Publication Items

EPA Withdraws CAFO Database Rule [1]

EPA says it could instead compile a database partly from information collected by some states. But that information is often spotty and inconsistent — which will make it hard for EPA to compile it and even harder to make useful conclusions from it. And the withdrawal may make it harder to get the information disclosed.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Food [3]
Environmental Politics [4]
Agriculture [5]
Region:
Northwest (OR WA) [6]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [7]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [8]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [9]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about EPA Withdraws CAFO Database Rule [1]
Despite High Court, Navy Keeps WA Town in Dark on Explosion Threat [11]

A landmark Supreme Court decision awarded Port Townsend residents the right to know about the potential location of explosives on the Indian Island Naval Magazine near their town. After losing the case, the Defense Department bolstered its legal grounds for secrecy by asking Congress to slip into the 2012 Defense Authorization an amendment creating a new statutory exemption to FOIA for the DOD.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Military [12]
Laws & Regulations [13]
Disasters [14]
Region:
Northwest (OR WA) [6]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Despite High Court, Navy Keeps WA Town in Dark on Explosion Threat [11]
Oregon Court Rules That Not All Bloggers Are Journalists [15]

The Portland judge ruled that blogger Crystal Cox, who published allegations against businessman Kevin Padrick and was subsequently sued by Padrick for defamation, was not a journalist as she lacked any conventional journalistic credentials or affiliations, and therefore was not entitled to the protections of the state's shield law.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [13]
Journalism & Media [16]
Region:
Northwest (OR WA) [6]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Oregon Court Rules That Not All Bloggers Are Journalists [15]
BLM Says 9 Western States Have Worthy Wilderness Areas [17]

Designating lands as wilderness or some other highly protected status always is contentious, but the BLM has identified 24 areas in 9 western states the agency says have significant local support for this idea: CA (9 areas), CO (3), ID (1), MT (1), NM (2), NV (2), OR (2), UT (3), and WA (1).
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Natural Resources [19]
Region:
California [20]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [21]
Northwest (OR WA) [6]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [22]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about BLM Says 9 Western States Have Worthy Wilderness Areas [17]
Obama Administration Trying To Speed up Transmission Line Approvals [23]

As part of its push to improve the nation's power system, the Obama administration is trying to expedite construction of 7 transmission lines, in various stages of planning and design, spanning 3,100 miles in 12 states.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [13]
Environmental Politics [4]
Energy & Fuel [24]
Region:
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [7]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [9]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [21]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [25]
Northwest (OR WA) [6]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [22]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Obama Administration Trying To Speed up Transmission Line Approvals [23]
EPA Finalizes 15 Additional Superfund Sites, Proposes 11 More [26]

Sites in CA, GA, IL, IN, MS, NC, NJ, NM, NY, OR, SC, TN, and TX received a final designation of Superfund status, meaning they are among the most toxic in the country, due to contamination from industrial operations, mining, military activities, landfills, and other sources.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Pollution [27]
Chemicals [28]
Region:
California [20]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [9]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [25]
Northwest (OR WA) [6]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [29]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [22]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about EPA Finalizes 15 Additional Superfund Sites, Proposes 11 More [26]
Voluntary Sage-Grouse Protection Efforts Awarded $71 Million [30]

Greater sage-grouse are at just 3% of their historical numbers, and warrant protection, according to the Bureau of Land Management. But since other species are in even more dire straits, the birds haven't been declared a threatened or endangered species. The US Dept. of Agriculture money is a work-around aimed at saving the birds and their habitat.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Wildlife [31]
Biodiversity [32]
Region:
Northwest (OR WA) [6]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [21]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [8]
California [20]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Voluntary Sage-Grouse Protection Efforts Awarded $71 Million [30]
Projects in 6 States Selected To Help Pioneer 3 Biofuels [33]

USDA continues to expand its Biomass Crop Assistance Program that provides financial incentives for producers of various biomass products with the latest selected project areas for growing camelina in CA, OR, WA, and MT, poplar trees in OR, and switchgrass in KS and OK.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Energy & Fuel [24]
Region:
California [20]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [8]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [21]
Northwest (OR WA) [6]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [22]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about Projects in 6 States Selected To Help Pioneer 3 Biofuels [33]
USFS Releases Court-Ordered EIS for Fire Retardants [34]

Information sessions and webinars on possible health and environmental effects of aerial-applied chemicals used to fight wildfires will be held in various locations around the country during the 45-day public comment period that ends June 27, 2011.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Health [35]
Chemicals [28]
Forests [36]
Health [37]
Region:
California [20]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [21]
Northwest (OR WA) [6]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [22]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about USFS Releases Court-Ordered EIS for Fire Retardants [34]
BUREC Predicts Climate Impacts on Western Waters [38]

The Bureau of Reclamation report says major changes often are expected, with the magnitude varying substantially by location. The data and information provided allow you to dig into the details to some degree for the watersheds of interest to your audience.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [18]
Topics on the Beat:
Water & Oceans [39]
Climate Change [40]
Region:
California [20]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [9]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [8]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [21]
Northwest (OR WA) [6]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [22]
Visibility:
Public [10]
- Read more about BUREC Predicts Climate Impacts on Western Waters [38]

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