The C.I.A. and climate scientists are collaborating to maximize the use of the federal government’s intelligence assets, which include spy satellites and other classified sensors, to gain knowledge into environmental change. Imagery of natural phenomena such as clouds and glaciers that have up until now been considered classified information have been declassified in order to aid in scientific analysis.
C.I.A. Is Sharing Data With Climate Scientists by William J. Broad, The New York Times, (registration required), January 4, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/05/science/earth/05satellite.html?th&emc=th