NHTSA Issues Weakened Tire Performance Standards

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently issued tire performance standards, the first in more than 30 years, that are weaker than those in the agency’s original proposal, which met resistance from industry. Congress, following the recall of millions of Firestone tires with tread separation problems, mandated these new requirements as part of the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation (TREAD) Act of 2000. The new standards:

    read in full

    EPA Study Finds Water Polluters Not Penalized

    An internal EPA study shows that 25 percent of major industrial facilities are in significant noncompliance with permits issued under the Clean Water Act, the majority of which receive little or no disciplinary action, according to the Washington Post.

    read in full

    OSHA Unveils Unenforceable Ergonomics Guidelines for Poultry Plants

    The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently released draft voluntary guidelines for the prevention of repetitive stress injuries (the most pressing health and safety issue confronting the workplace today) at poultry processing plants.

    read in full

    Administration to Gut Roadless Rule

    The Bush administration recently announced its intent to loosen a Clinton-era rule that bans road construction in 58.5 million acres of national forests -- opening the door to logging in wilderness areas. Specifically, the U.S. Forest Service plans to issue an amendment allowing states to seek exemptions from the roadless rule in cases of “exceptional circumstances.” Such instances would include road construction needed “to protect public health and safety or reduce wildfire risks to communities and critical wildlife habitat,” according to the agency.

    read in full

    Graham Advises Agencies on Valuing Lives of Seniors

    In a Washington Post op-ed on June 1, Robert Hahn and Scott Wallsten of the American Enterprise Institute pose a fantastic scenario: There are two simultaneous fires, one at a nursing home and one at a nursery. The problem is that the fire chief has only one pump, and must choose whether to save 11 seniors or 10 toddlers. Obviously, the chief should choose the toddlers, they write.

    read in full

    New Forest Rules to Increase Logging, Limit Public Participation

    The Bush administration recently finalized standards that will allow more forest-thinning projects to evade the established environmental review process, including public appeals -- likely accelerating logging in forests.

    read in full

    Graham Urges Revision of Food Pyramid

    John Graham, administrator of OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, is urging the departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services to revise dietary guidelines and the food pyramid to reflect the dangers of trans fatty acids (found in margarine, salad dressings and baked goods) and the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish, flaxseed and canola oil).

    read in full

    OMB Expands Influence Over Scientific Decisions

    Under the leadership of John Graham, OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), which acts as an arm of the White House, is expanding its influence over scientific questions that have previously been left to federal regulatory agencies, hiring a number of scientific experts for the first time in its history. The exact responsibilities of these new employees (see bios below) are still unclear. An OMB spokesperson would only say that they were brought on to “broaden the range of expertise that OIRA can bring to bear on policy issues.”

    read in full

    OMB Waters Down Standards on Factory-Farm Runoff

    The Office of Management and the Budget (OMB) watered down already weak EPA draft rules to address pollution from factory-style animal farms -- resulting in standards that are more protective of corporate polluters than of public health and the environment.

    read in full

    Agencies Revise Regulatory Agendas

    May 2003 Update Federal agencies released updated regulatory agendas on Tuesday, May 27, which describe rulemakings under review, anticipated actions, and progress toward completing new standards. These agendas -- which are updated every spring and fall -- provide an important window into the administration's regulatory priorities and objectives, even though they are frequently inaccurate in their predictions. In January, OMB Watch examined the agendas of three agencies -- the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration -- to see what has changed during the Bush administration. Here, we update that data and add new information about the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

    read in full

    Pages

    Subscribe to Political Interference (Articles and Blog Posts)