Secret CRS Reports on Environment Published

Taxpayers' money funds the Congressional Research Service as it produces objective and authoritative reports on issues facing Congress — many on subjects of interest to environmental journalists. Congress, however, does not share these reports with the public who paid for them. Thanks to the Project on Government Secrecy, an arm of the Federation of American Scientists, another batch of the reports has been leaked and published. Here are some related to the environmental beat:

• "Increasing the Efficiency of Existing Coal-Fired Power Plants," Congressional Research Service (R43343), December 20, 2013, Richard J. Campbell.
• "Environmental Laws: Summaries of Major Statutes Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency," Congressional Research Service (RL30798), December 20, 2013 , by Claudia Copeland, Linda Luther, James E. McCarthy, Mary Tiemann, Robert Esworthy, and Jerry H. Yen.
• "Nanotechnology: A Policy Primer," Congressional Research Service (RL34511), December 16, 2013, by John F. Sargent Jr.
• "The National Nanotechnology Initiative: Overview, Reauthorization, and Appropriations Issues ," Congressional Research Service (RL34401), December 17, 2013, by John F. Sargent Jr.
• "Rare Earth Elements: The Global Supply Chain," Congressional Research Service (R41347), by Marc Humphries.
• "Federal Research and Development Funding: FY2013," Congressional Research Service (R42410), December 5, 2013, by John F. Sargent Jr.