Citizen Health & Safety

Obama EPA to Reverse Bush Air Pollution Loophole

Feb 12, 2009 by Matthew Madia

The Environmental Protection Agency will delay the effective date of a rule finalized under the Bush administration that would add a loophole to the agency's New Source Review program. EPA's decision comes in response to a petition from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). EPA also cites a memo from White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel which granted agencies leeway to address some Bush regulations.

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OMB Watch Executive Director Contributes to Book on Sustainability

The Environmental Law Institute has released the Agenda for a Sustainable America, a comprehensive assessment of U.S. progress toward sustainable development and a roadmap of necessary next steps toward achieving a sustainable America. OMB Watch Executive Director Gary D. Bass contributed to the book, in a chapter titled "Public Access to Information, Participation, and Justice: Forward and Backward Steps Toward an Informed and Engaged Citizenry."


Order Agenda for a Sustainable America

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On Food Safety, Who’s Failing Us?

Feb 10, 2009 by Matthew Madia

The ranks of both federal and state food safety inspectors are dwindling, leaving food processing plants to police themselves, according to an Associated Press investigation.
 
The recent salmonella outbreak, traced back to a derelict peanut plant in Georgia, has once again thrust the nation’s food safety shortcoming into the spotlight. A different salmonella outbreak was traced to another Georgia peanut butter plant in 2007. The two peanut butter incidences sandwiched other high profile food-borne illness outbreaks, including last summer’s mysterious salmonella episode that was ultimately traced to jalapenos.

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Congress Again Sets Sights on Toxics Right to Know

Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) recently reintroduced the Toxic Right-to-Know Protection Act (H.R. 776), which would restore the thresholds for reporting of toxic pollution under the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program. A 2006 rule from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) raised the thresholds significantly. An identical version of the bill failed to move out of committee in 2008.

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New Limits on Toxins in Toys Take Effect

Effective Feb. 10, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) will begin enforcing new standards for children's products containing lead and phthalates. The standards take effect just days after a federal court voided a Bush administration effort to legalize the sale of products not meeting the standards if the products had been manufactured before Feb. 10. CPSC is enforcing the regulations in response to a 2008 law that gives the agency new powers and responsibilities to protect the public from potentially dangerous consumer products.

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Obama Begins Regulatory Reform

President Barack Obama took two steps toward reforming the way federal agencies develop public protections. On Jan. 30, the president issued a memorandum to the heads of executive departments and agencies asking for recommendations to help develop a new regulatory executive order. The same day, he issued an executive order overturning two Bush-era executive orders that changed the way regulations were developed.

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Midnight Regulations

clockThe Bush administration rushed out a host of problematic regulations in its final months. Many of these "midnight" regulations actually represent deregulatory actions that weaken or eliminate safeguards protecting health, safety, the environment, and the public's general welfare. Now, the Obama administration and Congress bear the responsibility for undoing Bush's last minute actions. Check here frequently for the latest news. 

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States’ Request to Curb Car Emissions to Get Second Look

Feb 6, 2009 by Matthew Madia

beggingThe Environmental Protection Agency has officially announced its intention to reconsider California’s request to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. President Barack Obama had directed EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson to reconsider the waiver request.

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IRS Private Debt Collection Program's Usefulness Reconsidered

Feb 6, 2009 by Craig Jennings

Just one day after Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) introduced legislation (H.R. 796) to repeal IRS's authority to outsource private debt collection (PDC), the IRS began a 30-day independent-party review of its private debt collection program. If the agency decides against renewing contracts with CBE Group and Pioneer Recovery, the two private debt collectors, the PDC program would be terminated by March 6.

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Obama Revokes Controversial Bush E.O.

Feb 4, 2009 by Matthew Madia

In today's Federal Register, President Barack Obama officially revoked Executive Order 13,422 which was signed by President Bush in January 2007. As you may recall, OMB Watch opposed the changes Bush was trying to advance through E.O. 13,422.

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