Time for FDA to Target Troubled Egg Producer

On the heels of this summer’s massive egg recall, another recall was announced yesterday covering almost 300,000 eggs contaminated with salmonella. The eggs were recalled by Cal-Maine Foods Inc., a distributor, but were actually supplied by Ohio Fresh Eggs. No illnesses have been linked to the current recall.

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All Eyes on Regulation in Post-Election Environment

Facing a Republican majority in the House and a slimmer Democratic majority in the Senate, President Obama and administrative agencies may increasingly turn toward regulation to accomplish policy goals. In contrast, new lawmakers and congressional leaders vow to use their power to roll back regulations, cut spending, and shrink the size of government.

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OMB Watch Asks President’s Advisors to Support Scientific Integrity

Today, OMB Watch asked the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) to help ensure the finalization of new government-wide policies on scientific integrity. The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy was to have developed recommendations on scientific integrity for review by President Obama, but the recommendations have been delayed for more than a year.

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Post-Election View on Food Safety Legislation

Food Safety News today published two articles analyzing the prospects of food safety legislation in the upcoming lame-duck period and in the 112th Congress.

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EPA Delays Rewrite of Smog Standards

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said last week that it will not meet an October deadline for finalizing new air quality standards for ozone, or smog. The announcement marks the second time in two months the agency has delayed the standard.

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White House Sued over Delayed Scientific Integrity Policy

The nonprofit organization Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) is suing the Obama administration over a long-delayed policy to limit interference in federal scientific research and to protect government scientists from censorship and harassment.

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Commentary: Did OMB Block Worst-Case Estimates of Oil Spill?

A working paper by the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling has ignited a controversy about the role of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in controlling information about the spill. The working paper alleges that, soon after the April 20 explosion of BP's Deepwater Horizon rig, OMB blocked plans to disclose the government's worst-case models of the spill. The administration's response to the allegations leaves several key questions without clear answers, which can only be resolved by disclosing the drafts and feedback through which these critical documents were developed.

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Chinese Drywall Manufacturer Agrees to Help Rebuild Homes

One of the Chinese companies that manufactured drywall used to rebuild homes around the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina has agreed to help pay for the repair of 300 homes. The legal agreement, which establishes a pilot program in four states, results from claims that the drywall emitted substances that corroded and destroyed pipes, wiring, and alarm systems.

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Trucks’ Fuel Efficiency to Improve under Administration Proposal

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced a joint proposed rule that will establish better fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty vehicles. “Tractor-trailers, school buses, delivery vans, garbage trucks and heavy-duty pickup trucks” are among the vehicles covered by the standards, according to AP.

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Lawsuit Targets Delayed Scientific Integrity Rules

A good government group this week sued the White House for records relating to the administration's long-delayed scientific integrity rules.

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