda County Superior Court charging that the California Department of Conservation's Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources was not following the state's own law.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Energy & Fuel [9]
Chemicals [10]
Laws & Regulations [4]
Region:
California [12]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Group Sues California over Enforcement of Fracking Disclosure [11]
Obama Signs Whistleblower Bill [13]

President Obama on November 27, 2012, signed into law a bill beefing up previously flimsy protections for federal employee whistleblowers who disclose waste, fraud, and abuse. The legislation was supported by good-government watchdog groups.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [4]
Government [8]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Obama Signs Whistleblower Bill [13]
Congress Sends Bill Strengthening Whistleblower Protection to Obama's Desk [14]

Whistleblowers are key sources for investigative journalists. The bill, approved by unanimous consent in the House and Senate, was hailed by watchdog groups Government Accountability Project and Project on Government Oversight, who had fought for its passage.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [4]
Government [8]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Congress Sends Bill Strengthening Whistleblower Protection to Obama's Desk [14]
ABC News Urges Judge To Toss Out "Pink Slime" Defamation Suit [15]

In September, South Dakota meat processor Beef Products, Inc., had sued ABC, some of its anchors and correspondents, and a USDA microbiologist under South Dakota law for reporting on the controversial meat filler. The company said it would oppose the October 31st motion to dismiss.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [4]
Food [16]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about ABC News Urges Judge To Toss Out "Pink Slime" Defamation Suit [15]
State, Federal Whistleblower Rules a Key Tool for Journalists [17]

Watchdog group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility's new guide to state whistleblower laws starts with a map — click on any state to link to its whistleblower law and other related info. Federally, there is currently a bill in play in Congress which would strengthen the notoriously weak federal whistleblower protections.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [4]
Journalism & Media [18]
Government [8]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about State, Federal Whistleblower Rules a Key Tool for Journalists [17]
Enviros Urge EPA Not To Weaken Drinking Water Reports [19]

Fifteen environmental and public health groups say EPA had not allowed sufficient time for public review, only put relevant information into its docket at the last minute, and emphasized easing a "burden" utilities had lived with for years at the expense of protecting the public.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Water & Oceans [20]
Laws & Regulations [4]
Health [21]
Government [8]
Activism [22]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Enviros Urge EPA Not To Weaken Drinking Water Reports [19]
Proposal Could Restrict Public Access to NOAA Fisheries Data [23]

NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service is considering a rule which could restrict public access to important data on commercial fishing — and overfishing. This data includes federally required public records paid for by taxpayers. The watchdog group OMB Watch criticized the proposed rule's handling of confidential information

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [4]
Fish & Fisheries [24]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Proposal Could Restrict Public Access to NOAA Fisheries Data [23]
EPA To Propose Downgrading Access to Annual Drinking Water Quality Reports? [25]

Some utilities want to get rid of the requirement — substituting online notification, even for water customers who lack Internet connections. A legislative effort to ease the notification requirement failed in the Senate in summer 2012. Now EPA is starting procedures which might lead to doing the same thing by rulemaking. Deadline for comments is October 11, 2012.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Water & Oceans [20]
Laws & Regulations [4]
Government [8]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about EPA To Propose Downgrading Access to Annual Drinking Water Quality Reports? [25]

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