Publication Items

EPA Releases Coal Ash Pond Survey in Database Form [1]

The spreadsheet covers 676 coal combustion waste impoundments at 240 facilities — making it much easier to cover the issue. After assessing many ponds, EPA rated at least 50 of the ponds as having high hazard potential.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Energy & Fuel [3]
Disasters [4]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about EPA Releases Coal Ash Pond Survey in Database Form [1]
Cool But Unsung EPA Databases Can Help Environmental Reporters [6]

There has been a data renaissance going on at EPA for the past two years, and not all reporters have gotten the news that data-driven reporting has become a time-saver instead of a time-suck.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Technology [7]
Government [8]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Cool But Unsung EPA Databases Can Help Environmental Reporters [6]
NRC Publishes List of FOIA Requests Related to Japan Nuke Meltdown [9]

By publishing the list promptly, NRC lived up to the "reading room" provisions of FOIA — which require agencies to actively publish information likely to be the subject of multiple FOIA requests. As a reporter, see what your competitors are doing. As a FOIA requester, you may learn a lot about how to write a FOIA letter that is realistic yet effective.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Nuclear Power & Radiation [10]
Energy & Fuel [3]
Disasters [4]
Region:
Asia [11]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about NRC Publishes List of FOIA Requests Related to Japan Nuke Meltdown [9]
EPA Suspends Chemical Reporting After Industry Complaints [12]

Reporting of potentially toxic chemicals in commerce under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)will not be required during the next reporting period, which runs from June through September.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [8]
Economy & Business [13]
Chemicals [14]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about EPA Suspends Chemical Reporting After Industry Complaints [12]
Groups Recommend Measures for "Environmental Right-to-Know" [15]

More access was urged for records on oil and gas leasing, government-issued permits and leases related to metal mining, grazing livestock on public lands, harvesting ocean fish, operating chemical plants, drilling for oil, logging, building roads or strip malls, coal mining, filling wetlands, and more.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
People & Population [16]
Environmental Health [17]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Groups Recommend Measures for "Environmental Right-to-Know" [15]
Fracking Companies Withhold Baseline Well-Water Data [18]

ProPublica reporter Abrahm Lustgarten (left) revealed that some of the biggest fracking companies have been collecting extensive baseline data since 2008, keeping it concealed from public knowledge — including denying Duke University researchers the data when asked for it. The withheld data could either exonerate the companies or prove them responsible for pollution.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Pollution [19]
Energy & Fuel [3]
Chemicals [14]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Fracking Companies Withhold Baseline Well-Water Data [18]
Try, Try Again: Whistleblower Protection Bill Reintroduced [20]

Last year, legislation to put new teeth in federal whistleblower protections failed when a single senator put a secret hold on it late in the session. The good news is Sen. Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI) has introduced the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2011 to restart the legislative effort.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
People & Population [16]
Government [8]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Try, Try Again: Whistleblower Protection Bill Reintroduced [20]
Gumshoes Can Use Bankers' Tool for EPA Info on Properties [21]

The "MyPropertyInfo" online tool will search multiple EPA databases for any information related to a specific street address. Or it will search for all records on a given street in a given ZIP code.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Planning & Growth [22]
Government [8]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Gumshoes Can Use Bankers' Tool for EPA Info on Properties [21]
Court Rejects 'National Security' Claim on Secret Trade Docs [23]

The Trade Representative had denied a Freedom of Information Act request by the Center for International Environmental Law for documents related to the Chile-US Free Trade Agreement. It claimed some documents should remain secret on the grounds of "national security."
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Government [8]
Economy & Business [13]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Court Rejects 'National Security' Claim on Secret Trade Docs [23]
Feds Cleanse Web of Fake News on Acai-Berry Diet Scam [24]

Some of the sites used the logos of major news organizations to fool users into thinking they were reading real news reports.
SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat:
Journalism & Media [25]
Visibility:
Public [5]
- Read more about Feds Cleanse Web of Fake News on Acai-Berry Diet Scam [24]

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