Publication Items

NOAA Seafood Report Released [1]

Use the data to report for communities directly affected by fishing or, at a larger scale, as a hook to report on several other related issues. Also, research another hot topic drawing attention — mislabeling of fish species.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Water & Oceans [3]
Food [4]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about NOAA Seafood Report Released [1]
EPA Finalizes 15 Additional Superfund Sites, Proposes 11 More [6]

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 [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Pollution [7]
Chemicals [8]
Region:
California [9]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [10]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [11]
Northwest (OR WA) [12]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [14]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about EPA Finalizes 15 Additional Superfund Sites, Proposes 11 More [6]
Report: Canada Has Hot Geothermal Prospects [15]

The Geological Survey of Canada states the best prospects are in British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon, and the westernmost portion of the Northwest Territories, with some good potential also in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, and modest prospects in many other parts of the country.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Energy & Fuel [16]
Region:
Canada [17]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Report: Canada Has Hot Geothermal Prospects [15]
Advocates Push for and Against Crop Insurance [18]

As the federal budget battle continues, President Obama outlined on Sept. 19, 2011, a package of ideas designed to cut costs and increase income over the next decade. One element of the $3 trillion package is an $8.5 billion reduction in costs for crop insurance.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Economy & Business [19]
Agriculture [20]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Advocates Push for and Against Crop Insurance [18]
TVA Public Relations Staff Edited Engineer's Report on Failed Coal-Ash Dam [21]

Dam inspections began before the Dec. 2008 spill incident of 5.4 million cubic yards of coal-ash slurry in Tennessee. Afterward, the initial draft engineer's report of the pre-spill inspection noted several eroded areas needed to be fixed "immediately;" the word was subsequently struck from the report.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [22]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [23]
Energy & Fuel [16]
Region:
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about TVA Public Relations Staff Edited Engineer's Report on Failed Coal-Ash Dam [21]
White House, Under Attack for Secrecy, Issues Transparency Report [24]

Under fire from all sides for excessive secrecy, the Obama administration has just issued a status report touting its "open government" achievements. One assessment of the report came from the Federation of American Scientists' long-time secrecy watchdog, Steven Aftergood.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [22]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [25]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about White House, Under Attack for Secrecy, Issues Transparency Report [24]
Indiana GOPer Reintroduces Federal Shield Law [26]

Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) has reintroduced a bill that would establish a limited federal protection for journalists when prosecutor and courts seek to compel them to disclose their confidential sources. A similar measure died on the Senate floor at the end of the last Congress.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [22]
Topics on the Beat:
Journalism & Media [27]
Government [25]
Region:
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [10]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Indiana GOPer Reintroduces Federal Shield Law [26]
Florida Court Won't Order OSHA To Withhold Images of Orca-Trainer Death [28]

Judge Gregory Presnell ruled that the federal Freedom of Information Act did not allow an injunction before the agency itself had made its decision on whether to release the records.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [22]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [29]
Region:
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [13]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Florida Court Won't Order OSHA To Withhold Images of Orca-Trainer Death [28]
Appeals Court Orders Release of Timber-Trade Records [30]

Details and documents on the 2006 US-Canada Softwood Lumber Agreement will be released after a federal appeals court ruled Sept. 16, 2011, against claims by the Office of the US Trade Representative that the documents, sought by the Center for Biological Diversity and Conservation Northwest, were exempt from the Freedom of Information Act.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [22]
Topics on the Beat:
Forests [31]
Economy & Business [19]
Region:
National (U.S.) [32]
Canada [17]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Appeals Court Orders Release of Timber-Trade Records [30]
National Press Club To Host Panel on Obama Science Openness Oct. 3 [33]

The event, co-sponsored by the Society of Environmental Journalists and other groups, is free and open to the public (RSVP). Panelists include: Curtis Brainard, Columbia Journalism Review science editor; Joseph A. Davis, (SEJ) WatchDog editor; Felice Freyer, Association of Health Care Journalists; Darren Samuelsohn, Politico’s senior energy/environment reporter; and Clothilde Le Coz, Reporters Without Borders energy/environment reporter.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [22]
Topics on the Beat:
Journalism & Media [27]
Government [25]
Science [34]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about National Press Club To Host Panel on Obama Science Openness Oct. 3 [33]

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