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.

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Latest WatchDog Alert Items

November 11, 2015

Chemical Plant Data Can Reveal Local Stories

A disturbing story of poor chemical company compliance with environmental and safety rules was released October 22, 2015, by a watchdog group. It could have — and perhaps should have — been done by a news publication. And it shows the use journalists could make of several key databases.

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Federal Advisory Committee Meetings All Too Often Closed to Public

An important, but little-known, transparency law requires that FAC meetings be open to the public. But a new study shows that more than two-thirds of the time, they are not. On those committees, industry "experts" who have a financial stake may be telling agencies to ignore scientific findings in their regulation of things like environmental health and toxic chemicals.

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How Transparent Is Your State? Check the Ratings

The Center for Public Integrity systematically rated the 50 state governments on various measures of integrity. One of those was transparency. Only three states scored higher than D+.

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October 28, 2015

Email Disclosure Conflicts Continue on Environmental Issues

Investigations into emails are a hotter topic than ever. A new face-off between Congressional climate science deniers and the federal scientists who compile climate data is making headlines.

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Abandoned Mine Data Now a Bit More Available to Public

The nonprofit SkyTruth, an innovator in applying map technology to environmental problems, offers an interactive version of an obscure federal database on abandoned coal mines. Also available, data from the Bureau of Land Management.

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WyoFile Publishes Photos in Defiance of State's Censorship Law

Wyoming's legislature calls it "data trespass." Really? The state in March 2015 made it illegal to collect and report information about stream pollution or other environmental harm — when it involves entering private land. One independent publication invited its readers to collect and post such potentially illegal photos.

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White House Unveils Third Open Government "Action Plan"

"Action" may be too strong a word. For that matter, "open" may be too strong a word. The Obama administration Tuesday unveiled its third "National Action Plan" at the international Open Government Partnership in Mexico. But note that many items are held over from the second plan because they have not yet been accomplished.

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EPA Intends To Add Natural Gas Processing Plants to Toxics Inventory

Administrator Gina McCarthy revealed October 22, 2015, that the U.S. EPA intends to add some natural gas processing facilities to the Toxics Release Inventory, a searchable online database of many of the largest discharges of toxic substances to air, water, and land — and a key tool for environmental journalists.

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October 14, 2015

Are There Limits to FOIA Access to Research E-Mails?

A war has broken out over academic emails — a war seemingly between academic freedom and the public's right to know. The smoking emails have prompted scandals galore, and produced stories. The issue got an airing in a plenary session October 9, 2015, at SEJ's Annual Conference. The WatchDog has details.

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September 23, 2015

Was EPA Forthcoming with Mine Spill Water Data? Depends Whom You Ask

Access to water quality data was an issue at one highly politicized House hearing on the August 5, 2015, toxic spill from a long-abandoned mine near Silverton, Colorado, where New Mexico Secretary of Environment Ryan Flynn accused EPA of refusing for weeks to share data on the quality of waters fouled by the spill.

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The SEJ WatchDog Alert

Latest WatchDog Alert Items

November 11, 2015

Chemical Plant Data Can Reveal Local Stories

Federal Advisory Committee Meetings All Too Often Closed to Public

How Transparent Is Your State? Check the Ratings

October 28, 2015

Email Disclosure Conflicts Continue on Environmental Issues

Abandoned Mine Data Now a Bit More Available to Public

WyoFile Publishes Photos in Defiance of State's Censorship Law

White House Unveils Third Open Government "Action Plan"

EPA Intends To Add Natural Gas Processing Plants to Toxics Inventory

October 14, 2015

Are There Limits to FOIA Access to Research E-Mails?

September 23, 2015

Was EPA Forthcoming with Mine Spill Water Data? Depends Whom You Ask

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