Setting and Enforcing Regulations

Feb 8, 2016

Top 400 Taxpayers See Tax Rates Rise, But There’s More to the Story

As Americans were gathering party supplies to greet the New Year, the Internal Revenue Service released their annual report of cumulative tax data reported on the 400 tax r...

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Feb 4, 2016

Chlorine Bleach Plants Needlessly Endanger 63 Million Americans

Chlorine bleach plants across the U.S. put millions of Americans in danger of a chlorine gas release, a substance so toxic it has been used as a chemical weapon. Greenpeace’s new repo...

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Jan 25, 2016

U.S. Industrial Facilities Reported Fewer Toxic Releases in 2014

The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data for 2014 is now available. The good news: total toxic releases by reporting facilities decreased by nearly six percent from 2013 levels. Howe...

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Jan 22, 2016

Methane Causes Climate Change. Here's How the President Plans to Cut Emissions by 40-45 Percent.

UPDATE (Jan. 22, 2016): Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released its proposed rule to reduce methane emissions...

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more news

EPA Announces Coal Ash Proposal

May 4, 2010 by Matthew Madia

After a long and politically controversial review, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today a proposal to regulate coal ash.

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Environmental, Health, and Safety Agencies Set Rulemaking Agendas

Unified Agenda On April 26, federal agencies published their updated rulemaking agendas outlining past, present, and future regulations. The agendas provide insight into the Obama administration's plans and expectations in the coming months.

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Labor Pushing Proactive Agenda during a Dark Time for Workers

Apr 29, 2010 by Matthew Madia

It doesn’t seem like a very safe time to be an American worker. Yesterday was Workers Memorial Day, and the news is filled with stories about why such a day is necessary. Seth Harris, Deputy Secretary of the Labor Department, called it a “somber time” in an event today at the Center for American Progress.

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Meat and Poultry Agency Struggles without Leader

Apr 28, 2010 by Matthew Madia

Without a Senate-confirmed head, rulemaking at the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has ground to a halt. FSIS, the agency responsible for ensuring the safety of meat, poultry, and egg products, made progress on only one significant regulation in the past six months, according to the semiannual Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions published Monday.

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Coal Ash Rule Still on Track?

Apr 26, 2010 by Matthew Madia

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency still plans to issue a proposal for the regulation of coal ash in the coming weeks, according to the agency’s most recent regulatory agenda.

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FDA Reviewing Policy for Conflicts on Advisory Panels

Apr 23, 2010 by Matthew Madia

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is tweaking the way it treats advisory committee members who have financial conflicts of interest. FDA will require more detailed information on the financial interests of members who have been granted waivers to serve on committees despite a potential conflict, according to draft guidance released Wednesday.

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Clean Air Means Big Benefits for the Economy Too

Apr 21, 2010 by Matthew Madia

A new report under development at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows that the public benefits of clean air standards far outweigh the costs of compliance. The report estimates that regulation under the Clean Air Act benefits the economy to the tune of $175 billion per year since 1990, BNA news service (subscription) reports. Controls cost regulated industries $45 billion per year.

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EPA Plan Seeks to Instill Transparency into Agency DNA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released its plan for improving the agency's transparency as part of the Obama administration's Open Government Directive (OGD). The EPA was an early proponent of the new openness agenda, with EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson calling for the agency to operate "as if it were in a fishbowl." The agency's new Open Government Plan documents numerous ongoing and future actions that should continue the agency's advance toward transparency and accountability.

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At Agencies, Open Government and E-Rulemaking Go Hand in Hand

Several agencies are highlighting their rulemaking activities as part of the Obama administration's push to improve government transparency and public participation. The Department of Transportation (DOT), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Department of Labor (DOL) all recognized the importance of regulation by including rulemaking and regulatory innovations in their Open Government Plans.

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Obama Calls for Review of Mine Safety Policy

Apr 15, 2010 by Matthew Madia

In reaction to the West Virginia explosion that left 29 miners dead, President Obama called today for reform of mine safety laws and regulations and better enforcement of those regulations by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). His remarks are available on the White House website.

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