Publication Items

EPA Withholds "Deliberative" Docs on Arizona's Rosemont Mine

The public is still in the dark about the environmental impacts of the open-pit Rosemont copper mine proposed near Tucson. The documents are sought by Arizona Daily Star reporter and SEJ member Tony Davis, who has doggedly reported on the impacts, largely utilizing FOIA request results. Image: © Clipart.com

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet
Topics on the Beat:
Environmental Politics
Natural Resources
Visibility:
Public
- Read more about EPA Withholds "Deliberative" Docs on Arizona's Rosemont Mine
News Media Groups Complain About Convention Restrictions

Authorities in both Cleveland and Philadelphia placed new restrictions on media covering the Republican convention, including banning gas masks, backpacks and bags bigger than 18" x 13" x 7" — which severely cramps broadcast journalists' ability to carry electronic gear.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet
Topics on the Beat:
Government
Journalism & Media
Visibility:
Public
- Read more about News Media Groups Complain About Convention Restrictions
Court Docs in Bankruptcy Disclose Peabody Funding of Climate Denial

Peabody, the documents show, funded at least two dozen groups that sowed doubt about whether climate change is caused by human emissions and that opposed regulating climate emissions. Most of that funding had been kept secret until now.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet
Topics on the Beat:
Climate Change
Energy & Fuel
Environmental Politics
Laws & Regulations
Pollution
Visibility:
Public
- Read more about Court Docs in Bankruptcy Disclose Peabody Funding of Climate Denial
Reporters Committee Calls for Federal Anti-SLAPP Law

"Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation" are legal bullying, using the resources of well-heeled business or political groups to harass smaller citizens' groups or (sometimes) news media who can barely afford lawyers. Now some are calling for a federal law to counter them.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations
Visibility:
Public
- Read more about Reporters Committee Calls for Federal Anti-SLAPP Law
Enviros Want To See Fired New Brunswick Scientist's Glyphosate Report

The Council of Canadians, an environmental group, is calling for release of a report on the herbicide glyphosate that New Brunswick's chief medical officer was working on when she was dismissed six months ago.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet
Topics on the Beat:
Chemicals
Environmental Health
Health
Region:
Canada
Visibility:
Public
- Read more about Enviros Want To See Fired New Brunswick Scientist's Glyphosate Report
U.S. Appeals Court Rules Private Emails Not Always Exempt from FOIA

When a government official sends work-related emails over a private or personal email account, the emails are not necessarily exempt from the Freedom of Information Act, a federal appeals court ruled July 5, 2016.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations
Visibility:
Public
- Read more about U.S. Appeals Court Rules Private Emails Not Always Exempt from FOIA
Obama Signs FOIA Improvement Legislation into Law

Just in time for the 50th anniversary of the original Freedom of Information Act, President Obama June 30, 2016, signed into law a package of amendments to strengthen it. The bill codifies the "presumption of openness."

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations
Visibility:
Public
- Read more about Obama Signs FOIA Improvement Legislation into Law
Leaked: New Secret CRS Explainers for the Environment-Energy Beat

Here are some recent Congressional Research Service reports relevant to the environment and energy beat, thanks to the Federation of American Scientists' Government Secrecy Project.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet
Topics on the Beat:
Air
Disasters
Energy & Fuel
Health
Transportation
Region:
Antarctica & Arctic
Visibility:
Public
- Read more about Leaked: New Secret CRS Explainers for the Environment-Energy Beat
Canadian Government Drafts New 3-Year Open Government Plan

Overall goals of the new draft plan are to make all government data and information open by default and to eliminate all fees except for an initial $5 filing fee. The Canadian government invites comments on the plan before June 30, 2016.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet
Topics on the Beat:
Laws & Regulations
Region:
Canada
Visibility:
Public
- Read more about Canadian Government Drafts New 3-Year Open Government Plan
Some Steps Forward on Open Data

Don't get us wrong: the U.S. federal government's openness to public scrutiny leaves much to be desired. Still, it's worth noting that some improvements have taken place. Here are a few prominent ones. Image: Clipart.com.

SEJ Publication Types:
WatchDog TipSheet
Topics on the Beat:
Government
Visibility:
Public
- Read more about Some Steps Forward on Open Data

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