http://e-info.org.tw/node/203886?utm_source=%E7%92%B0%E5%A2%83%E8%B3%87%E8%A8%8A%E9%9B%BB%E5%AD%90%E5%A0%B1&utm_campaign=b868fbde97-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f99f939cdc-b868fbde97-84956681
怕川普刪環境資料庫 科學家召喚「大法師」條款
摘譯自2017年3月27日ENS美國，華盛頓特區報導；姜唯編譯；蔡麗伶審校
為了保護數百個政府網站上的環境資料集不被川普移除，於是美國科學家根據資訊自由法（Freedom of Information Act），聯合要求聯邦機構提供這些資料集。
媒體曾披露，川普執政後，部分環境議題相關聯邦資料集消失，尚未消失的也岌岌可危，科學家也想盡辦法保留這些資料。
資訊自由法規定，當聯邦機構收到三次以上對同一筆資料的請求案，就必須讓這些資料公開在網站上。這個規則又叫做「大法師條款」，以1988年美國電影「陰間大法師」為名。[註]
共有兩個非營利組織、一位科學家——美國生物多樣性中心（Center for Biological Diversity）、媒體與民主中心（Center for Media and Democracy）、保育生物學家皮姆（Stuart Pimm）——提出三件相同的請求案給工兵團、環境品質委員會、環保署、航太總署、農業部、商業部、能源部和內政部。
他們在請求案中要求提供能源使用、再生能源、石油與天然氣預測、煤藏、氣候資料、海平面上升、人口、環境正義和物種存續狀況等資料集。
「川普和他的夥伴們想移除或隱藏這數百個氣候、野生物、海洋健康資料集，不讓美國人看見真相。還好有資訊自由法，讓這些資料能繼續攤在陽光下。」生物多樣性中心資深律師艾特伍德（Amy Atwood）說。
在杜克大學任教的皮姆說：「美國政府所產出和維護的資料集，是非常重要的科學研究素材。我和來自全國的志願科學家們所做的，就是保護這些資料，繼續開放給學術研究機構和未來的世代使用。」
媒體與民主中心成員瑟吉（Nick Surgey）說：「在這樣黑暗的時代，還好有資訊自由法，川普和其他對特定聯邦機構存有敵意的人才無法把這些重要的資訊隱藏起來。」
‘Beetlejuice Provision’ Invoked to Save Data From Trump
To prevent hundreds of environmental data sets on government websites from being removed by the Trump administration, two nonprofit organizations and a conservation biologist have sent Freedom of Information Act requests for the data sets to eight federal agencies.
The Center for Biological Diversity, together with conservation biologist Dr. Stuart Pimm and the Center for Media and Democracy, are asking for records on wildlife, the oil industry, climate change and sea level rise, among other subjects.
To preserve or resurrect what already has been removed by the Trump administration, the centers and Dr. Pimm submitted three separate Freedom of Information Act requests for data sets to eight federal agencies: the Army Corps of Engineers, the Council on Environmental Quality, the Environmental Protection Agency, NASA and the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Energy and Interior.
Under the Freedom of Information Act, when federal agencies receive requests for the same records three or more times, they must make the records freely available to the public on their websites, a rule known as “the Beetlejuice provision,” after the 1988 American comedy-horror fantasy film “Beetlejuice,” in which a ghoul helps a dead couple evict obnoxious homeowners.
“By removing or hiding hundreds of data sets containing critical information about the climate, wildlife and the health of our oceans, Trump and his cronies are blatantly trying to conceal the truth from the American people,” said Amy Atwood, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity.
“Thankfully our scientists have the Freedom of Information Act to keep this vital information in the light of day,” she said.
The legal requests seek hundreds of data sets on energy usage, renewables, oil and gas projections, coal reserves, climate data, sea-level rise, human population, environmental justice and the status of scores of endangered and threatened species and other wildlife.
Media have reported on the loss and vulnerability of federal data relating to some of today’s most pressing environmental issues, pointing out the disappearance of data sets from agency websites under the Trump administration and documenting scientists’ efforts to save them.
“The U.S. government produces and maintains some of the most important information that scientists use in their research,” said Dr. Pimm, a Duke University professor and research scientist – and a founder of conservation biology – and the second requester of data.
“Along with the Herculean efforts of volunteer scientists around the country, I’m doing what I can to protect this information because it’s critical these data remain available to academic institutions for scientists and future generations,” he said.
“In dark times such as these, thank goodness for the Freedom of Information Act,” said Nick Surgey with the Center for Media and Democracy, the third data requester.
“Because we have the law on our side,” said Surgey, “Trump and the people hostile to agency missions he is installing in the federal government will not be allowed to keep this important information from public view.”
作者
蔡麗伶（LiLing Barricman）
In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
相關文章
沒有留言:
張貼留言