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When Public Comments Aren’t Public: Land Agency Holding Records

by Bloomberg Law | June 24, 2020
“Usually when public comments are filed with a federal agency, they are made, well, public. Not so for the Bureau of Land Management, which is demanding that in some cases, such comments only be obtained through the cumbersome Freedom of Information Act. “Ultimately, it’s the ...

Plan to torpedo nonbinding guidance docs flies under radar

by E&E News | June 23, 2020
“EPA has rolled out a proposal that would require public comments on new regulatory guidance documents and allow petitions for killing old ones. “EPA is trying to use a 19th-century statute giving department heads the right to manage personnel and internal record keeping to ...

Bernhardt defends tweet urging House to take up lands bill

by E&E News | June 19, 2020
“The Interior Department yesterday dismissed criticism that Secretary David Bernhardt may have misused taxpayer funds to tout a massive public lands bill, calling the accusation “frivolous.” The national nonprofit Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) ...

Invisible to most Americans, Park Police now in the spotlight

by Roll Call | June 19, 2020
“More than two weeks after the U.S. Park Police and other federal law officers forcefully cleared Lafayette Square of protestors, allowing President Donald Trump to pose for pictures with a Bible in hand, the department is under scrutiny from Congress and the public over its tactics ...

Wyden Sponsors Legislation Ensuring Whistleblower Protections

by News Radio KQEN 1240 | June 19, 2020
“On Thursday, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden announced that he is co-sponsoring legislation that would ensure whistleblower protections for people who expose the misuse of government funds, intended to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. His release said the bill is endorsed by the American Civil ...

State environmental officials fail to report critical water data, according to state audit

by Boston Globe | June 16, 2020
“The state Department of Environmental Protection has failed to send federal regulators reports about the safety of watersheds in Massachusetts, according to the state auditor. “DEP’s excuses don’t pass the straight-face test,” said Kyla Bennett, director of Public Employees ...

COVID Whistleblower Protection Act Would Provide Robust Protection for Disclosures About Pandemic-Related Appropriations

by National Law Review | June 16, 2020
“The multi-trillion-dollar federal spending to address COVID-19, including the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) and the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 (PPP) create a multitude of opportunities for fraud.  And indeed the SEC and DOJ ...

Wyden co-sponsors bills to protect COVID-19 funding abuse whistleblowers

by KTVZ | June 16, 2020
“Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., announced Tuesday he is co-sponsoring legislation that would ensure whistleblower protections for people who expose misuse of government funds intended to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill is endorsed by American Civil Liberties Union, ACORN 8, ...

Spanberger, Roy introduce bill to prevent insider trading, strengthen transparency, accountability in Congress

by Augusta Free Press | June 15, 2020
“Reps. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) and Chip Roy (R-Texas) today introduced legislation to further prevent insider trading by members of Congress and increase government accountability. The bipartisan TRUST in Congress Act has been endorsed by many key advocacy and government ...

U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris, Representatives Jackie Speier and Jamie Raskin Introduce Legislation Ensuring Protection for Those Who Expose Waste, Fraud, Abuse in Federal COVID-19 Relief Effort

by Sierra Sun Times | June 15, 2020
“U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) and Representatives Jackie Speier (D-CA) and Jamie Raskin (D-MD) on Monday introduced the COVID-19 Whistleblower Protection Act, legislation that will ensure whistleblower protections for people who expose misuse of government funds that are ...

Swalwell Introduces Bill To Strengthen Whistleblower Protection

by Patch | June 13, 2020
“Press release from Congressman Eric Swalwell: Rep. Eric Swalwell (CA-15) today introduced legislation to better protect whistleblowers from having their anonymity and safety compromised. Swalwell began drafting the Enhancing Protections for Whistleblower Anonymity Act last year ...

Tester slams Interior: Pendley’s ‘got to go’

by E&E News | June 11, 2020
“Montana Sen. Jon Tester (D) today reiterated his demand for the removal of acting Bureau of Land Management Director William Perry Pendley, asserting the Trump administration’s continued reliance on unconfirmed officials “undermines accountability in government.” ...

Tree trimming in recommended wilderness raises questions

by Gillette News Record | June 10, 2020
“Jeff Ruch was paging through the results of a Freedom of Information Act request about a categorical upgrade to Yellowstone’s WiFi infrastructure earlier this year when he came across an exchange that suggested 100 trees had been felled within a recommended wilderness area. The ...

Interior move keeping controversial acting leaders in office faces legal scrutiny

by The Hill | June 9, 2020
“A new Interior Department move to leave controversial temporary leaders in place indefinitely may violate laws on filling vacancies, legal experts say, and skirts requirements for Senate confirmation. Watchdog group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility sued in April, ...

Volunteers reopening some federal offices closed in pandemic

by Berkshire Eagle | June 9, 2020
“New regional surges in coronavirus cases forced the Environmental Protection Agency to put on hold some of the earliest planned returns of federal employees to their offices, while the first volunteers at a few other federal agencies are quietly going back to their desks. A ...

Coronavirus Roundup: Advocacy Group Outlines Potential Issues with EPA’s Reopening; Democrats Demand Investigation of ‘Project Airbridge’

by Government Executive | June 9, 2020
“The advocacy group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility claimed on Tuesday the Environmental Protection Agency is failing the CDC’s criteria for reopening. “In recent days, EPA has announced it will open regional offices located in Atlanta, Kansas City and Seattle. ...

Deadline is Monday for feedback on e-bike access on non-motorized trails

“Public comment periods begin ending Monday, June 8, for the U.S. Department of Interior’s policy proposal to regulate e-bikes as traditional bikes on non-motorized lands. The policy proposal in August allowed e-bikes access to non-motorized trails 30 days afterward and led to ...

Land management acting director remains, lawsuit filed

by KOB4 | June 8, 2020
“The acting director of the Bureau of Land Management will remain in his position after the U.S. Department of the Interior extended his tenure despite a lawsuit disputing the appointment. Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility and the Western Watersheds Project filed a ...

Massachusetts Struggles for Safe, Effective Mosquito Management; Governor’s Arbovirus Proposal Much Improved but Big Questions Remain

by Beyond Pesticides | June 5, 2020
“Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Massachusetts is wrestling with solutions for mosquito-borne illnesses such as Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile Virus (WNV). A coalition consisting of national, state and local nonprofits, with the assistance of 75 legislators, won major ...

Pendley stays on as BLM head

by The Daily Sentinel | June 5, 2020
“William Perry Pendley will remain in charge of the Bureau of Land Management after the Interior Department took a different approach to extending Pendley’s time at the helm of the agency, possibly due to a pending lawsuit. “The leadership of the BLM will not change,” Interior ...
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