White House Influence and Interference

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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White House Listens as Industry Calls for Weak Ozone Standard

Jun 15, 2007 by Matthew Madia

OMB Watch and Clean Air Watch have been carefully watching as the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) reviews EPA's rule to revise the national standard for ozone, a.k.a. smog. OIRA already entertained industry reps on two occasions (read more on that here). The press is starting to pay attention to this issue. Articles in Greenwire (subscription) and The Hill discuss the importance of a tighter standard and the scientific basis behind it. The articles also chronicle industry's efforts to block EPA from developing a more protective standard.

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Latest Watcher

Jun 13, 2007 by Matthew Madia

Be sure to check out the latest issue of our biweekly newsletter, The Watcher. Regulatory policy articles this time: Democratic Disarray on Greenhouse Gases May Let Bush off the Hook White House Meets with Industry on Smog Standard Long-delayed EPA Risk Assessment of Endocrine Disruptors Exhibits Flaws

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White House Meets with Industry on Smog Standard

The White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) is reviewing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) revision to the national ozone standard. A number of scientists have urged EPA to adopt a more stringent standard for ozone, also known as smog. Unusually, Vice President Dick Cheney's office has involved itself in the review of the standard. OIRA has also been consulting with industry representatives as it prepares to make edits to the standard and make recommendations to EPA.

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Latest Watcher

May 31, 2007 by Matthew Madia

Be sure to check out the latest issue of our biweekly newsletter, The Watcher. Regulatory policy articles this time: States Battle Administration on Vehicle Emissions Senate Watching Carefully as Risk Guidelines Reemerge

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Senate Watching Carefully as Risk Guidelines Reemerge

Two senators sent a letter to White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Rob Portman urging OMB to abandon its plans for government-wide risk assessment standards. The letter comes shortly after the White House indicated it may renew its efforts on finalizing the standards.

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White House Reviews Smog Standard

May 29, 2007 by Matthew Madia

The White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) is reviewing under Executive Order 12866 a revised air pollutant rule. The rule is the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ozone, a.k.a. smog. Over the past several months, Reg•Watch has been tracking the growing support for tightening this critical air pollution standard. Scientists and medical professionals have been lining up to voice their support, but EPA has been cautious in expressing its opinion on more protective smog regulation.

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Baroody's out. Who's next?

May 24, 2007 by Matthew Madia

Yesterday, Michael Baroody withdrew himself as nominee to head the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). News of the withdrawal came less than 24 hours before today's scheduled nomination hearing. It is unclear whether the withdrawal came at the behest of the White House or was of Baroody's own accord. Either way, it is not surprising. The Senate nomination panel was preparing to grill Baroody on his ties to industry and obvious conflicts of interest. The withdrawal is a welcome decision. Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) put it best in today's Washington Post:

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Senators Eye OMB's Risk Assessment Meddling

May 23, 2007 by Matthew Madia

Sens. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) sent a letter to the White House urging OMB to abandon its Proposed Risk Assessment Bulletin. Recently, the White House intimated OMB may make a renewed push on the Bulletin. Bingaman and Lieberman want to make sure the White House knows the Senate is watching. OMB issued the Bulletin in its proposed form in January 2006. The proposal calls for a one-size-fits-all approach for agency risk assessments - a common procedure which studies the adverse effects of a wide variety of public dangers.

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Beneath the Politicking, a Powerless CPSC

May 18, 2007 by Matthew Madia

As Reg•Watch blogged earlier, Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin (IL) and Bill Nelson (FL) sent a letter to President Bush asking him to withdraw the nomination of Michael Baroody for commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Separately, Nelson has threatened to put a hold on the nomination if Bush does not withdraw it. This would prevent the Senate from voting on Baroody.

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Senators Make a Case against Bush Product Safety Nominee

May 18, 2007 by Matthew Madia

On March 1, President Bush nominated Michael Baroody to be a commissioner on the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Many have criticized the nomination because of Baroody's record of opposing safety regulation in his role as a lobbyist for the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). Yesterday, Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Bill Nelson (D-FL) sent a letter to President Bush asking him to withdraw the nomination. In the letter, the Senators really brought their A-game, citing statutory criteria for the qualifications of a CPSC commissioner:

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