Public

"Texas Plan To Reduce Houston Smog May Not Be Enough" [1]

"Texas' new plan to improve the Houston area's famously dirty air may not meet federal limits for smog."

Source: Houston Chronicle [5], 09/24/2009

Read more about "Texas Plan To Reduce Houston Smog May Not Be Enough" [1]

Georgia Sewage Plants Swamped by Floods, Dump Sewage [6]

"The record rains of the past few days flooded out sewage treatment plants in Fulton, Cobb and Gwinnett counties [GA], dumping millions of gallons of untreated sewage into local waterways."

Disasters [7]

Public [3]

SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [8]

Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution [9], 09/24/2009

Read more about Georgia Sewage Plants Swamped by Floods, Dump Sewage [6]

"US Should Watch for Animal Disease, Institute Says" [10]

"The United States needs to lead a global effort to protect people from new outbreaks of deadly infectious diseases that originate in animals, such as swine flu, AIDS and SARS, health experts said on Tuesday."

Health [11]

Public [3]

National (U.S.) [12]

Source: Reuters [13], 09/24/2009

Read more about "US Should Watch for Animal Disease, Institute Says" [10]

"WHO Slashes Radon Limit in Homes, Cites Lung Cancer" [14]

"The World Health Organisation (WHO) has drastically cut the maximum amount of radon -- a naturally occurring gas -- that should be permitted in homes because of strong evidence it causes lung cancer."

Air [2]

Public [3]

International [15]

Source: Reuters [16], 09/24/2009

Read more about "WHO Slashes Radon Limit in Homes, Cites Lung Cancer" [14]

"Regulations Might Be Needed for 104 Chemicals Found in Tap Water, EPA Says" [17]

"U.S. EPA has found 104 chemicals that might require regulations to keep them out of tap water -- the longest list of potential contaminants ever compiled by the agency."

Water & Oceans [18]

Public [3]

National (U.S.) [12]

Source: Greenwire [19], 09/24/2009

Read more about "Regulations Might Be Needed for 104 Chemicals Found in Tap Water, EPA Says" [17]

"The Globe's 2 Largest Emitters Lay Out Hazy Plays to Curb CO2" [20]

"In the end, the two most important world leaders at the first-ever U.N. Summit on Climate Change didn't say enough to satisfy supporters or quell critics."

Climate Change [21]

Public [3]

International [15]

Source: Greenwire [22], 09/24/2009

Read more about "The Globe's 2 Largest Emitters Lay Out Hazy Plays to Curb CO2" [20]

Senate Dents Shield Law for Reporters [23]

A de facto filibuster by several Republicans, plus quibbling by some Democrats, caused a long-awaited markup of bill S 448 to end with no action.

SEJ Publication Types:

WatchDog TipSheet [24]

Topics on the Beat:

Laws & Regulations [25]

Government [26]

Journalism & Media [27]

Region:

National (U.S.) [12]

Visibility:

Public [3]

Read more about Senate Dents Shield Law for Reporters [23]

Coal Ash Data Waiting for Local Reporters [28]

Use this roundup of sources to write a probing story about the ash, slag, and sludge from coal-burning electric utilities — which containins heavy metals that can pollute water, and even bury people's houses.

SEJ Publication Types:

WatchDog TipSheet [24]

Topics on the Beat:

Chemicals [29]

Disasters [7]

Energy & Fuel [30]

Pollution [31]

Government [26]

Region:

National (U.S.) [12]

Visibility:

Public [3]

Read more about Coal Ash Data Waiting for Local Reporters [28]

Tapping the "Fishbowl" — Is EPA Doing Some Things Right on FOI? [32]

OMB Watch, a fierce FOI advocacy group, says EPA has been working hard to push hitherto restricted data out to the public, citing the earliest-ever release of TRI data, monitoring data on atrazine in water, and more.

SEJ Publication Types:

WatchDog TipSheet [24]

Topics on the Beat:

Government [26]

Journalism & Media [27]

Region:

National (U.S.) [12]

Visibility:

Public [3]

Read more about Tapping the "Fishbowl" — Is EPA Doing Some Things Right on FOI? [32]

SEJ Joins Amicus Brief on Dangerously Expanded FOIA Exemption [33]

Several media organizations have joined the case of a Puget Sound resident denied information, under the "law enforcement" exemption to FOIA, that would identify the locations and potential blast ranges of explosive ordnance stored in the area.

SEJ Publication Types:

WatchDog TipSheet [24]

Topics on the Beat:

Disasters [7]

Laws & Regulations [25]

Government [26]

Region:

Northwest (OR WA) [34]

Visibility:

Public [3]

Read more about SEJ Joins Amicus Brief on Dangerously Expanded FOIA Exemption [33]

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