At Ethics.gov, search several databases with a single search-term entry, potentially speeding discovery of information. It includes data on lobbying registrations, political action committees, contributions to candidates, travel reports, foreign agents registrations, and more. But some open-government advocates consider it merely a down payment on a more comprehensive system.
On December 27, 2012, EPA submitted to the Office of Management and Budget its proposal to alter the interpretation of the Toxic Substances Control Act to require disclosure of the identities of the chemicals subject to health-effects studies before they are used in manufactured products. On January 20, 2012, a secret meeting took place between OMB officials and chemical industry lobbyists. We don't know what they talked about, but we do know that the meeting took place and who attended it.
"The manufacturer of methyl iodide is pulling the controversial pesticide from the U.S. market."
"Wildlife activists sued on Monday to stop the killing of sea lions that have been eating endangered Columbia River salmon, seeking a reprieve for the animals a day before three Pacific Northwest states are authorized to begin executing them."
"Fearing numerous villages may be at risk of toxic releases as landfills erode and thawing permafrost undercuts tank farms, state environmental managers have embarked on a massive effort to address the growing potential for pollution faced by some 100 communities across Alaska."
"Companies would be required to report to the federal government all new uses of five groups of potentially harmful chemicals, whether in domestic or imported products, under a new policy proposed today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency."
"A team from U.S. EPA is preparing recommendations for 'managing or minimizing' earthquakes triggered by oil and gas waste injection wells."
"Though U.S. EPA has prevailed in one of its longest-running enforcement matters, there's some debate over whether the payoff was worth all the effort."
"The operators of 20 of the nation’s aging nuclear reactors, including some whose licenses expire soon, have not saved nearly enough money for prompt and proper dismantling. If it turns out that they must close, the owners intend to let them sit like industrial relics for 20 to 60 years or even longer while interest accrues in the reactors’ retirement accounts."
"Ontario is poised to ban asbestos brake pads that release deadly fibres that can be inhaled by auto mechanics during repairs."
Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/publications/watchdog-tipsheet/data-tools-journalists-one-stop-shopping-ethics-investigations
[2] https://www.sej.org/publications/watchdog-tipsheet/epa-toxic-disclosure-proposal-under-scrutiny-obama-white-house
[3] https://www.sej.org/headlines/maker-methyl-iodide-scraps-controversial-pesticide
[4] http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_20217814/maker-scrap-controversial-pesticide-methyl-iodide-announcement-imminent
[5] https://www.sej.org/headlines/activists-sue-stop-killing-pacific-northwest-sea-lions
[6] http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/64981
[7] https://www.sej.org/headlines/melting-alaska-permafrost-prompts-landfill-concerns
[8] http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/melting-alaska-permafrost-prompts-landfill-concerns
[9] https://www.sej.org/headlines/epa-limit-new-uses-potentially-harmful-chemicals
[10] http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2012/2012-03-20-092.html
[11] https://www.sej.org/headlines/epa-looking-ways-manage-or-minimize-injection-earthquakes
[12] http://www.eenews.net/public/energywire/2012/03/15/2
[13] https://www.sej.org/headlines/epas-22-year-battle-cranberry-farm-ends-questions-anger-linger
[14] http://www.eenews.net/public/Greenwire/2012/03/19/1
[15] https://www.sej.org/headlines/reactors-age-money-close-them-lags
[16] http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/21/science/earth/as-nuclear-reactors-age-funds-to-close-them-lag.html?_r=1
[17] https://www.sej.org/headlines/canada-asbestos-brake-pad-ban-proposed
[18] http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2012/03/20/asbestos-brake-ban-proposal-ontario.html
[19] https://www.sej.org/search_results
[20] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3953
[21] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3950
[22] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3951
[23] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3952
[24] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3955
[25] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3956
[26] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3957
[27] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3958
[28] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=4931