Publication Items

IG Finds Former NRC Commissioner Hid Ethics Violations [1]

The Project on Government Oversight used FOIA to get reports and documents from an NRC Inspector General's investigation of Jeffrey Merrifield.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Energy & Fuel [3]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [4]
Government [5]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about IG Finds Former NRC Commissioner Hid Ethics Violations [1]
Senators, J-Groups, White House Agree on Shield Law Provisions [8]

Federal legislation to protect reporters from having to reveal confidential sources may be back on track. A markup in the Senate Judiciary Committee, possibly November 5, 2009, could tell.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [9]
Government [5]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Senators, J-Groups, White House Agree on Shield Law Provisions [8]
Feds Begin To Quantify Hidden Climate Change Costs [10]

As debate over climate legislation rages, reporters will encounter many confusing and seemingly contradictory statements about the costs of changing US energy practices. You may help your audience with an understanding of how incomplete the cost figures cited by companies and politicians often are.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [11]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [12]
Economy & Business [13]
Government [5]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Feds Begin To Quantify Hidden Climate Change Costs [10]
EPA Uses Online Forum To Address TRI Mining Changes [14]

EPA seems to be making efforts to use social media to improve public participation in its decisions, says the watchdog group OMB Watch, citing the TRI forum as one example of several.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Natural Resources [15]
Government [5]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about EPA Uses Online Forum To Address TRI Mining Changes [14]
Advisory Arrives Hours After Vilsack Presser [16]

You know you are not on the A-list when the press advisory is sent to you after the press conference takes place, as one SEJ member experienced on October 16, 2009.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [5]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Advisory Arrives Hours After Vilsack Presser [16]
EPA Releases Bush-Suppressed Endangerment Finding [17]

Persistence pays off for Greenwire reporter Darren Samuelsohn who filed his first Freedom of Information Act request for it back in July 2008, re-filed it in January 2009 at the start of the Obama administration, and finally received it October 13, 2009.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [5]
Journalism & Media [18]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about EPA Releases Bush-Suppressed Endangerment Finding [17]
EPA Names 31 Areas Not Meeting Fine Particulate Air Standards [19]

These communities will have to come up with plans for reducing fine particle pollution. Is yours one of them?
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [11]
Topics on the Beat:
Air [20]
Pollution [21]
Government [5]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about EPA Names 31 Areas Not Meeting Fine Particulate Air Standards [19]
USGS Offers Early Warning On Wildlife Die-Offs [22]

You may find a local wildlife story by keeping your eye on the US Geological Survey's National Wildlife Health Center which keeps constant surveillance on outbreaks of wildlife disease and posts the information online as it comes in.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [11]
Topics on the Beat:
Biodiversity [23]
Government [5]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about USGS Offers Early Warning On Wildlife Die-Offs [22]
FOIA Not Fixed Yet: Senate Panel [24]

Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) says Congress has to do more to fix the Freedom of Information Act — especially stemming the hundreds of special exemptions created by Congress itself.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [9]
Government [5]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about FOIA Not Fixed Yet: Senate Panel [24]
Sen. Schumer Pushes Back Against WH Effort To Weaken Shield Law [25]

A federal law protecting reporters who maintain the confidentiality of their sources is currently stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee as Obama breaks campaign promise.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [9]
Government [5]
Journalism & Media [18]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Sen. Schumer Pushes Back Against WH Effort To Weaken Shield Law [25]

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