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

June 18, 2008

House Probes OMB Suppression of Chemical Risk Assessments

The House Science Committee is investigating charges that a White House political arm with no scientific expertise is suppressing EPA information about the toxic risks of commercial products.

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Journalist Sues AG Department Over Feedlot 'Phone Book' Secrecy

A freelance journalist is challenging in court the US Department of Agriculture's efforts to keep secret its data on who owns the feedlots Americans can see and smell, but whose pollution the food industry does not want USDA to regulate.

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McClellan Misled on Climate Science Censorship: Watchdog

Need another reason not to go through the "press office?" Try reading the transcript from the White House briefing of June 8, 2005.

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Univ. of California Begins Withholding Details on Animal Research

The University of California "has begun withholding public records that detail how animal research is done.

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May 31, 2008

Farm Bill Launches Sweeping New Secrecy Initiative

New language added to the 2007/08 Farm Bill by conferees at the 11th hour could create a sweeping new secrecy mandate that would prohibit the Agriculture Department from disclosing almost any information about individual US farm operations.

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May 21, 2008

White House Issues Policy Keeping Much Unclassified Info Secret

Inspection reports on badly maintained dams - or information on what homes would be swept away if they failed?

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TOOLBOX: Scanning Online For Nuclear, Chemical, Wildlife, and Other Incidents

In the old days, the newsroom at most local dailies had a police scanner squawking like a nervous parrot in the background, to get the jump in case something big happened. To get environmental news today, you need other tools.

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May 7, 2008

SEJ Joins in Suit on Officials' E-mails

The Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ) joined other journalism groups May 6, 2008, in filing a "friend of the court" brief in a Washington state lawsuit seeking access to public officials' e-mails under state law.

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Is USDA Switching Secrecy Strategy for Feedlot Phone Book?

House and Senate conferees have dropped from the 2007 Farm Bill language that would keep secret the names and addresses of feedlot operators. Faced with recent defeats in both Congress and the courts, the USDA and meat industry, both of whom seem determined to keep such information secret, may be shifting their strategy to trying to accomplish the same result by using Privacy Act regulations.

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EPA Scientists Complain of Being Gagged, Political Pressure To Alter Science

Hundreds of EPA scientists are complaining that they are being pressured by political appointees who run EPA to alter their scientific findings to support the administration's deregulatory agenda, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists.

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The SEJ WatchDog Alert

Latest WatchDog Alert Items

June 18, 2008

House Probes OMB Suppression of Chemical Risk Assessments

Journalist Sues AG Department Over Feedlot 'Phone Book' Secrecy

McClellan Misled on Climate Science Censorship: Watchdog

Univ. of California Begins Withholding Details on Animal Research

May 31, 2008

Farm Bill Launches Sweeping New Secrecy Initiative

May 21, 2008

White House Issues Policy Keeping Much Unclassified Info Secret

TOOLBOX: Scanning Online For Nuclear, Chemical, Wildlife, and Other Incidents

May 7, 2008

SEJ Joins in Suit on Officials' E-mails

Is USDA Switching Secrecy Strategy for Feedlot Phone Book?

EPA Scientists Complain of Being Gagged, Political Pressure To Alter Science

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