Martyn
*************************************
Martyn Stewart
http://www.naturesound.org
Redmond. WA
425-898-0462
Make every garden a wildlife habitat
**************************************
Listen to the Birds and the Bees at
http://naturesound.libsyn.org/
On Oct 17, 2007, at 9:48 PM, John Hartog wrote:
> Wow! Why do these issues always come to light the last day before it
> is too late to comment? Guess I better gather my thoughts and send in
> a comment.
>
> It is hard to trust the premise behind these pending regulations
> limiting filming, photography, or audio recording on public lands,
> while at the same time our country is subjected by an administrative
> mindset to ignore the scientific community =96 and that is working hard
> to cripple our Endangered Species Act, and that would love to see
> habitat protections thrown out completely so a few rich men can
> exploit our lands and line their own pockets as well as the pockets of
> a few powerful others.
>
> I fear this may be an attempt to keep the eyes and ears of the public
> blind to the current states of our public lands. To a large extent
> our public relies on recorded sounds and images in whatever format
> (entertainment, documentary, news) to form their own opinions
> regarding the condition of our world beyond ones own physically
> practical reach.
>
> Sounds like this might make things more difficult for anyone carrying
> a recorder or a camera onto public lands.
>
> John Hartog
> Portland Oregon USA
>
> --- In Bernie Krause <>
> wrote:
> >
> > > Check this out, folks.
> >
> > Bernie
> >
> >
> > > From: SEJNews <>
> > > Date: October 17, 2007 3:08:58 PM PDT
> > > To:
> > > Cc:
> > > Subject: SEJ-TIPSHEET: WATCHDOG EDITION of 17 OCTOBER 2007
> > > Reply-To:
> > >
> > > TIPSHEET WATCHDOG EDITION
> > > 17 OCTOBER 2007
> > >
> > > This biweekly WatchDog edition of TipSheet focuses on First
> Amendment
> > > issues of concern to environmental journalists. You can find a
> fuller
> > > version of most articles, frequent updates, and other tools and
> > > information on the Web site of the Society of Environmental
> > > Journalists.
> > >
> > > TipSheet WatchDog Edition is produced by the SEJ as an ongoing
> > > activity
> > > of its First Amendment Task Force <http://www.sej.org/foia/
> > > index6.htm>,
> > > and distributed through the TipSheet partnership between SEJ
> and the
> > > Radio & Television News Directors Foundation. The contents of
> TipSheet
> > > WatchDog are posted to the FOI area of the SEJ Web site at
> > > <http://www.sej.org/foia/index7.htm>.
> > >
> > > ***************************************************************
> > > IN THIS ISSUE...
> > > ***************************************************************
> > >
> > > -- Interior Proposes Photo Fee Rule
> > > -- House Passes Shield Law 398-21; White House Threatens Veto
> > > -- Veterans' Hospitals Won't Share Cancer Data
> > > -- Toledo Blade Covers Nuclear Cover-Up Trial
> > > -- Judge Denies Media Access to MSHA Probe of Crandall Canyon
> > > -- Minnesota Scientist Finally Gives Atrazine Testimony
> > >
> > > ***************************************************************
> > > FULL VERSIONS of all the WatchDog stories are posted at
> > > <http://www.sej.org/foia/index7.htm.
> > >
> > > ***************************************************************
> > > INTERIOR PROPOSES FEE/PERMIT RULE FOR FILMING IN PARKS, REFUGES
> > >
> > > The Interior Department has proposed codifying its rules on
> > > photography, filming, and sound-recording on public lands it
> > > administers -- rules which some newsgatherers complain badly
> cramps
> > > their ability to do their jobs.
> > >
> > > The deadline for public comments on the proposed rule is
> Friday, Oct.
> > > 19, 2007. The Society of Environmental Journalists and other
> groups
> > > expect to file comments urging Interior to ease restrictions on
> > > newsgathering.
> > >
> > > The Interior proposal is not a drastic shift in policy -- but
> it would
> > > make filming policy more consistent across some of Interior's
> major
> > > component agencies: the National Park Service, the Fish & Wildlife
> > > Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. It is not clear
> that it
> > > would regularize policy across various Park System units, which
> now
> > > vary widely in how they apply the policy.
