"EPA: Proliferation of Top-Job Vacancies And No End in Sight"
"U.S. EPA is on the verge of having more vacancies than Senate-confirmed officials in its top jobs."
Source: Greenwire, 07/31/2014
Government
Support Mounts for FOIA Upgrade Bill in Senate
Pressure to bring a bipartisan power-boost bill for the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to the Senate floor mounted June 26, 2014, when a coalition of some 50 groups urged action. The bill would narrow a broad exemption that has in some cases shielded from disclosure almost anything not published in official and final form.
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EPA Press Office Obfuscation Keeps Complaints Boiling
If you want to interview an EPA official about a drinking water pollution catastrophe or a controversy about air pollution from fracking, the press office may do its best to stop you. Examples abound. But, there are ways for journalists to push back. Read about them here.
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"Without Much Straining, Minnesota Reins In Its Utilities’ Carbon Emissions"
"MINNEAPOLIS — When city leaders and state legislators agreed last year to fund roughly half the $1 billion cost of a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings, they attached the usual strings for such projects: It had to be architecturally iconic, employ steel made from Minnesota iron ore and offer at least a few cheap seats."
Source: NY Times, 07/18/2014
SEJ, 37 Journalism Groups Urge Obama to Stop PIO Spin at Fed Agencies
SEJ is hardly alone in complaints about EPA's press office gagging agency employees who might talk to reporters. In a July 8, 2014 letter, 38 journalism groups called on President Obama to stop the political spin of information at many federal agencies. Reminding Obama of his still-unkept promise to run the most transparent administration in history, the groups complained about widespread "politically driven suppression of news and information."
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"EPA Union Protests Treatment Of Staff In Light Of Recent Controversies"
The head of the largest union representing Environmental Protection Agency employees says agency leaders are showing a 'failure to manage.' The top of the agency, the union leader said, has a "'country club' mentality" when it comes to dealing with top managers."
Source: Huffington Post, 07/16/2014
"County Payments Eat Hole in Interior-EPA Bill, Possibly Sapping Key Programs"
"A proposal by House appropriators to carve out $442 million of the Interior Department and U.S. EPA budgets to pay for rural county services has raised concerns among lawmakers of both parties that it could sap money from other important agency functions, including land conservation, wildfire prevention and clean water."
Source: E&E Daily, 07/16/2014
SEJ Objects to Sportsmen's Act Section Affecting Public Lands Reporting
SEJ and five other journalism groups sent a letter July 8, 2014 objecting to a bill up for debate on the US Senate floor this week that could restrict the ability of journalists to report on stories in National Parks, National Forests and other public lands. Photo: Fern Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. Courtesy U.S. NPS.
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"DOE: Outside Groups Spent Lavishly on Top Officials' Global Travel"
"Top Energy Department officials have been taking some pricey trips lately, thanks to outside groups helping to fund their travel to destinations like Bermuda, Taipei, Tokyo, Brussels and New Delhi."
Source: Greenwire, 07/08/2014
Workplace Secrecy Agreements Seem To Violate Federal Whistleblower Laws
"In November 2012, the U.S. Department of Energy asked contract employees at the Hanford plutonium processing plant in Washington state to take an unusual oath."
Source: Wash Post, 07/01/2014
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