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Even as major companies recalled their shipments of hamburgers made with possibly tainted meat, beef and pork lobbyists worked hard to keep U.S meat eaters from finding out what was going on. They lobbied to amend the Farm Bill to include secrecy language that would make make it illegal for anyone to publicly disclose such information. SEJ and other journalism organization are urging senators to remove that language from the bill.

"Environment Canada has 'muzzled' its scientists around the country, ordering them to refer all media queries to Ottawa.

David Schwartz, the embattled director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), resigned the post Feb. 8, 2008

Reporters looking for help in penetrating the labyrinth of federal information have a new ally: librarians.

Two House Science subcommittees are investigating allegations that the Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (ATSDR) suppressed information on harmful levels of formaldehyde in FEMA trailers given out after Hurricane Katrina.

The latest fad on SEJ's members-only listserve is "FOIA Friday."

The idea was to set up an independent ombudsman's office to mediate time-consuming disputes over what documents the feds would release in response to Freedom of Information Act requests.

Two conservation groups are suing the Interior Department to get hidden documents they say could show the sale would harm polar bears and other marine mammals.