On May 25, Texas and Michigan moved to join several other states in requiring the natural gas drilling industry to disclose the contents of fluids used in hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking. On the same day, two of the biggest U.S. energy companies – ExxonMobil and Chevron – defeated proposals from their shareholders calling for more disclosure of the environmental impacts and risks of drilling for natural gas. Despite such industry resistance, fracking disclosure continues to gain traction as an issue, especially at the state level.

On May 11, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suspended the next submission period for the Toxic Substances Control Act's (TSCA) Inventory Update Reporting (IUR). The IUR is an inventory of chemical substances in commerce in the United States. The suspension came a month after the agency received complaints from House Republicans and the chemical industry about difficulties complying with new reporting requirements.

WASHINGTON, May 10, 2011—112 organizations have endorsed a 102-page set of environmental right-to-know recommendations, which OMB Watch presented to the Obama administration on the groups' behalf. The recommendations, collaboratively drafted by advocates from across the country, aim to expand access to environmental information, equip citizens with data about their environmental health, and empower Americans to protect themselves, their families, and their communities from toxic pollution.