Publication Items

Court OKs USDA Secrecy on Wolf Killings of Livestock [1]

The environmental groups' request for GPS information about where the introduced, protected Mexican grays had killed livestock was denied on grounds that data collected by Wildlife Service personnel visiting private ranch property is exempt from FOIA requests.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Wildlife [3]
Government [4]
Biodiversity [5]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Court OKs USDA Secrecy on Wolf Killings of Livestock [1]
Earmark Database Now Covers Fiscal 2011 [7]

The downloadable, Zipped Excel spreadsheet, produced by Taxpayers for Common Sense, WashingtonWatch.com, and Taxpayers Against Earmarks, contains 39,294 requested earmarks, worth $130 billion.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [4]
Environmental Politics [8]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Earmark Database Now Covers Fiscal 2011 [7]
EPA Won't Disclose Alternative Study on Spruce Mine MTR Permit [9]

Despite promises of transparency, the US Environmental Protection Agency has denied a Freedom-of-Information request by Charleston Gazette reporter Ken Ward Jr. for the contractor study, which apparently outlines less harmful options for this West Virginia mountaintop-removal project.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Natural Resources [10]
Government [4]
Region:
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [11]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about EPA Won't Disclose Alternative Study on Spruce Mine MTR Permit [9]
111th Congress Ending with Unfinished FOI To-Do List [12]

The open-government agenda made only a little progress in the session of Congress now waddling to a lame-duck close. Hope still remains for a few measures that would increase public access to government information — but it dwindles with every day that passes.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [4]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about 111th Congress Ending with Unfinished FOI To-Do List [12]
Enviropork: Reporting on the Secret Santas [13]

The Senate's Nov. 30 vote not to impose a moratorium on "earmarks" practically ensures that pork-barrel spending will live on as a subject for journalists — at least in fiscal 2011.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [14]
Government [4]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Enviropork: Reporting on the Secret Santas [13]
Feds Funding Clean Energy Employment Efforts [15]

As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the federal government is shoveling more than $32 billion to the states to develop what it considers less-polluting energy and to train, certify, recruit, and retain workers.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [16]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [4]
Energy & Fuel [17]
Economy & Business [18]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Feds Funding Clean Energy Employment Efforts [15]
More Cool Data Tools from EPA [19]

TRI-CHIP assembles a great deal of toxicity and hazard information from many sources and makes it easy to search. TRI.NET allows you to construct complex queries into the Toxics Release Inventory database, and to map the results in ways that can be used for publishable graphics or layered on maps with other environmental and demographic information.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Technology [20]
Government [4]
Chemicals [21]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about More Cool Data Tools from EPA [19]
Obama Announces Revamp of 'Controlled Unclassified' Info Stamp [22]

The order gives agencies 120 days to review their existing secrecy designations and to come up with standardized ones "in a timely manner." When there is doubt, Obama's order states, agencies are to err on the side of disclosure.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Policy [23]
Government [4]
Disasters [24]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Obama Announces Revamp of 'Controlled Unclassified' Info Stamp [22]
White House Under the Gun on Science Integrity, Openness [25]

The Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility is suing the administration under the Freedom of Information Act for documents that would explain the delay in issuing a long overdue, government-wide integrity policy.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Policy [23]
Government [4]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about White House Under the Gun on Science Integrity, Openness [25]
EPA Proposes Fuel Efficiency Standards for Heavy Trucks, Buses [26]

The standards, now in a 60-day comment period, cover three types of heavy trucks but would not apply to vehicles built before the 2014 model year.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [16]
Topics on the Beat:
Transportation [27]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Government [4]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about EPA Proposes Fuel Efficiency Standards for Heavy Trucks, Buses [26]

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