Publication Items

SEJournal Winter 2015, Vol. 24 No. 4 [1]

In this issue: Conflict over environment and energy in 2015; nonprofit news rescues environmental journalism, or not; freelance digital journalism founders; using ground journalism, striking visuals for complex global stories; SEJ's diversity struggles; bringing to life climate- and weather-related data; free digital tools for EJ educators, students; interview with Jörg Friedrichs, author, “The Future Is Not What It Used to Be: Climate Change and Energy Scarcity;” and book reviews.

SEJ Publication Types:
SEJournal Online [2]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about SEJournal Winter 2015, Vol. 24 No. 4 [1]
Coast Guard Spill Database Rendered Almost Useless for Reporters [4]

There used to be a searchable, online database of oil and chemical spill reports that reporters could turn to in an emergency to get insight into important breaking news. But ham-handed security efforts have sabotaged the public's right to know. Right now, emergency responders are working on a spill of a cancer-causing fuel additive known as MTBE. But news reporters probably couldn't get much if any helpful information from the database today (we checked).

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [5]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [6]
Energy & Fuel [7]
Government [8]
Military [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [11]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about Coast Guard Spill Database Rendered Almost Useless for Reporters [4]
EPA Gets a "D" Grade on Information Access from Watchdog Group [12]

The score came from the Center for Effective Government, which now awards the scores annually. Much of the score is based on the agency's performance under the Freedom of Information Act. EPA was one of the few agencies whose grade actually went down since 2014.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [5]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [8]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about EPA Gets a "D" Grade on Information Access from Watchdog Group [12]
FOIA-Strengthening Bills Come Back to Life in House and Senate [13]

A bill to strengthen the Freedom of Information Act awaits Senate floor action. But the Obama administration, which once pledged to be the most open in history, has so far been strangely silent. Crickets. "Worries from the agencies are whispered into lawmakers' ears," wrote E&E Publishing's Kevin Bogardus.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [5]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [8]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about FOIA-Strengthening Bills Come Back to Life in House and Senate [13]
Media Coalition Wins Overturn of Blankenship Gag Order on Appeal [15]

After opposing gag and sealing orders in the trial of former Massey coal CEO Don Blankenship on charges of conspiracy to violate federal mine safety and health standards — and cover-up — a news media coalition led by Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press won access to the trial from a federal appeals court March 5, 2015.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [5]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [6]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Natural Resources [16]
Region:
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [17]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about Media Coalition Wins Overturn of Blankenship Gag Order on Appeal [15]
"Nature’s Trust: Environmental Law for a New Ecological Age" [18]

SEJ Publication Types:
BookShelf [19]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [14]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about "Nature’s Trust: Environmental Law for a New Ecological Age" [18]
News Media Coalition Appeals Gag Orders in Blankenship Case [20]

After a judge refused to reverse most of the secrecy ruling around the 2010 Upper Big Branch mine disaster caused by Massey Energy's safety violations, including indictment of the company's former CEO, media outlets appealed. Now a coalition of many more media groups, led by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, have filed a friend-of-the-court brief opposing the secrecy ruling as unconstitutional.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [5]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [6]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Natural Resources [16]
Region:
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [17]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about News Media Coalition Appeals Gag Orders in Blankenship Case [20]
Groups FOIA Federal Rules for Allowing Petroleum Export Ban Exceptions [21]

For decades, U.S. politicians have made energy independence a patriotic platitude — with one result being a ban on exporting crude oil produced in the U.S. Now some oil companies are getting exceptions to the export ban for a product called "condensate," and the Commerce Department won't say why. So a coalition of environmental groups have filed a Freedom of Information Act request to find out.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [5]
Topics on the Beat:
Energy & Fuel [7]
Government [8]
Laws & Regulations [14]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about Groups FOIA Federal Rules for Allowing Petroleum Export Ban Exceptions [21]
Sunshine Week Highlights Open Government March 15-21 [22]

News media and open-government groups across the country will field events March 15-21, 2015, to emphasize the importance of freedom of information to democratic government. Here is a short preliminary list of some major Sunshine Week events already scheduled.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [5]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [8]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about Sunshine Week Highlights Open Government March 15-21 [22]
Is Your Audience in an Oil Train Blast Zone? [23]

After a February 16, 2015, oil train derailment and explosion in West Virginia, new concerns have arisen over the public's right to know about the dangers oil trains pose to communities. Now trackside communities have some data and maps to help them protect themselves. Image: AP Photo/ Office of the Governor of West Virginia, Steven Wayne Rotsch.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [5]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [6]
Energy & Fuel [7]
Environmental Politics [24]
People & Population [25]
Region:
National (U.S.) [10]
California [26]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [17]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [27]
Visibility:
Public [3]
- Read more about Is Your Audience in an Oil Train Blast Zone? [23]

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