"When an asteroid exploded over the Russian city of Chelyabinsk in February, shattering windows for miles and injuring well over 1,000 people, experts said it was a rare event — of a magnitude that might occur only once every 100 to 200 years, on average."
"World governments are likely to recoil from plans for an ambitious 2015 climate change deal at talks next week, concern over economic growth at least partially eclipsing scientists' warnings of rising temperatures and water levels."
Thanks to the Federation of American Scientists' Project on Government Secrecy, here are several recent Congressional Research Service reports relevant to environment and energy.
Got scofflaw polluters in your audience area? Are they owned by political fat cats? Is EPA cutting them more slack than they deserve? Such questions are easier to answer thanks to a recent upgrade of the Environmental Protection Agency's ECHO database, a key tool for environmental investigative reporters.
For a decade now, the WatchDog has been telling the story of how the Office of Management and Budget sandbags public health regs, at the behest of business groups who stand to profit, by short-circuiting open legal procedures meant to ensure government integrity. The next chapter was told October 25, 2013, before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Oversight, Federal Rights and Agency Action.
On October 31, 2013, the White House issued a preview of its "Second Open Government National Action Plan," outlining some steps it hopes to take toward more transparent government. Is it a new direction for an administration whose words on openness have often not been matched by deeds — or a misdirection?
"On a day when consumers in Washington State were voting on whether to require food companies to label products containing genetically engineered ingredients, Cargill announced that it would begin labeling packages of ground beef containing what is colloquially known as pink slime."
"PITTSBURGH -- The U.S. Coast Guard is seeking public comments on a proposal that would allow barges to transport shale gas wastewater, a drilling byproduct that can include chemicals, radioactive material and heavy metals."
"BISMARCK, N.D. -- A Canadian company has applied to build the largest oil pipeline yet from western North Dakota's booming oil patch and will soon begin courting oil producers to reserve space, a key step in a $2.6 billion project that would move millions of gallons of oil to Minnesota and Wisconsin."
"Bird watching, hunting or just picnicking. Whatever the reason, visits to the nation's 561 wildlife refuges are big business."
Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/headlines/more-asteroid-strikes-are-likely-scientists-say
[2] http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/07/science/space/more-large-asteroid-strikes-are-likely-scientists-find.html?hpw&rref=science
[3] https://www.sej.org/headlines/hopes-strong-2015-climate-deal-fade-risks-grow
[4] http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/70295
[5] https://www.sej.org/publications/watchdog-tipsheet/science-group-liberates-more-tax-funded-crs-reports
[6] https://www.sej.org/publications/watchdog-tipsheet/echo-20-database-gives-environmental-gumshoes-better-clue
[7] https://www.sej.org/publications/watchdog-tipsheet/senate-panel-health-and-safety-regs-vanish-black-hole-omb
[8] https://www.sej.org/publications/watchdog-tipsheet/words-versus-deeds-obamas-national-action-plan-openness
[9] https://www.sej.org/headlines/after-outcry-cargill-says-it-will-label-products-made-pink-slime
[10] http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/06/business/after-public-outcry-cargill-says-it-will-label-products-made-with-a-beef-binder.html?ref=business&_r=0
[11] https://www.sej.org/headlines/proposal-would-allow-shale-gas-waste-barges
[12] http://www.sfgate.com/news/texas/article/Proposal-would-allow-shale-gas-waste-on-barges-4956783.php
[13] https://www.sej.org/headlines/firm-applies-build-largest-pipeline-yet-north-dakota
[14] http://bismarcktribune.com/bakken/firm-applies-to-build-largest-pipeline-yet-from-north-dakota/article_2a6b2e5c-465f-11e3-adb9-001a4bcf887a.html
[15] https://www.sej.org/headlines/wildlife-refuges-generate-more-2-billion-year-report-finds
[16] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/05/wildlife-refuges_n_4217362.html?utm_hp_ref=green
[17] https://www.sej.org/search_results
[18] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3563
[19] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3560
[20] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3561
[21] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3562
[22] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3565
[23] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3566
[24] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3567
[25] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3568
[26] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=5013