first officer on the scene hey, whats all this leaking liquid? hey, why does my skin fel like burning?

[Guest guest]

Since 9/11, the Bush administration has upped secrecy at a growing

number of agencies, all in the name of fighting terrorism. Much of

the information newly deemed sensitive has direct implications for

the environment and public health. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission

will no longer make safety scorecards for nuclear facilities public.

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge has said he is considering

removing hazardous-waste signs from trucks and trains, lest they tip

off shadowy evildoers. A highway bill now in congressional committee

would allow the government to withhold information " detrimental to

the security of transportation, transportation facilities or

infrastructure, or transportation employees, " language so vague that

Environmental Defense says it could be used to conceal

hazardous-waste spills or the routes by which nuclear waste is

transported. Though the recent 9/11 Commission report said too much

information was classified already, the federal Information and

Security Oversight Office says the number of classified government

documents is only increasing.

 

straight to the source: Times Record News, Lance Gay, 25 Aug 2004

<http://www.gristmagazine.com/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=2904>

 

straight to the source: San Francisco Chronicle, Edward Epstein, 27 Aug 2004

<http://www.gristmagazine.com/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=2905>