OpenTheGovernment.org publishes an annual report on quantifying government secrecy with specific numeric indicators. This year it began with a bombshell statement — saying it could not really guarantee all of its numbers because nobody could any longer trust what the US government tells its citizens in this area.
A U.S. district judge on October 2, 2013, brushed aside claims by EPA and the Luminant Corp. that information related to pollution from the company's coal-burning power plants was "confidential business information" — which seems to be a growing excuse for withholding public-interest information.
When the Oregon government refused to tell her about oil trains, Eugene Weekly environment reporter Camilla Mortensen (pictured) learned about them from a train-hopping local cinematographer. Now you can roam the freight yards with your camera and know what you are looking at. And/or download the UN Number app.
If you have a FOIA request pending, it is likely to be on hold. Moreover, the people who could verify this are not answering the phone. Want to file a new FOIA request? Good luck. The federal government is shut down, and as of now there is no sign that it will go back to work.
"RICHMOND, Va. — Opponents of opening the George Washington National Forest to fracking for natural gas released a report Tuesday that they say proves the drilling practice would be harmful to the largest federal forest on the East Coast."
"SAMMAMISH, Wash. -- A photograph displayed in Jacki and John Williford’s home commemorates a camping trip that would go down in family history."
"A proposed copper-nickel mine in northeast Minnesota would generate water pollution for up to 500 years and require billions of dollars in long-term cleanup costs, state regulators have concluded as they near a key stage in the project’s review."
"Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a law that may lead to a change in state building standards that would discourage the use of potentially hazardous flame-retardant chemicals."
"Two activists and photographer to remain in jail after they, and 27 others, were arrested on ship approaching Arctic oil rig"
"BOSTON -- A Massachusetts power plant recently cited by federal regulators as one of the state's heaviest polluters is planning to shut down."