> > >
> > > The proposal would decide several key issues in ways that restrict
> > > journalists:
> > >
> > > -- Is documentary a form of news? The proposal allows agencies
> to say
> > > "no."
> > > -- Are freelancers representatives of the news media? Agencies
> can say
> > > "no."
> > > -- Are independent producers and production companies news media?
> > > Again: "no."
> > > -- Can public radio reporters interview park staff or record wolf
> > > calls? The rule allows parks to require a permit, even though
> the law
> > > gives it no authority to do so.
> > > -- Do still photographers with handheld cameras need permits?
> The rule
> > > allows a park service employee to deny permission to photograph if
> > > he/she feels the photography is "inappropriate."
> > >
> > > While Interior's proposal continues the agency's current policy of
> > > exempting "news coverage" from permit requirements, it also
> allows a
> > > very narrow definition of "news." Current policy exempts only
> > > "breaking" or "spot" news (such as a wildfire or presidential
> > > photo-ops) from permit requirements. One park (Yellowstone)
> defines
> > > news as "an event that cannot be covered at any other time or
> > > location." That could exclude coverage of grizzly bear conflicts,
> > > snowmobile policy decisions, bioprospecting, budget and
> maintenance
> > > debates, and traffic jams.
> > >
> > > -- "Proposed Rule: Making Motion Pictures, Television Productions,
> > > Soundtracks or Taking Still Photographs on Certain Areas Under the
> > > Jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior," Department of the
> > > Interior, Federal Register, August 20, 2007, pp. 46426-46432
> > > <http://www.sej.org/go/071017-1.htm>.
> > >
> > > -- You can comment on the proposal from your computer at the
> online
> > > federal rulemaking portal:
> > > <http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main>. The
> docket ID
> > > is DOI-2007-0035 <http://www.sej.org/go/071017-2.htm>.
> > >
> > > **********************************************************
> > > HOUSE PASSES SHIELD LAW 398-21; WHITE HOUSE THREATENS VETO
> > >
> > > The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Oct. 16, 2007, to
> > > create a federal
> > > shield law which would offer limited protection for reporters from
> > > being compelled to
> > > disclose confidential sources.
> > >
> > > Shortly before passage, the White House threatened to veto the
> bill
> > > (HR 2102). It passed by an astonishing 398-21 margin, with
> Republicans
> > > abandoning the White House position in droves after the House
> added an
> > > amendment addressing some national security concerns. If that
> margin
> > > held, it would be more than enough to override a veto. A 2/3
> vote is
> > > needed to override.
> > >
> > > Attention now shifts to the Senate, where a similar bill is
> awaiting
> > > floor action.
> > >
> > > The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the bill (S 2035) by a
> 15-4
> > > vote. The relative weakness of GOP opposition there suggests that
> > > getting it to the floor may be quite feasible. It is easier to
> block
> > > floor consideration of a bill in the Senate than in the House,
> since
> > > 60 votes are needed to cut off debate (cloture) and bring a
> bill to a
> > > vote.
> > >
> > > -- Extensive Background at the Web site of the Coalition of
> > > Journalists for Open Government: <http://www.cjog.net/>.
> > >
> > > *******************************************
> > > VETERANS' HOSPITALS WON'T SHARE CANCER DATA
> > >
> > > Cancer registries have been part of the public health system in
> the
> > > U.S. since before World War II. They serve many purposes: not
> only do
> > > they aid the collection of statistics so that physicians can
> gauge how
> > > the battle against cancer is going, but they can help pinpoint
> "cancer
> > > clusters" that may be caused by environmental factors.
> > >
> > > Virtually every state in the U.S. has a registry of cancer cases,
> > > under a national surveillance system run by the Centers for
> Disease
> > > Control and Prevention (CDC). This system has been dealing --
> for the
> > > most part successfully -- with patient privacy issues for decades.
> > > Cancer registries often share medical data while restricting
> access to
> > > information about patient identity.
> > >
> > > Now the hospitals in the federal Veterans Affairs (VA) system are
> > > saying they will not share cancer data with state registries
> unless
> > > the states sign restrictive agreements. The VA says it is
> protecting
> > > patient privacy. For now, the VA seems to have the upper hand,
> since
> > > states can not force a federal institution to obey state law,
> > > according to an Oct. 10 story in the New York Times.
