Publication Items

Obama Orders Rollback of Bush Secrecy on 1st Day [1]

President Barack Obama signalled that open access to information will be a top priority for his administration, issuing two memos to all executive agencies and one executive order at a January 21, 2009, session open to reporters and cabinet members.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [3]
Government [4]
Journalism & Media [5]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Obama Orders Rollback of Bush Secrecy on 1st Day [1]
"Diagnosis: Mercury, Money, Politics & Poison" [8]

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [9]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [10]
Consumer [11]
Fish & Fisheries [12]
Food [13]
Government [4]
Health [14]
Laws & Regulations [3]
Pollution [15]
Water & Oceans [16]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about "Diagnosis: Mercury, Money, Politics & Poison" [8]
House and Senate Leadership Begins To Shape Up [17]

The heads of Obama administration Congressional committees and subcommittees will likely be in the spotlight in the coming months. This overview will help you get a feel for who these people are, or who will soon be chosen.

SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [3]
Government [4]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about House and Senate Leadership Begins To Shape Up [17]
Oversight Report: Agency Inspectors General Often Ignored [19]

A US House Oversight Committee report released in January 2009 found that federal agencies frequently ignore the findings and recommendations of their inspectors general.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Economy & Business [20]
Laws & Regulations [3]
Government [4]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Oversight Report: Agency Inspectors General Often Ignored [19]
SECRECY ON ANIMAL ID SYSTEM CHALLENGED, WRITTEN INTO FARM BILL [21]

The Senate Agriculture Committee has written an exemption from the Freedom of Information Act for records in the National Animal Identification System (NAIS). The language, which is in the draft version of the Farm Bill and would prevent American meat eaters from knowing about any problems with their meat was introduced by farmers and members of the food industry.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [3]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about SECRECY ON ANIMAL ID SYSTEM CHALLENGED, WRITTEN INTO FARM BILL [21]
SEJ, J-Groups Urge Interior To Loosen Limits on Filming [22]

SEJ and 18 other journalism groups urged the Department of the Interior Oct. 19, 2007, to revise a proposed rule that would keep freelancers and documentarians from covering news in National Parks, Wildlife Refuges, and other DOI lands.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [3]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about SEJ, J-Groups Urge Interior To Loosen Limits on Filming [22]
SEJ Urges Energy Department To Drop New Secrecy Rule [23]

The Society of Environmental Journalists has urged the Energy Department to abandon a new rule making it easier for the agency to deny or resist Freedom of Information Act requests.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [3]
Journalism & Media [5]
Government [4]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about SEJ Urges Energy Department To Drop New Secrecy Rule [23]
FERC Slightly Eases Some Secrecy Requirements [24]

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has slightly relaxed some requirements for secrecy on decisions it makes on "critical energy infrastructure."

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [3]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about FERC Slightly Eases Some Secrecy Requirements [24]
PENNSYLVANIA FORBIDS LABELING OF MILK PRODUCED WITHOUT ARTIFICIAL HORMONES [25]

Consumers who want to choose milk produced without the use of artificial hormones are out of luck - if they live in Pennsylvania. That is not a choice the state will allow them.
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [3]
Region:
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [26]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about PENNSYLVANIA FORBIDS LABELING OF MILK PRODUCED WITHOUT ARTIFICIAL HORMONES [25]
Artist Sues Local Cops Over Right To Photograph Power Lines [27]

Shirley E. Scheier, a University of Washington fine-arts professor, was handcuffed, frisked, and detained for 44 minutes when she took some art photos of powerlines against the sky in Snohomish County, Washington.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [3]
Region:
Northwest (OR WA) [28]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Artist Sues Local Cops Over Right To Photograph Power Lines [27]

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