Freedom of Information; Let the sun shine
The news dismayed, but its timing proved pregnant with symbolism. On the eve of Sunshine Week, Virginians learned that a study of uranium mining in Pittsylvania County will not be as transparent as it should be. According to a news story by The Times-Dispatch's Rex Springston, the group of state officials involved "will hold no public meetings and will keep many of its papers secret."
This is not good.
Uranium stirs strong emotion. The flat-Earth brigades do not support it under any circumstances, but others will base their decision on scientific evidence. The study's recommendations will be accepted only if the public has confidence in them. Openness is essential to the process. Secrecy encourages rumors and allegations of cover-ups. The uranium question does not need this.
Sunshine Week draws attention to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and other examples of open government more generally. FOIA promotes access. Government cannot keep citizens in the dark. Information is essential to robust debate.
Although the press often invokes the FOIA in its pursuit of news, open government is not of exclusive interest to professional journalists. Private citizens can rely on the FOIA, too. The FOIA belongs to all. Megan Rhyne of the Virginia Coalition for Open Government discussed sunshine in a column on Sunday's OP/Ed page.
Sunshine Week has opened with examples of the good and the bad. Open government cannot be taken for granted.
Read more:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/
This is not good.
Uranium stirs strong emotion. The flat-Earth brigades do not support it under any circumstances, but others will base their decision on scientific evidence. The study's recommendations will be accepted only if the public has confidence in them. Openness is essential to the process. Secrecy encourages rumors and allegations of cover-ups. The uranium question does not need this.
Sunshine Week draws attention to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and other examples of open government more generally. FOIA promotes access. Government cannot keep citizens in the dark. Information is essential to robust debate.
Although the press often invokes the FOIA in its pursuit of news, open government is not of exclusive interest to professional journalists. Private citizens can rely on the FOIA, too. The FOIA belongs to all. Megan Rhyne of the Virginia Coalition for Open Government discussed sunshine in a column on Sunday's OP/Ed page.
Sunshine Week has opened with examples of the good and the bad. Open government cannot be taken for granted.
Read more:
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/
More about info: http://www.opengovva.org/
Welcome to the Virginia Coalition for Open Government. We are a nonprofit alliance formed to promote expanded access to government records, meetings and other proceedings at the state and local level. Our efforts are focused solely on local/state information access.