> > >
> > > ******************************************************
> > > TOLEDO BLADE COVERS DAVIS-BESSE NUCLEAR COVER-UP TRIAL
> > >
> > > A federal jury in Toledo may soon be deciding whether some company
> > > officials engaged in a cover-up of safety problems at the Davis-
> Besse
> > > nuclear power plant.
> > >
> > > Although the story has gotten little national attention, the
> Toledo
> > > Blade's Tom Henry has covered the trial in detail.
> > >
> > > The latest of Henry's stories in the Blade (Oct. 13) is at
> > > <http://www.sej.org/go/071017-3.htm> and you will find links to
> most
> > > previous stories there. You can also find them in the Web
> edition of
> > > the WatchDog at <http://www.sej.org/foia/index7.htm>.
> > >
> > > **********************************************************
> > > JUDGE DENIES MEDIA ACCESS TO MSHA PROBE OF CRANDALL CANYON
> > >
> > > Federal district judge Dee Benson ruled Oct. 9, 2007, that a
> group of
> > > news media companies could not have access to an investigation
> by the
> > > Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) into the Crandall
> Canyon
> > > mine collapse in Utah Aug. 6, which killed six miners and three
> > > workers trying to rescue them.
> > >
> > > While MSHA is investigating factors that led to the accident, MSHA
> > > itself has been criticized for decisions that may have led to the
> > > collapse.
> > >
> > > A group of media companies went to court seeking to attend
> > > investigatory proceeding being held by MSHA. The companies
> included
> > > the Associated Press, CNN and The Salt Lake Tribune.
> > >
> > > ************************************************************
> > > SCIENTIST FINALLY GIVES ATRAZINE TESTIMONY HE WAS FIRED OVER
> > >
> > > A scientist who was fired shortly after he asked permission to
> testify
> > > before the Minnesota legislature on Atrazine pollution of water
> > > finally had his say.
> > >
> > > "Paul Wotzka is a hydrologist who logged 16 years monitoring water
> > > quality for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture before
> moving to
> > > the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency last year," reports
> KARE-11 in
> > > Minneapolis-St. Paul. "On March 20th Wotzka took a call from
> > > Representative Ken Tschumper, a dairy farmer who advocates banning
> > > Atrazine from use in Minnesota."
> > >
> > > Tschumper had read an article that quoted Wotzka saying Atrazine
> > > levels were up in Minnesota trout streams. Wotzka sent a
> request to
> > > his bosses asking permission to testify. They denied the
> request, and
> > > two weeks later fired him. Wotzka has now filed a whistleblower
> > > lawsuit.
> > >
> > > The MPCA did not manage to silence Wotzka, though. State Sen. John
> > > Marty (D) invited him to testify Oct. 10 at a hearing on
> Atrazine and
> > > scientific integrity.
> > >
> > > *******************************************************
> > > FULL VERSIONS of all the WatchDog stories are posted at
> > > <http://www.sej.org/foia/index7.htm.
> > >
> > > *******************************
> > > Next WatchDog: October 31, 2007
> > >
> > > Journalists: Please tell your colleagues about TipSheet and
> TipSheet
> > > WatchDog Edition. For free subscription send name and full contact
> > > information to <>. Have a tip? Comments? Contact Joseph A.
> > > Davis, editor, at 301-656-2261, <>. WatchDog team
> > > includes
> > > Ken Ward, Jr., SEJ 1st Amendment Task Force Chair; Robert
> McClure, SEJ
> > > Board/Task Force Liaison; Vince Patton, Adviser; Beth Parke, SEJ
> > > Executive Director; Cindy MacDonald, Web Associate; and you.
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > SEJ-tipsheet mailing list
> > >
> > > To manage your subscription or unsubscribe: http://lists.sej.org/
> > > mailman/listinfo/sej-tipsheet
> > >
> >
> >
> > Wild Sanctuary
> > POB 536
> > Glen Ellen, CA 95442
> > 707-996-6677
> > http://www.wildsanctuary.com
> >
> > Google Earth zooms: Earth.WildSanctuary.com
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
"While a picture is worth a thousand words, a
sound is worth a thousand pictures." R. Murray Schafer via Bernie Krause
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/naturerecordists/
<*> Your email settings:
Digest Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/naturerecordists/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
------------------------------------------------------------------------
|