Forwarded to you by Jane Clark

October 2004

Big Buddy Government
By George Sorvalis and Paul Orum
Working Group on Community Right-to-Know

Brenda Afzal, a registered nurse in Baltimore, tried to find out about
dangerous chemicals stored in her area, but the Department of Justice denied
her reliable access to this public information.  Joseph McCormick of Floyd,
Va. tried to educate neighbors about plans to run a gas pipeline through his
community, but the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission denied him
information on the proposed pipeline route.  And Glenda Bowling of Aberdeen,
Md. sought maps on water contamination in her neighborhood's drinking water
wells, but the Department of Defense withheld the maps.

These stories illustrate government withholding public health and
environmental information from citizens.  Lacking information, people don't
find out about pollution problems or hazards, and must rely on government to
fix problems, with no recourse if the problems are not addressed.

In Aldous Huxley's science fiction classic Brave New World, the government
is Big Brother, watching citizens' every move.  On environmental health and
safety, our government is more like 'Big Buddy' than Big Brother. By
withholding information from the public, those who control the government
imply that we should trust them like we trust our best buddy.  But do you
trust government to protect your health without public accountability and
oversight?

Shortly after September 11th, government agencies removed more than six
thousand public documents from their websites, according to the Center for
American Progress.  None of the information removed was classified. Agencies
removed data that helped communities plan for and protect against chemical
hazards, pipeline dangers, and nuclear power plant accidents.

Environmental information stored in government filing cabinets, such as
emergency evacuation plans, is also harder to access.  The Freedom of
Information Act provides public access to government-held information unless
certain exemptions apply (such as privacy, trade secrets, or national
security).  However, in October 2001, US Attorney General John Ashcroft
specifically discouraged agencies from releasing information to citizens
under the Act as long as there are technical grounds for withholding it.

New rules, directives and legislation now authorize government officials to
'protect' information that was never classified.  Bureaucrats can simply
label information as 'sensitive security information,' 'critical
infrastructure information,' or 'sensitive but unclassified,' taking it out
of the public domain.

The Department of Homeland Security is seeking new authority to clear-cut
forests or drain wetlands without public review and comment as required
under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.  Under the proposal,
"appropriate security and environmental officials will ensure that the
consideration of environmental effects will be consistent with the letter
and intent of [the Act]."  In other words, the public would have to trust
the government's word that the projects are environmentally sound.

However, government secrecy is not going unnoticed.  The US Congress
Government Reform Committee released a report in September 2004 titled
"Secrecy in the Bush Administration."  The report concludes that, "The
administration's actions represent an unparalleled assault on the principle
of open government and accountability."

US Representative Henry Waxman (Ca.) has introduced the "Restore Open
Government Act" to reverse the rising tide of government secrecy. Senators
Carl Levin (Mich.) and Patrick Leahy (Vt.) have introduced the "Restoration
of Freedom of Information Act" to repeal new secrecy provisions.  In
addition, citizen coalitions like OpenTheGovernment.org have formed to
advocate for less secrecy and more democracy.

People in communities working to make their neighborhoods safer feel the
brunt of this secrecy.  To them the retort, "Don't worry, trust Big Buddy,"
is unsatisfactory.

# # #

George Sorvalis and Paul Orum are Outreach Coordinator and Director of the
Working Group on Community Right-to-Know in Washington, DC (www.crtk.org).

© 2004 Working Group on Community Right to Know. All rights reserved.
218 D Street S.E., Washington DC 20003,  (202) 544-2714
Please feel free to copy and disseminate this newsletter with proper credit
http://www.crtk.org

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship
e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's
latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent
editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/