Public

"Coal-Ash Sites Polluting Water, Report Says"

"At least 31 more coal-ash impoundments across the country -- including two in West Virginia -- have been found to have polluted nearby groundwater, wetlands and streams, according to a report issued Wednesday by two national environmental groups. The report brings to more than 100 the total number of sites where coal-ash disposal has been linked to contamination of water supplies with toxic pollutants including arsenic, cadmium and selenium."

Pollution

Public

National (U.S.)

Source: Charleston Gazette, 02/25/2010

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"Plastic Rubbish Blights Atlantic Ocean"

"Scientists have discovered an area of the North Atlantic Ocean where plastic debris accumulates. The region is said to compare with the well-documented 'great Pacific garbage patch'."

Water & Oceans

Public

International

Source: BBC News, 02/25/2010

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"Vermont Scuttles Plans for Reactor"

"The Vermont Senate blocked efforts by Entergy Corp. to win a 20-year license renewal for its Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant, an action that could encourage opponents of nuclear energy in other states."

Nuclear Power & Radiation

Public

National (U.S.)

Source: Wall St. Journal, 02/25/2010

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SEJ Urges White House To Lose the "Minders"

SEJ wrote White House Communication Director Dan Pfeiffer asking for an end to the practice of requiring permission from the press office at federal agencies before reporters can talk to federal employees — and requiring Saddam-style PIO "minders" to sit in on interviews.

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Secret GSA Contractor Database Could Reveal Waste, Fraud, Abuse

Jim Morris of the Sunlight Foundation reports on the Project on Government Oversight's (POGO) so-far unsuccessful efforts to FOIA the data.

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FCC Broadband Plan May Promote Open Gov

John Wonderlich of the Sunlight Foundation has been tracking the Federal Communications Commission plan.

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Comments on Fed Agencies' Open Government Plans Due March 19

Various trackers are sorting through and compiling ideas, comments, and agencies' progress towards meeting the deadline.

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OSHA Sampling Data Still Unavailable

A former Occupational Safety and Health Administration official requested the data under the Freedom of Information Act in 2005, but was denied. He sued, won in 2007, and now has the data, but OSHA has still not released the data to the public.

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Forest Service Issues Gag Order to Employees on Talking to Reporters

Monongahela National Forest's public affairs officer recently directed employees there that, if contacted by national reporters on any issue or local reporters regarding national issues, they "cannot talk to the reporter"and suggested that the instructions came from "our Washington office."

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"U.N. Says Emissions Vows Not Enough To Avoid Rise Of 2 Degrees C"

"Emission cuts pledges made by 60 countries will not be enough to keep the average global temperature rise at 2 degrees Celsius or less, modeling released on Tuesday by the United Nations says."

Climate Change

Public

International

Source: Reuters, 02/24/2010

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