Publication Items

EPA Drafts Science Policy Codifying Minders, PIO Permissions for Media Interviews [1]

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 [1]
EPA Vows To Improve IRIS Toxic Effects Database [7]

The more transparent Integrated Risk Information System would have shorter and clearer effects of hazard assessments and use more graphics and tables to present the data.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Health [8]
Environmental Health [9]
Chemicals [10]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about EPA Vows To Improve IRIS Toxic Effects Database [7]
NOAA Rule Aims To Silence Sea Grant Advocacy [11]

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility petitioned NOAA to reverse its no-advocacy policy, saying it's inconsistent with the agency's official scientific integrity policy and the Obama administration's much-vaunted advocacy of more openness in federal government.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Water & Oceans [12]
Policy [4]
Government [5]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about NOAA Rule Aims To Silence Sea Grant Advocacy [11]
EPA Proposes Expanding Scope of TRI to Additional Industries [13]

The new industries would be Iron Ore Mining, Phosphate Mining, Municipal Waste Incineration, Industrial Dry Cleaning, Petroleum Bulk Storage, and Steam-Only Production from Fossil Fuels.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Pollution [14]
Economy & Business [15]
Chemicals [10]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about EPA Proposes Expanding Scope of TRI to Additional Industries [13]
Press Fotogs Sue DHS Over Laptop, Camera Seizures [16]

A U.S. District judge heard oral arguments July 8, 2011 on a DHS motion to dismiss the case, brought by the National Press Photographers Association, the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Journalism & Media [17]
Government [5]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Press Fotogs Sue DHS Over Laptop, Camera Seizures [16]
Defiant Murdoch E-Tab To Judge: Nuts To Pulling BP Deposition [18]

U.S. Magistrate Judge Sally Shushan of the Eastern District of Louisiana ordered iPad-only publication The Daily to remove the deposition, by former BP CEO Tony Hayward in the Gulf oil spill lawsuit, because it had not been published with her permission.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations [19]
Journalism & Media [17]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Defiant Murdoch E-Tab To Judge: Nuts To Pulling BP Deposition [18]
New Environment-Related CRS Reports Available [20]

Congress still forbids the Congressional Research Service to release publicly reports that taxpayers have paid for. Thanks to groups like the Federation of American Scientists, however, taxpayers can read the reports online despite the charade.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Transportation [21]
Technology [22]
Nuclear Power & Radiation [23]
Government [5]
Disasters [24]
Climate Change [25]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about New Environment-Related CRS Reports Available [20]
USDA Pesticide, Fertilizer Data Now in Online Database [26]

The Agriculture Department under President Obama has partly restored public access to the Agricultural Chemical Usage data by the National Agricultural Statistics Service. President Bush had cancelled the reports in 2008.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [5]
Chemicals [10]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about USDA Pesticide, Fertilizer Data Now in Online Database [26]
Don't "Wonder" About U.S. Disease Data — Look It up in CDC's Database [27]

WONDER is a single portal for using a variety of databases related to public health that are maintained by CDC. Many are relevant to the environment beat, such as asthma and allergy prevalence, lung disease, cancer, agricultural safety, pesticides, occupational exposure, chemical hazards, waterborne disease, foodborne disease, and adverse vaccine events.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Health [8]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Don't "Wonder" About U.S. Disease Data — Look It up in CDC's Database [27]
Did OMB Strangle TRI Rule in Its Crib for Chemical, Wood Treatment Industries? [28]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had gone through an open rulemaking process on the "Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Articles Exemption Clarification Rule" but withdrew a final rule it had sent to President Obama's Office of Management and Budget for approval after OMB met privately with chemical, wood, and other industry lobbyists.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [5]
Chemicals [10]
Visibility:
Public [6]
- Read more about Did OMB Strangle TRI Rule in Its Crib for Chemical, Wood Treatment Industries? [28]

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