Keep reading for today’s look at #OpenGov news, events, and analysis, including plenty of new data, changes in Ferguson, and trouble for Andrew Cuomo.

National News

• Cause of Action, a group that pursue’s government transparency through legal action, is moving against a dozen federal agencies that have pushed back against its document requests. Cause of Action is accusing the Obama Administration of politicizing the requests to avoid sharing information. (Government Executive)
• New data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows the ebb and flow of wetlands and forests along America’s coasts. Between 1996 and 2011 the US lost more than 17,000 square miles of coastal forests and wetlands. (Government Executive)
• Data, obtained from the Pentagon by the New York Times, detailing arms transfers from the Department of Defense to local police departments over the past half decade is now up on GitHub for all to view and use. (New York Times)

International News

• Mexicans are worried that a new telecom law will bring censorship and surveillance to digital communications. They aren’t going to get any help from the independent Federal Institute for Access to Public Information and Data Protection, which has declined to challenge the proposed law in court. (Global Voices)

State and Local News

• In the wake of the ongoing protests in Ferguson, Missouri over the police shooting of Michael Brown officials in the town have pledged to invest in cameras that will be worn by officers to record their interactions. (Government Executive)
• Police departments in California’s Bay Area collect data on the racial make of of the people that they stop and arrest. This data could be of vital importance, but it is rarely shared or analyzed. (Government Technology)
• Bad news for potential 2016 presidential candidate Andrew Cuomo — an overwhelming majority of his home state’s voters think government corruption is a major problem and nearly half of them put the blame at least partially on his shoulders following a string of not-so-flattering revelations. (POLITICO)

Events Today

• Innovations in Cybersecurity. NextGov. Weds., 8/20. 8:00 AM. Ronald Reagan Building Rotunda, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington D.C.
• Stay Ahead of the PAC. Bloomberg Government. Weds., 8/20. 2:00 PM. Webinar.

Events Tomorrow

• How Government is Embracing Innovation. NextGov. Thurs., 8/21. 2:00 PM. Webinar.

Do you want to track transparency news? You can follow the progress of relevant bills, court cases, and regulations using Scout. You can also get Today in #OpenGov sent directly to your preferred news reader. If you would like suggest an event, please email mrumsey@sunlightfoundation.com by 7 am on the Monday prior to the event.