Publication Items

Judge Rules BLM Must Disclose Companies Nominating Drilling Tracts [1]

A small chink appeared this month in the armor of nondisclosure that protects the oil and gas industry's relationship with federal leasing agencies. BLM had refused to disclose the nominating entities. Federal District Judge Matsch ruled that the Freedom of Information Act requires the disclosure.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [3]
Government [4]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Judge Rules BLM Must Disclose Companies Nominating Drilling Tracts [1]
Water Quality Portal Offers Data to All [7]

Interested in water quality at the local and watershed level? Not only does the multi-agency "Water Quality Portal" offer large amounts of measurements of water quality in specific lakes and streams — but EPA is offering free training on how to use it via a Webinar.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Water & Oceans [8]
Government [4]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Water Quality Portal Offers Data to All [7]
Agency Openness with Media Becomes Issue as Guard Changes, Screws Tighten [9]

As new heads for environmental and energy agencies come before the Senate for confirmation, they will likely feel heat over the gulf between the Obama administration's rhetoric on transparency and its iron discipline on message control. Case in point: Gina McCarthy, widely expected to be Obama's nominee for EPA's top administrator slot.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Policy [10]
Government [4]
Environmental Politics [11]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Agency Openness with Media Becomes Issue as Guard Changes, Screws Tighten [9]
Are We Ready for the Next Superstorm? [12]

Francesca Lyman asks "What does Hurricane Sandy tell us about coping with human health and consequences of climate change?"

SEJ Publication Types:
Backgrounders [13]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [14]
Climate Change [15]
Disasters [16]
Environmental Health [17]
Health [18]
People & Population [19]
Planning & Growth [20]
Pollution [21]
Region:
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [22]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Are We Ready for the Next Superstorm? [12]
Top Weather Service Official Fired for Talking to Press [23]

According to the Washington Post, the National Weather Service is firing William Proenza, who once headed the National Hurricane Center, for revealing to the Post that looming budget cuts would harm forecasting effectiveness (something that can affect public safety and the profits of business).

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Policy [10]
Laws & Regulations [3]
Environmental Politics [11]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Top Weather Service Official Fired for Talking to Press [23]
Some Environmental Agencies Flunk Obama's Open-Gov Curriculum [24]

Among those that haven't updated FOIA regs since before Congress enacted FOIA amendments in 2007 are USDA, National Transportation Safety Board, DoE, National Indian Gaming Commission, DoJ, Chemical Safety and Hazards Investigation Board, OMB (which claims responsibility for FOIA discipline), Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, Consumer Product Safety Commission, and DHHS.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [4]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Some Environmental Agencies Flunk Obama's Open-Gov Curriculum [24]
Does New Interior Draft Put Fracking Data Under Industry Thumb? [25]

A leaked draft of the replacement rule suggested Interior would leave handling of fracking data to the industry-run "FracFocus" project, which has come under criticism by environmental and watchdog groups for being hard to use and incomplete.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [3]
Government [4]
Energy & Fuel [5]
Chemicals [14]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Does New Interior Draft Put Fracking Data Under Industry Thumb? [25]
Natural Resources Extraction Transparency Initiative — a Ray of Hope or a Fog of PR? [26]

The United States, whose Minerals Management Service simply neglected to collect in-kind offshore oil royalties under President Bush, has yet to prove itself a paragon. Yet now a new Interior Department committee is poised to lecture other countries on how to do it right.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Natural Resources [27]
Government [4]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Natural Resources Extraction Transparency Initiative — a Ray of Hope or a Fog of PR? [26]
TRI National Analysis Dangles Leads for Investigative Stories [28]

EPA had already released preliminary TRI data for the latest available year (2011), but its National Analysis makes for easier reporting as data is collated by state. It also offers analyses by industry sector and of toxics handling by collating the parent companies of each facility nationwide.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Technology [29]
Pollution [21]
Government [4]
Chemicals [14]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about TRI National Analysis Dangles Leads for Investigative Stories [28]
Sunshine Week, March 10-16, Shines Flashlight on Dark Corners of Government [30]

Sunshine Week is a great opportunity for journalists to do the most important part of the job: spotlighting the very news that government officials are uncomfortable about disclosing. The website includes examples of good freedom-of-information stories, permission-free cartoons, logos and icons, and many all-purpose story ideas.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Journalism & Media [31]
Government [4]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Sunshine Week, March 10-16, Shines Flashlight on Dark Corners of Government [30]

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