Publication Items

FOIA Not Fixed Yet: Senate Panel [1]

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 [3]
Government [4]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about FOIA Not Fixed Yet: Senate Panel [1]
Sen. Schumer Pushes Back Against WH Effort To Weaken Shield Law [7]

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 [3]
Government [4]
Journalism & Media [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Sen. Schumer Pushes Back Against WH Effort To Weaken Shield Law [7]
Supreme Court Hears Animal Video Case [9]

Some justices skeptically questioned a 10-year-old law, intended to outlaw "crush videos," making it a criminal offense to possess or publish many depictions of cruelty to animals.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [3]
Government [4]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Supreme Court Hears Animal Video Case [9]
CRS Publishes Cost-Benefit Analysis of House Climate Bill [10]

A report prepared by the Congressional Research Service is likely to be one key focus of an upcoming Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [11]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [12]
Economy & Business [13]
Government [4]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about CRS Publishes Cost-Benefit Analysis of House Climate Bill [10]
Senate Dents Shield Law for Reporters [14]

A de facto filibuster by several Republicans, plus quibbling by some Democrats, caused a long-awaited markup of bill S 448 to end with no action.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [3]
Government [4]
Journalism & Media [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Senate Dents Shield Law for Reporters [14]
Coal Ash Data Waiting for Local Reporters [15]

Use this roundup of sources to write a probing story about the ash, slag, and sludge from coal-burning electric utilities — which containins heavy metals that can pollute water, and even bury people's houses.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [16]
Disasters [17]
Energy & Fuel [18]
Pollution [19]
Government [4]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Coal Ash Data Waiting for Local Reporters [15]
Tapping the "Fishbowl" — Is EPA Doing Some Things Right on FOI? [20]

OMB Watch, a fierce FOI advocacy group, says EPA has been working hard to push hitherto restricted data out to the public, citing the earliest-ever release of TRI data, monitoring data on atrazine in water, and more.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [4]
Journalism & Media [8]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Tapping the "Fishbowl" — Is EPA Doing Some Things Right on FOI? [20]
SEJ Joins Amicus Brief on Dangerously Expanded FOIA Exemption [21]

Several media organizations have joined the case of a Puget Sound resident denied information, under the "law enforcement" exemption to FOIA, that would identify the locations and potential blast ranges of explosive ordnance stored in the area.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [17]
Laws & Regulations [3]
Government [4]
Region:
Northwest (OR WA) [22]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about SEJ Joins Amicus Brief on Dangerously Expanded FOIA Exemption [21]
EPA Expands Energy Conservation Push with Churches [23]

The estimated 370,000 houses of worship in the US could reduce energy consumption as much as 30%, so EPA is offering incentives, resources, and tools as encouragement.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [11]
Topics on the Beat:
Energy & Fuel [18]
Government [4]
People & Population [24]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about EPA Expands Energy Conservation Push with Churches [23]
New Findings Slow CO2 Sequestration Rule [25]

EPA has been working on regulations designed to protect drinking water from impacts of underground carbon sequestration, but new data and concerns have spurred the agency to open a short new public comment period.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [11]
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change [12]
Energy & Fuel [18]
Laws & Regulations [3]
Government [4]
Region:
National (U.S.) [5]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about New Findings Slow CO2 Sequestration Rule [25]

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