Publication Items

Perchlorates Offer Early Test of EPA Openness [1]

Incoming EPA administrator Lisa Jackson faces an immediate test on perchlorate secrecy, as the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia rejects EPA's argument for FOIA exemption. Will EPA and the Justice Department appeal, even though Obama urges agency openness?
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [3]
Laws & Regulations [4]
Government [5]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Perchlorates Offer Early Test of EPA Openness [1]
Are You Ready for Sunshine Week? — March 15-21 [8]

News media across the country will again be undertaking open-government projects in 2009. The Sunshine Week website offers you ideas on stories you could dig out of hard-to-see public records.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [4]
Government [5]
Journalism & Media [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Are You Ready for Sunshine Week? — March 15-21 [8]
CJR: "What We Didn't Know Has Hurt Us" [10]

A Jan/Feb 2009 Columbia Journalism Review article enumerates many kinds of information the Bush administration veiled with secrecy; argues that disclosure is essential for democracy, yet the harm will not be easily undone.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [5]
Journalism & Media [9]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about CJR: "What We Didn't Know Has Hurt Us" [10]
FDA Knew About Mercury in Corn Syrup — And Kept Silent [11]

In spite of one of its own scientists co-authoring a 2005 study finding toxic mercury in high fructose corn syrup, the Food and Drug Administration gave a green light to the corn industry's campaign advertising corn syrup as "natural."
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals [3]
Food [12]
Government [5]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about FDA Knew About Mercury in Corn Syrup — And Kept Silent [11]
Whistleblower Bill Awaits Congressional Action [13]

An amendment adding whistleblower protection to the economic stimulus bill before the House will be voted on soon.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [4]
Government [5]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Whistleblower Bill Awaits Congressional Action [13]
SPECIAL ISSUE: Terror and Environment-Introduction [14]

A few lessons were buried in the rubble of the World Trade Center. Humans change the environment -- and build environments -- in ways that make them vulnerable to catastrophe.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [15]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [16]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about SPECIAL ISSUE: Terror and Environment-Introduction [14]
Drinking Water Systems [17]

Drinking water sources, purification, and distribution systems are essential to public health, and failures could be catastrophic.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [15]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [16]
Water & Oceans [18]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Drinking Water Systems [17]
Nuclear Plants and Materials [19]

Security of nuclear power plants was definitely on people's minds as the WTC burned and nobody knew where the next plane would hit.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [15]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [16]
Energy & Fuel [20]
Region:
International [21]
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Nuclear Plants and Materials [19]
Dam Safety [22]

The Bureau of Reclamation announced laconically Sept. 12 that it had stepped up security at Hoover, Glen Canyon, and Grand Coulee dams.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [15]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [16]
Water & Oceans [18]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Dam Safety [22]
Oil and Gas Pipelines [23]

Because of their length, ubiquity, and remoteness, pipelines can be nearly impossible to defend.
SEJ Publication Types:
TipSheet [15]
Topics on the Beat:
Disasters [16]
Energy & Fuel [20]
Region:
National (U.S.) [6]
Visibility:
Public [7]
- Read more about Oil and Gas Pipelines [23]

Pages