Cheers and Jeers (Access Policies & Tools)

PROTECTING ACCESS TO ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION

Things to applaud...and things to condemn.

New Website Improves Rulemaking Transparency

The EPA launched a new "Rulemaking Gateway" to improve the public's ability to search, understand, and comment on the rules being considered by the agency. This new website complements the government-wide www.regulations.gov, which recently was redesigned.

(19 Feb 2010)

EPA Disloses More Toxic Coal Ash Dump Sites

It took a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to get it, but EPA released a more complete list of locations and other data on toxic coal ash dump sites nationwide.

(01 Sep 2009)

USDA to Track Pesticides Again

The USDA will restart some of its agricultural chemical usage surveys after the Bush administration cut their funding. A good step, but the public needs much more information about how much of these chemicals are used by farms (and others). Learn more here.

(20 May 2009)

It's Official - TRI Reporting is Restored

With the publication in the Federal Register of the newly restored rules for reporting pollution, the battle to undo the Bush-era rollback is officially over.

(27 Apr 2009)