The Obama White House released a new rule reversing its ban on lobbyists in government. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) rule allows registered lobbyists to participate as members on panels covered by the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). The rule change was forced by a court decision.
Journalism and science groups, including SEJ, protested an August 12, 2014, "don't talk" memo from EPA's chief of staff. The memo makes it clear: members of the agency's many science advisory panels are not to talk to the news media or Congress without permission. Attached to the memo was an "EPA Policy" restricting communications between Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) committee members and parties outside EPA.
"There's a lot of pseudoscience and straight-up nonsense floating around in the airwaves." It's called Shark Week.
"Metro Detroit communities were struggling to cope with massive flooding, backed-up sewers, closed roads and stranded motorists following a storm that dumped nearly 5 inches of rain over several hours Monday afternoon and evening."
"Climate change is creating all kinds of challenges and opportunities for business. One of the sectors that feels the effects most immediately is agriculture. Already, weather patterns are making it more challenging to raise corn — even in Iowa — in the middle of the Corn Belt."
"COROLLA, N.C. — Retired Washington, D.C., police Officer E.T. Smith patrolled the beach in his four-wheel-drive truck on a recent morning, keeping an eye out for wild mustangs and the drunks who like to harass them."
"U.S. wildlife managers on Tuesday denied federal protections for rare wolverines, outraging conservationists but pleasing Western states that opposed adding the reclusive but feisty member of the weasel family to the endangered and threatened species list."
"A civil defense official says that about 10 million gallons of mining acid leaked into a river that supplies water to tens of thousands of people."
"PITTSBURGH — Where 600 flights used to take off and land every day here at Pittsburgh International Airport, there are now about 300. Partway down Terminal B, the moving sidewalk that used to lead to a dozen gates now stops abruptly at a plain gray wall."
"SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, Calif. — High in the Sierras, biologists are struggling to find ways to protect some of the world’s oldest and most storied trees from drought, forest fires and climate change."
Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/publications/watchdog-tipsheet/lobbyists-can-now-join-federal-advisory-committees
[2] https://www.sej.org/publications/watchdog-tipsheet/epa-muzzles-advisory-board-scientists
[3] https://www.sej.org/headlines/shark-week-isnt-just-misguided-its-downright-dangerous
[4] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/12/shark-week-pseudoscience_n_5671772.html?utm_hp_ref=green
[5] https://www.sej.org/headlines/detroit-communities-struggle-flooding-after-torrential-rain
[6] http://www.freep.com/article/20140811/NEWS05/308110181/Freeway-flooding-heavy-rain
[7] https://www.sej.org/headlines/iowas-corn-farmers-learn-adapt-weather-extremes
[8] http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/08/12/339803135/iowas-corn-farmers-learn-to-adapt-to-weather-extremes
[9] https://www.sej.org/headlines/ncs-wild-horses-maimed-isolation-corralled-controversy
[10] http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/08/12/4066604/wild-horses-maimed-by-isolation.html
[11] https://www.sej.org/headlines/us-denies-protections-wolverines-outrages-conservationists
[12] http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/72037
[13] https://www.sej.org/headlines/mexico-mining-spill-pollutes-river
[14] http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/13/world/americas/mexico-mining-spill-pollutes-river.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
[15] https://www.sej.org/headlines/now-arriving-pittsburgh-international-fracking
[16] http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/12/business/energy-environment/frackers-trove-under-airport-in-pittsburgh.html?ref=energy-environment
[17] https://www.sej.org/headlines/tall-ancient-and-under-pressure
[18] http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/12/science/tall-ancient-and-under-pressure.html
[19] https://www.sej.org/search_results
[20] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3303
[21] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3300
[22] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3301
[23] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3302
[24] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3305
[25] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3306
[26] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3307
[27] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3308
[28] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=4971