Wednesday, March 17, 2004

Journalism Groups Join Cheney Disclosure Case Three key media groups filed a friend of the court brief before the US Supreme Court March 11, 2004, supporting public access to the proceedings of the Cheney energy  task force. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, the American Society of Newspaper Editors and the Society of Professional Journalists joined Judicial Watch and the Sierra Club in lawsuits arguing that open-government requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act applied to the task force. The Bush administration has refused to disclose records of who participated in the task force, claiming executive privilege. Vice President Dick Cheney headed the task force that came up with the Bush administration's energy policy in 2001. The court hears oral arguments April 27, 2004.  Full Story. 11:34:30 PM

Justice Dept. FOIA Office Reassuring on Critical Infrastructure The Justice Department is trying to reassure people that a new "Critical Infrastructure Information" rule from the Dept. of Homeland Security will not be used to hide legitimate health and safety information. (Previous story). An interpretation of the new DHS rule from DOJ's Office of Information and Privacy carries weight, because DOJ would probably be involved in any litigation to clarify the DHS rule. It took effect Feb. 20, 2004, as an "interim rule," with a further comment period ending May 20, 2004, before DHS issues a final version. The Justice Dept. said the exemption to FOIA granted under the rule would not apply to information submitted by companies under regulatory procedures, if the public would otherwise have access to such information. -- "Critical Infrastructure Information Regulations Issued by DHS," FOIA Post, Feb. 27, 2004, Office of Information & privacy, Department of Justice. 1:00:46 PM

Where Did the Interior Department Go? The Interior Department has vanished from the Internet without a trace. No, it's not an alien abduction or a terrorist incident (in the usual sense). If you try to browse Interior's main Web site at http://www.doi.gov/, you will get a "Cannot Find Server" error. If you try to e-mail an Interior employee, your mail will bounce. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ordered the plug pulled on March 15, 2004 -- the third time he has done so in a long-simmering feud over Interior's handling oil, gas, timber and grazing royalties held in trust for the Indians. Certain DOI units like USGS and NPS are still up. Meanwhile, the phone number of the main locator switchboard at the Interior Dept. is 202-208-3100 and the press office is 202-208-3171. Full story. 11:57:52 AM

Citizens Win Right to Know About Army Water Pollution Citizens near the Army's Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland in January 2004 won the right to know more about perchlorate pollution from decades of weapons testing that has seeped off-base and into their groundwater. The Army provided such information routinely for years, but in the post-9/11 secrecy blitz, told citizens that details about possible pollution sources on the base were classified. Intervention by the Univ. of Maryland's Environmental Law Clinic helped local residents get access to the information. -- "Security overrules public access; Officials cite war on terror," Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 15, 2004, by Rebecca Carr. 10:14:58 AM