Publication Items

Obama Administration Flunks Test at House FOIAPalooza [1]

Journalists, think tanks, and advocacy groups all gave low marks to the Obama administration's performance under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) at a House hearing June 2 and 3, 2015. Some GOP members used the occasion to score partisan points; see the video and document archives.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [3]
Visibility:
Public [4]
- Read more about Obama Administration Flunks Test at House FOIAPalooza [1]
E-Beat Explainers: For Congress' Eyes Only [5]

The Congressional Research Service, a taxpayer-funded agency, produces a steady stream of fact-filled and objective background reports on many issues of interest to environment and energy reporters but refuses to share them with the public. But there are other ways to access them...

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Agriculture [6]
Disasters [7]
Energy & Fuel [8]
Government [3]
Visibility:
Public [4]
- Read more about E-Beat Explainers: For Congress' Eyes Only [5]
SPJ, SEJ Seek Meet with White House Spox on Minders, Permissions [9]

The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and SEJ sent a letter to Josh Earnest (pictured), White House Press Secretary, May 29, 2015, asking for a meeting to discuss restrictions that infringe on journalists' abilities to report on the federal government. The letter follows up on earlier pleas from some 38 journalism groups to the White House for more openness.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [3]
Journalism & Media [10]
Visibility:
Public [4]
- Read more about SPJ, SEJ Seek Meet with White House Spox on Minders, Permissions [9]
Did EPA Press Office Retaliate for Unfavorable NY Times Article? [11]

It appears to an outside observer that NYT reporter Coral Davenport was uninvited to EPA's "Waters of the U.S." (WOTUS) rule announcement phone call as retaliation for an unfavorable story she had written about the agency's public affairs operation the week before. EPA says not.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Journalism & Media [10]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Water & Oceans [13]
Visibility:
Public [4]
- Read more about Did EPA Press Office Retaliate for Unfavorable NY Times Article? [11]
House Insists Congressional Research Service Reports Be Secret [14]

It's not a mistake. Congress really doesn't want you to read those excellent explainers on public issues produced by experts at the Congressional Research Service (CRS). We know this because a House Appropriations subcommittee specifically restated that CRS was not to publish its reports.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [3]
Visibility:
Public [4]
- Read more about House Insists Congressional Research Service Reports Be Secret [14]
What You're Not Supposed To Know About Secret Environmental Treaty [15]

The public is not allowed to know the terms of the draft Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact likely to come up for a Senate vote this year. Yet the Senate has already begun voting on terms for considering the treaty, which may allow other nations to override U.S. health, safety, and environmental protection laws. Fortunately, WikiLeaks has already published a leaked version of the environmental chapter of the TPP treaty.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Health [16]
Environmental Politics [17]
Health [18]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Natural Resources [19]
Visibility:
Public [4]
- Read more about What You're Not Supposed To Know About Secret Environmental Treaty [15]
Is Wyoming Ban on Reporting Environmental Harm Unconstitutional? [20]

A newly enacted Wyoming law seems to be aimed at criminalizing the collection and reporting of stream pollution or other environmental harm. It creates a unique new category of crime called "data trespass." Just what the law, signed in March by Gov. Matt Mead (R), means or does is being debated hotly.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Activism [21]
Agriculture [6]
Environmental Politics [17]
Laws & Regulations [12]
Pollution [22]
Region:
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [23]
Visibility:
Public [4]
- Read more about Is Wyoming Ban on Reporting Environmental Harm Unconstitutional? [20]
Do Firefighters Have a Right To Know About Hazmats They Face? Do You? [24]

The watchdog group Center for Effective Government offers data tools that partly offset government failures to protect people from dangerous materials that poison or injure people, burn, or explode. They are also tools for journalists trying to inform their communities.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [25]
Disasters [7]
Visibility:
Public [4]
- Read more about Do Firefighters Have a Right To Know About Hazmats They Face? Do You? [24]
You Are the Heart of SEJ [26]

In this excerpt from the latest issue of SEJournal, SEJ president Jeff Burnside reflects on the power and value of SEJ members, shares stats that'll make you proud and offers easy ways for you to help grow our membership — win-win all around.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJ Presidents Report [27]
Visibility:
Public [4]
- Read more about You Are the Heart of SEJ [26]
Panel: Conflict Looms over Environment and Energy in 2015 [28]

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [29]
Topics on the Beat:
Journalism & Media [10]
Visibility:
Public [4]
- Read more about Panel: Conflict Looms over Environment and Energy in 2015 [28]

Pages