- Loan Firms Set to Regain Access to U.S. Student Data - EPA Quietly Resumes Dismantling Library System - Ethics Group Takes Legal Action to Stop Bush Administration from Destroying Documents - Los Alamos Blocks Researcher Access To Archives Patrice McDermott, Director OpenTheGovernment.org www.openthegovernment.org 202.332.OPEN (6736) - LOAN FIRMS SET TO REGAIN ACCESS TO U.S. STUDENT DATA By Amit R. Paley Thursday, May 3, 2007; Page A07 The U.S. Department of Education moved yesterday to restore loan industry access to a national database with confidential information on millions of students, two weeks after it was shut down amid allegations of data mining and privacy violations. more [WPost] Related: GAO Report - PRIVACY Lessons Learned about Data Breach Notification *** - EPA QUIETLY RESUMES DISMANTLING LIBRARY SYSTEM - Environmental Prosecutions at Risk from Loss of Original Documents and Cost Despite promises to consult with Congress before proceeding with dismantlement of its library system, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered its libraries to "disperse or dispose of their.contents," according to agency directives released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). The move to eliminate physical collections comes as EPA's own enforcement branch warns about the risks of hampering environmental prosecutions. more [PEER] *** - ETHICS GROUP TAKES LEGAL ACTION TO STOP BUSH ADMINISTRATION FROM DESTROYING DOCUMENTS By REBECCA CARR Friday, April 27, 2007 An ethics watchdog group is battling the Bush administration to prevent the Secret Service from destroying White House visitor records. The administration contends they are presidential records and, therefore, not subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act until after the president leaves office. But Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington says they have historic significance and belong to the public. The showdown between the two sides remains in legal limbo before U.S. District Judge John Garrett Penn in Washington, who will ultimately determine whether the ethics group can obtain them. more [Cox News Service] *** - LOS ALAMOS BLOCKS RESEARCHER ACCESS TO ARCHIVES Los Alamos National Laboratory will no longer permit historians and other researchers to have access to its archival records because Los Alamos National Security (LANS), the private contractor that now operates the Lab, says it has "no policy in place" that would allow such access. more [Secrecy News]