Political 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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OMB Denies Interference in EPA Climate Policy

May 12, 2009 by Matthew Madia

Today, White House Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag issued a statement denying that his office made any attempt to push back against the Environmental Protection Agency’s recent notice that called greenhouse gases a threat to the public.

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Will Lobbying Policy Change?

May 8, 2009 by Amanda Adams*

Speaking at a panel hosted by George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management, Norm Eisen the special counsel to President Obama for ethics and government reform indicated that the administration is open to suggestions for modifications. According to RollCall ($$), Eisen said this week that, "there is a process" in place for enforcing the new lobbying rules.

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Questions for OIRA’s Cass Sunstein

May 6, 2009 by Matthew Madia

The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee has scheduled a hearing on the nomination of Cass Sunstein to be the administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, May 12 at 10:00am, and it looks like it will be webcast.

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Lobbying Restrictions Generate More Criticism

It appears that the Obama administration’s restrictions on lobbying are drawing criticism even as the administration defends the policies. The controversy surrounds two policy documents: one addresses restrictions on hiring lobbyists and others as political appointees, and the other focuses on communications by lobbyists about use of Recovery Act funds.

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Senators Stall Obama's Agency Nominees

As President Barack Obama continues the process of nominating officials to fill agency positions in his administration, some senators have stalled the nominations over policy differences. The senators have targeted nominees to regulatory agencies that have responsibility for a range of environmental policies.

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Proof that Lobbying Restrictions Can Be Avoided?

Apr 29, 2009 by Amanda Adams*

Norm Eisen, the White House ethics adviser recently posted twice at the White House blog on "the administration's historic opening efforts" on ethics reform. Eisen details a meeting held with the American Civil Liberties Union, the Center for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, and the American League of Lobbyists.

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Did the Obama White House Meddle with EPA’s GHG Finding?

Apr 29, 2009 by Matthew Madia

On April 17, the Environmental Protection Agency declared that greenhouse gas emissions are a threat to public health and welfare. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson made the so-called endangerment finding under section 202 of the Clean Air Act. The finding now obliges EPA to regulate emissions under the Act.

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Interior Hopes to Reinstate Mountaintop Mining Controls

Apr 27, 2009 by Matthew Madia

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced today that he wants to do away with a Bush administration regulation that allowed mountaintop mining operations to dump mining debris into nearby streams. The rule was one of many rollbacks finalized near the end of President Bush’s time in office.

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EPA Warming Up to Climate Regulation while Congress Debates

Apr 22, 2009 by Matthew Madia

Yesterday, OMB Watch released an article outlining how EPA’s recent decision to move forward on greenhouse gas emission regulations may (or may not) prompt Congress to pass a cap-and-trade bill. The thinking goes that opponents of cap-and-trade will throw their support behind the bill rather than risk facing new EPA regulations.

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When Following Through With a Campaign Promise Becomes a Contradiction

Apr 21, 2009 by Amanda Adams*

In case you did not already know, many are not happy with the administration's rules on registered lobbyists working in the administration. A New York Times article, highlights our concerns with President Obama's Executive Order on ethics and lobbying.

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