Recent Secret CRS Reports Liberated

Now you can read reports on key topics on the environmental beat — compiled by the Congressional Research Service and paid for with your tax dollars. Congress does not allow CRS to release them to the public. Thanks to the Government Secrecy Project at the Federation of American Scientists for making them available. When you think about it, leaking government documents can be a public service. Here are some recent ones:

• "The Role of Local Food Systems in U.S. Farm Policy," Congressional Research Service (R42155), March 12, 2013, by Renée Johnson, Randy Alison Aussenberg, and Tadlock Cowan.
• "Budget Issues Shaping a Farm Bill in 2013," Congressional Research Service (R42484), March 11, 2013, by Jim Monke.
• "The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA): Background and Policy Options for the 113th Congress," Congressional Research Service (R41933), March 8, 2013, by Wendy Ginsberg.
• "Environmental Regulation and Agriculture," Congressional Research Service (R41622), February 22, 2013, by Megan Stubbs.
• "Oil Sands and the Keystone XL Pipeline: Background and Selected Environmental Issues," Congressional Research Service (R42611), February 21, 2013, by Jonathan L. Ramseur, Richard K. Lattanzio, Linda Luther, Paul W. Parfomak, and Nicole T. Carter.
• "Public Access to Data from Federally Funded Research: Provisions in OMB Circular A-110," Congressional Research Service (R42983), March 1, 2013, by Eric A. Fischer.
• "U.S. Crude Oil and Natural Gas Production in Federal and Non-Federal Areas," Congressional Research Service (R42432), March 7, 2013, by Marc Humphries.
• "NAFTA at 20: Overview and Trade Effects," Congressional Research Service (R42965), February 21, 2013, by M. Angeles Villarreal and Ian F. Fergusson.

This is one of the stories in the March 13, 2013 issue of SEJ's biweekly WatchDog. Find the rest of the stories and past issues here.