The SEJ WatchDog Alert

The WatchDog Alert (formerly WatchDog TipSheet from 2008-2019) was a regular source of story ideas, articles, updates, events and other information with a focus on freedom-of-information issues of concern to environmental journalists in both the United States and Canada.

WatchDog was compiled, edited and written by Joseph A. Davis, who directs the WatchDog Project, an activity of SEJ's Freedom of Information Task Force that reports on secrecy trends and supports reporters' efforts to make better use of FOIA.

Topics on the Beat:

Journalism & Media

Public

Latest WatchDog Alert Items

November 28, 2007

FERC Slightly Eases Some Secrecy Requirements

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has slightly relaxed some requirements for secrecy on decisions it makes on "critical energy infrastructure."

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Artist Sues Local Cops Over Right To Photograph Power Lines

Shirley E. Scheier, a University of Washington fine-arts professor, was handcuffed, frisked, and detained for 44 minutes when she took some art photos of powerlines against the sky in Snohomish County, Washington.

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October 31, 2007

SECRECY ON ANIMAL ID SYSTEM CHALLENGED, WRITTEN INTO FARM BILL

The Senate Agriculture Committee has written an exemption from the Freedom of Information Act for records in the National Animal Identification System (NAIS). The language, which is in the draft version of the Farm Bill and would prevent American meat eaters from knowing about any problems with their meat was introduced by farmers and members of the food industry.

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WHITE HOUSE EDITS OF CLIMATE TESTIMONY CAUSE FLAP

White House edits of testimony delivered Oct. 24 to the Senate Environment Committee by Centers for Disease Control director Julie Gerberding have brought consternation from Democrats and environmentalists and a circling of wagons at the White House.

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GROUP WINS ACCESS TO FOREST SERVICE RECORDS ON OFF-ROAD VEHICLE DAMAGE

The AP reports that the conservation group Wildlands CPR has won a 2-year battle to get U.S. Forest Service records on damage caused by off-road vehicles and unmaintained roads in the West.

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CA PESTICIDE SPRAYING PITS TRADE SECRETS AGAINST RIGHT TO KNOW

California is trying to eradicate the brown apple moth along the state's central coast by aerial spraying of a pheromone-based pesticide intended to interfere with the insect's natural reproductive cycle. Some residents want to know what's being sprayed on them.

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Interior Dept. FOIA Logs Published Online

The group Governmentattic.org has published on its Website the FOIA request logs for the Interior Department's Office of Surface Mining, U.S. Geological Survey, Bureau of Land Management, and Minerals Management Service through Oct. 2007.

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SEJ, J-Groups Urge Interior To Loosen Limits on Filming

SEJ and 18 other journalism groups urged the Department of the Interior Oct. 19, 2007, to revise a proposed rule that would keep freelancers and documentarians from covering news in National Parks, Wildlife Refuges, and other DOI lands.

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October 17, 2007

VETERANS' HOSPITALS WON'T SHARE CANCER DATA

Cancer registries, which are part of the public health system help physicians collect statistics on cancer incidence and help pinpoint "cancer clusters" that may be caused by environmental factors. the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) runs a surveillance system, which has a registry of cancer cases in almost every state. But the hospitals in the federal Veterans Affairs (VA) system are now saying they will not share cancer data with state registries unless the states sign restrictive agreements.

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SCIENTIST FINALLY GIVES ATRAZINE TESTIMONY HE WAS FIRED OVER

Paul Wotzka, a hydrologist with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, who was fired shortly after he asked permission to testify before the Minnesota legislature on Atrazine pollution of water finally had his say.

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The SEJ WatchDog Alert

Latest WatchDog Alert Items

November 28, 2007

FERC Slightly Eases Some Secrecy Requirements

Artist Sues Local Cops Over Right To Photograph Power Lines

October 31, 2007

SECRECY ON ANIMAL ID SYSTEM CHALLENGED, WRITTEN INTO FARM BILL

WHITE HOUSE EDITS OF CLIMATE TESTIMONY CAUSE FLAP

GROUP WINS ACCESS TO FOREST SERVICE RECORDS ON OFF-ROAD VEHICLE DAMAGE

CA PESTICIDE SPRAYING PITS TRADE SECRETS AGAINST RIGHT TO KNOW

Interior Dept. FOIA Logs Published Online

SEJ, J-Groups Urge Interior To Loosen Limits on Filming

October 17, 2007

VETERANS' HOSPITALS WON'T SHARE CANCER DATA

SCIENTIST FINALLY GIVES ATRAZINE TESTIMONY HE WAS FIRED OVER

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