Public Participation

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A Year for Failure: Regulatory Policy News in 2007 12/18/2007
In 2007, new regulatory policies and the inability of federal agencies to protect the public made headlines more so than at any time in recent memory. Four themes dominated regulatory policy this year: an increase in White House influence over agency rulemaking activity and discretion, which added a perception of more political manipulation; the inability of the federal government to protect the public by ensuring the safety of imported goods; the voice of some industry groups calling for regulation; and the Bush administration's refusal to regulate in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence, as in the case of climate change. At best, government has attempted to respond to crises instead of getting ahead of the curve. This has left the public uncertain about whether we can count on our government to provide adequate safeguards. Read More

Bush Administration Skirts Broad Environmental Law 08/21/2007
The Bush administration has expanded exclusions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The administration will allow private industry to engage in selected land management projects without first assessing the potential impact on the environment. Furthermore, by excluding these activities, the administration has stripped the public of its opportunity to provide input into potentially damaging projects. Read More

New Report Examines Agency Review of Regulations 08/21/2007
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a new report on the process by which federal regulatory agencies review regulations after they take effect. Agencies conduct reviews to comply with existing law, as a matter of agency policy, and in response to White House requests. The report finds the quality of reviews varies widely and determines the major barriers to more useful reviews are gaps in available data and problems with public participation. Read More

Congress to Limit Public Participation in Forest Service Decisions 07/11/2006
After courts in California and Montana struck down Forest Service rules that limited public participation in certain logging decisions, the Senate has added language to an appropriations bill that would reinstate those rules. Read More

Hearing Highlights Confusion Caused by "Legalese" in Regulation 03/07/2006
Writing regulations in a way that is clear and easy to understand will save the government, taxpayers and regulated communities time and money, according to witnesses testifying on Mar. 1 before the House Government Reform Committee's Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs. Read More

Regulatory Year in Review: 2005 12/13/2005
A round-up of the key developments in regulatory policy we have covered in 2005. Read More

Industry Costs Pitted Against Public Needs in Homeland Security Policy 11/15/2005
How much is a human life worth when it comes to a terrorist attack? Should the public be involved in setting the nation's safety priorities? The Bush administration is offering surprising answers to these questions and more as it develops the general framework for homeland security policy. Read More

Interior Gives Exclusive Appeal Rights to Industry 11/02/2004
A proposed rule from the Department of Interior would grant those in the hydroelectric industry the exclusive right to appeal rulings about how dams are licensed and operated. Read More

Nuclear Commission Avoids Accountability in Secret Rule Change 09/21/2004
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission illegally issued new orders, without opportunity for public participation, that secretly change terrorism preparedness requirements for nuclear facilities, according to a challenge filed by two citizen groups and recently argued in a federal appeals court. Read More

Administration Limits Objections to Forest Thinning 01/26/2004
The Bush administration issued an interim final rule Jan. 9 that limits the public’s ability to challenge forest-thinning projects under the recently enacted Healthy Forests Restoration Act, which allows increased logging purportedly to reduce the danger of wildfire. Read More

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