Fresh Secret Reports from the Congressional Research Service

Here are some recent explainers of interest to environmental journalists from the Congressional Research Service (CRS). Congress does not allow the CRS to release them to the taxpaying public who paid for them. The WatchDog thanks the office of the anonymous members of Congress who leaked them to the Federation of American Scientists' Project on Government Secrecy — which civic-mindedly published them.

• "Stealing Trade Secrets and Economic Espionage: An Overview of 18 U.S.C. 1831 and 1832," Congressional Research Service (R42681), July 25, 2014, by Charles Doyle.
• "State CO2 Emission Rate Goals in EPA's Proposed Rule for Existing Power Plants," Congressional Research Service (R43652), July 21, 2014, by Jonathan L. Ramseur.
• "Shipping U.S. Crude Oil by Water: Vessel Flag Requirements and Safety Issues," Congressional Research Service (R43653), July 21, 2014, by John Frittelli.
• "Mountaintop Mining: Background on Current Controversies," Congressional Research Service (RS21421), July 16, 2014, by Claudia Copeland.
• "What Is the Farm Bill?" Congressional Research Service (RS22131), July 23, 2014, by Renée Johnson and Jim Monke.
• "The National Science Foundation: Background and Selected Policy Issues," Congressional Research Service (R43585), June 5, 2014, by Heather B. Gonzalez.
• "Legislation To Approve the U.S.-Mexico Transboundary Hydrocarbons Agreement," Congressional Research Service (R43610), June 19, 2014, by Curry L. Hagerty.
• "The Project BioShield Act: Issues for the 113th Congress," Congressional Research Service (R43607), June 18, 2014, by Frank Gottron.