"Obama Issues Order on Arctic Climate Change"
"President Obama on Wednesday signed an executive order establishing a new panel that will advise the federal government on preserving the Alaskan Arctic."
Source: The Hill, 01/22/2015
Government
More Secret Reports from Congressional Research Service
Nobody has ever explained why Congress refuses to release the tax-funded explainers produced by the Congressional Research Service. They are a gold standard for journalists needing quick background. Here are some recent CRS reports relevant to environmental journalists, helpfully released by the Federation of American Scientists.
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"Canada's Attempts To Block NAFTA Probe Into Oil Sands 'Disheartening'"
"[Canada's] federal government is trying to stop NAFTA's environmental oversight commission from investigating environmental damage caused by tailings ponds in Alberta's oil sands."
Source: Vancouver Observer, 01/13/2015
"A New Jersey Bid To Privatize Water Without Public Votes"
"If approved by Gov. Christie, bill would give municipalities with aging pipes right to sell systems to private companies"
Source: Aljazeera America, 12/30/2014
"Regulators Want To Change Energy Pricing Rules for Federal Land"
"Federal land managers will release proposed rules next month to change the pricing structure for oil, natural gas and coal leases on public land."
Source: The Hill, 12/23/2014
"Obama Sets Guidelines for Climate Review in Agency Decisions"
"The Obama administration proposed guidelines that require agencies to consider climate change in reviewing of government actions, the latest of a string of environmental directives after Democrats lost control of Congress."
Source: Bloomberg, 12/19/2014
FOIA Reform Is Dead; Long Live FOIA Reform
Legislation to strengthen the Freedom of Information Act, a key journalist's tool, died in the final hours of the do-nothing 113th Congress — but hopes remain that the coming 114th Congress could pass the bipartisan package. The bill's Senate passage was delayed by a "hold" placed on it by retiring Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), whose reasons were not clearly explained but were apparently due to banking interests' fears.
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Riders: "$1 Trillion Spending Deal Aims To Avert Government Shutdown"
"Congressional appropriators [Tuesday] night unveiled a $1 trillion spending bill to fund most government agencies through the end of the year, making slight cuts to U.S. EPA while boosting spending at the Departments of Energy and the Interior."
Source: E&E Daily, 12/11/2014
Congress Could Still Pass FOIA Reform
There is still a chance that Congress could pass legislation strengthening the Freedom of Information Act before it adjourns. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a fix-FOIA bill (S 2520) November 20, 2014, setting up the possibility of full-Senate floor action. The Society of Environmental Journalists has urged Congress and the President to support such legislation.
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"Hanford Whistleblower Probe Stalled Early on -- Memo"
"A Department of Energy investigation into the contentious firing of a Hanford nuclear waste site official met initial resistance from some of the government's biggest contractors."
Source: Greenwire, 11/21/2014
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