Publication Items

SEJ Comments On NOAA Science Policy; Seeks More Openness [1]

In formal comments, SEJ stated that the section of NOAA guidance policy requiring advance public affairs approval of media interviews — and minders sitting in on those interviews — thwarts open communication between scientists and reporters, which is "unacceptable in a free society."
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Science [3]
Policy [4]
Government [5]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about SEJ Comments On NOAA Science Policy; Seeks More Openness [1]
Voluntary Sage-Grouse Protection Efforts Awarded $71 Million [7]

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 [8]
Topics on the Beat:
Wildlife [9]
Biodiversity [10]
Region:
Northwest (OR WA) [11]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [12]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [13]
California [14]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Voluntary Sage-Grouse Protection Efforts Awarded $71 Million [7]
Projects in 6 States Selected To Help Pioneer 3 Biofuels [15]

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 [8]
Topics on the Beat:
Energy & Fuel [16]
Region:
California [14]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [13]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [12]
Northwest (OR WA) [11]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [17]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Projects in 6 States Selected To Help Pioneer 3 Biofuels [15]
Contamination by Genetically Modified Rice Is Costly to Bayer [18]

Bayer CropScience has agreed to pay up to $750 million to about 11,000 farmers to compensate for contaminating two varieties of long-grain rice. The settlement requires participation of farmers who planted at least 85% of the average 2.2 million acres of long-grain rice grown each year from 2006 to 2009.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [8]
Topics on the Beat:
Pollution [19]
Agriculture [20]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Contamination by Genetically Modified Rice Is Costly to Bayer [18]
Annual Land & Water Conservation Fund Dollars Announced [21]

The states, territories, and Washington, DC, will share $37.4 million doled out through the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. The grants, administered by the National Park Service, match funding provided by states and local entities, and are supposed to be used for local parks, recreation, and conservation projects.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [8]
Topics on the Beat:
Water & Oceans [22]
Natural Resources [23]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Annual Land & Water Conservation Fund Dollars Announced [21]
GAO: US Water Drinkers in Dark on Violations, Contaminants [24]

While EPA oversees the Safe Drinking Water Act programs, much of the daily responsibility is delegated to state agencies. The non-partisan Government Accountability Office says the states are under-reporting violations and contamination to EPA. Moreover, EPA has fallen behind in setting standards for known contaminants that may cause health problems.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Water & Oceans [22]
Pollution [19]
Health [25]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about GAO: US Water Drinkers in Dark on Violations, Contaminants [24]
Interior Probe of Polar Bear Scientist Baffles, Looks Political [26]

Five years after writing about polar bears drowning, apparently from lack of sea ice, a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement was suspended without a reason. Later he was told it was due to charges of "scientific misconduct" from a party or parties not identified.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Wildlife [9]
Government [5]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Interior Probe of Polar Bear Scientist Baffles, Looks Political [26]
EPA Drafts Science Policy Codifying Minders, PIO Permissions for Media Interviews [27]

The draft "Scientific Integrity Policy" marks the first time that the EPA's previously unwritten minders-and-permissions policy for press interviews has been reduced to a publicly disclosed written policy applying to the entire agency. The Society of Environmental Journalists has previously opposed these restrictions and is likely to submit formal comments on this draft policy as well.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Science [3]
Policy [4]
Government [5]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about EPA Drafts Science Policy Codifying Minders, PIO Permissions for Media Interviews [27]
As Midwest Mainstream Media Withers, Harvest Public Media Steps Up To Cover Food, Fuel and Field Issues [28]

Freelance journalist Madeline Bodin reports on the award-winning work by Harvest Public Media, one of seven Local Journalism Centers created by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in the past two years.

SEJ Publication Types:
Features [29]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about As Midwest Mainstream Media Withers, Harvest Public Media Steps Up To Cover Food, Fuel and Field Issues [28]
FWS Proposes To Expand Hunting at 10 Wildlife Refuges [30]

Hunting, under certain conditions, is already allowed at more than 300 of the 553 sites in the National Wildlife Refuge System. Contact local environmental, animal rights, and hunting groups for opinions for or against these proposals that would allow additional species to be killed at 10 refuges in 8 states.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [8]
Topics on the Beat:
Wildlife [9]
Region:
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [17]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [31]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [12]
Great Plains (IA KS ND NE MO SD) [13]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [32]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about FWS Proposes To Expand Hunting at 10 Wildlife Refuges [30]

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