Publication Items

Refrigerant Chemicals Can Be Good for Ozone Layer, Bad for Climate [1]

A new United Nations Environment Programme report offers recommendations to help make refrigerants less of a greenhouse gas problem, while still addressing ozone concerns. Get tips here on how your reporting on this issue can range from the local to the global scale.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Planning & Growth [3]
Climate Change [4]
Chemicals [5]
Air [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Refrigerant Chemicals Can Be Good for Ozone Layer, Bad for Climate [1]
EPA To Release Data on Major Greenhouse Gas Sources [8]

The agency plans to publish by the end of 2011 the first round of annual data reported, for 2010, on emissions from about 7,000 large stationary sources in 28 industry sectors. This data should provide a useful tool for media coverage on sources, impacts, and mitigation efforts, if any.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Pollution [9]
Climate Change [4]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about EPA To Release Data on Major Greenhouse Gas Sources [8]
Long-Delayed Power Plant Toxics Regulations Due by Dec. 16 [10]

The EPA says the proposed rule would prevent about 17,000 premature deaths each year and hundreds of thousands of illnesses, and avoid substantial environmental damage. The agency estimates that for every $1 spent preventing the targeted pollution there would be health benefits ranging from $5 to $13, and additional environmental benefits.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Energy & Fuel [11]
Chemicals [5]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Long-Delayed Power Plant Toxics Regulations Due by Dec. 16 [10]
Feds Release Report on Links Between Breast Cancer and Environment [12]

The Institute of Medicine released on Dec. 7, 2011, a report on links between breast cancer and the environment. Along with identifying various risk factors, and the strength of the evidence, the report addresses preventive measures and research gaps.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Health [13]
Chemicals [5]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Feds Release Report on Links Between Breast Cancer and Environment [12]
EPA Releases 100s of Chemical Health Studies Claimed As Trade Secrets [14]

The studies are submitted by companies who use the chemicals in commerce, under the Toxic Substances Control Act. EPA's online searchable database can help you find information about such health studies, which were previously withheld because of industry trade-secret claims.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [15]
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Health [16]
Chemicals [5]
Health [13]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about EPA Releases 100s of Chemical Health Studies Claimed As Trade Secrets [14]
Industry Lobby Opposes Disclosure of Fragrance Ingredients [17]

If you are worried that ingredients in cleaning products may aggravate your allergies, mess up your sex hormones, or cause cancer, you may not find out what they are. The International Fragrance Association North America and the American Cleaning Institute are opposing a bill introduced in the House that would require cleaning products to carry ingredients lists on the package label.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [15]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [5]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Industry Lobby Opposes Disclosure of Fragrance Ingredients [17]
Calif. Law Keeps Public from Knowing About Dangerous Pipelines [18]

The San Francisco Chronicle revealed almost all records of the state's Public Utilities Commission, which regulates pipelines, are secret — and the PUC typically asks permission from the utility companies before releasing any information. In most other states, such information is freely available to the public.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [15]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [19]
Energy & Fuel [11]
Region:
California [20]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Calif. Law Keeps Public from Knowing About Dangerous Pipelines [18]
Toolbox: New CPR Database Helps You Track Secret Industry-OMB Meetings [21]

Although details of what is said between lobbyists and the White House officials who rewrite agency rules remain largely secret, the Center for Progressive Reform's searchable database allows you to track whether OMB is meeting its deadlines, whether a meeting is linked to an OIRA regulatory review, and whether OIRA changed the rule.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [15]
Topics on the Beat:
Technology [22]
Government [23]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Toolbox: New CPR Database Helps You Track Secret Industry-OMB Meetings [21]
"Behind Closed Doors" Reports on Secret Regulatory Process [24]

The Center for Progressive Reform looked at public records on 1,080 meetings held between October 2001 and June 2011 between the White House Office of Management and Budget and lobbyists from various interest groups. Results show the Obama administration is as bad as the Bush administration when it comes to secret meetings with industry to weaken environmental health and safety regulations.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [15]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [19]
Government [23]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about "Behind Closed Doors" Reports on Secret Regulatory Process [24]
'Solid Conflict' and Superb Writing — On the Daily Beat and for His New Book [25]

Bill Dawson gets the "Inside Story" from The Seattle Times' Craig Welch about his award-winning work as a reporter on the environment beat in the Pacific Northwest’s largest city and on his book Shell Games.

SEJ Publication Types:
Inside Story [26]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about 'Solid Conflict' and Superb Writing — On the Daily Beat and for His New Book [25]

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