Citizen Health & Safety

Lisa Jackson Defends Regulation on the Daily Show

May 20, 2011 by Matthew Madia

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson was on the Daily Show last night giving an impassioned defense of public health, the environment, and regulatory safeguards. Despite some recent disappointments from the EPA surrounding boiler emissions and coal ash, Jackson came across as a committed public servant and argued against some of the ridiculous attacks on public protections.

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MSHA Failed to Watchdog Deviant Mine Company

May 19, 2011 by Matthew Madia

Today, the Governor’s Independent Investigation Panel submitted to the governor of West Virginia its report on the Upper Big Branch (UBB) mine disaster that killed 29 men in April 2010. Liz Borkowski at The Pump Handle blog has a detailed summary. Be sure to read it, especially if you’re going to bypass the 126-page report.

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EPA Delays Life-Saving Rule, Cites White House Order

May 17, 2011 by Matthew Madia

In response to pressure from industry, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is backing off of new clean air standards for industrial boilers. The standards, as finalized in February, would prevent “2,600 premature deaths, 4,100 heart attacks, and 42,000 asthma attacks” if implemented, according to EPA.

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Obama Administration Weighing Rules to Keep or Repeal

On May 18, the Obama administration is expected to take the next step in its process for reviewing federal regulations. Agencies and the White House sit at an important crossroads: will they defend existing regulatory safeguards or weaken rules in an attempt to appease special interests?

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House Gets Amnesia, Passes Bill to Rush Oil Drilling

May 11, 2011 by Matthew Madia

The House of Representatives today passed a bill that sets ridiculous and dangerous deadlines for the approval of oil drilling permits. According to Earthjustice, “Sponsored by Doc Hastings (R-WA), H.R. 1229 requires the Department of Interior to decide whether to approve a drilling permit within 30 days after receiving an application and allows only two 15-day extensions of this deadline.”

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An Agenda to Strengthen Our Right to Know: Empowering Citizens with Environmental, Health, and Safety Information

Public engagement and access to environmental and public health information are vital democratic tools. A lack of government openness impairs everything from preventing – and cleaning up – oil spills to protecting children from toxic chemicals. The need to break down information barriers and bring the public back into the policymaking process is greater than ever. A lack of access to quality information – and to policymakers – hurts people and the landscapes we cherish and depend on. This report includes a comprehensive set of recommendations that are aimed at filling critical data gaps and empowering the American people to protect themselves, their families, and their communities from toxic pollution and other environmental health hazards.

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FDA Cracking Down on Dangerous Food Imports

May 6, 2011 by Matthew Madia

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued two new standards May 4 intended to protect Americans from potentially contaminated foreign food.

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Finally, a Deadline for Scientific Integrity Policies

May 5, 2011 by Gavin Baker

Today, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) announced that it was asking agencies to submit their draft scientific integrity policies within 90 days.

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Workers Memorial Day and New Report Highlight Risk to U.S. Workers

April 28 marked Workers Memorial Day and the 40th anniversary of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). On the same day, the AFL-CIO released its annual report on the state of the health and safety of American workers, Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect.

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Push to Cut Oversight of Businesses Roils Senate

Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) is pushing legislation that would make it more difficult for government agencies to set health, safety, environmental, and economic standards that protect the American people. Snowe is using the debate over her bill to reinforce untrue stereotypes about regulation's impact on the economy.

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