Register to Vote: Rock the Vote, powered by Credo Mobile

HOME

ABOUT US

OUR ISSUES

Federal Budget

Information & Access

Nonprofit Advocacy


PRESS ROOM

ACTION CENTER

PUBLICATIONS

THE WATCHER

OUR BLOGS


SIGN UP

Receive news, updates, and alerts!

DONATE

Help support our work


OTHER SITES

FedSpending.org

RTK NET

NPAction

Working Group on Community Right-to-Know

Citizens for Sensible Safeguards

Open the Government

OMB Watch Logo

"[P]eople acting in a group can accomplish things which no individual acting alone could even hope to bring about." - FDR

Home :  Regulatory Policy :  RegWatch : 
RegWatch:     

News & Analysis | REG•WATCH Blog | Press Room

 R    E    G    •    W    A    T    C    H 


Monday, October 17, 2005

Tracking the Precautionary Principle
We've mentioned before that the Environmental Research Foundation, which already publishes the excellent Rachel's Environment and Health News, has launched a new newsletter focused on the precautionary principle. If you haven't subscribed to the email version, note that it is now available online: Rachel's Precaution Reporter.

Posted by Robert Shull, 09:24:40 PM



Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Learn More About the Precautionary Principle
The Environmental Research Foundation, which publishes the excellent Rachel's Environment & Health News, is now producing an email newsletter dedicated to the precautionary principle. In the latest edition, there's a link to a nice web tutorial on the precautionary principle, which you can find here.

Posted by Robert Shull, 04:42:56 PM



Tuesday, October 11, 2005

Toxic Gumbo... Flowing from YOUR Tap, Too?
Grist Magazine is exploring whether New Orleans is alone in seeing a "toxic gumbo" in the drinking water:
Last month, "toxic gumbo" entered the American lexicon with the speed and force of the floodwaters it describes.... "I want to be very clear," cautioned EPA administrator Stephen Johnson, describing the situation in the devastated city to the press. "Emergency response personnel and the public should avoid direct contact with any floodwater."

It was a dire warning. And to some water-quality experts, it came as no surprise. Our national water infrastructure -- everything from streams, lakes, and coastal waters to treatment plants and the pipes that carry the precious liquid to our individual taps -- is in serious trouble, they say. Toxic gumbos are simmering, for the most part out of sight, all across the country. New Orleans was just the first to boil over on a grand scale.

Check it out here.


Posted by Robert Shull, 04:13:32 PM



Groups Demand Better Protection for Katrina Cleanup
From Medical News Today:
Gulf Coast Cleanup Workers Must Be Protected from Serious Health Hazards

The U.S. Congress should immediately act to protect the health and safety of workers and residents engaged in the cleanup of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, according to a group of more than 100 of the nation's foremost labor, religious, environmental, community, public health and public interest organizations and more than 100 academic, medical, religious and public health leaders.



Posted by Robert Shull, 03:52:48 PM



Wednesday, October 05, 2005

New Mad Cow Rule Fails to Close Loopholes
The Food and Drug Administration squandered yet another opportunity to close loopholes in its BSE firewall yesterday. According to an agency press release, a new rule proposed by FDA to control mad cow disease expands current protections by banning the use of specified-risk material-brain and spinal cord tissue-from older cattle, but the proposed rule fails to close loopholes that allow cattle to be fed other cow parts through restaurant plate scrapings, chicken litter, and calf formula. A proposed 2004 rule that was never enacted by the agency would have banned animal feed containing plate waste and poultry litter. Though the brain and spinal cord tissue is most likely to carry the mad cow disease prion, scientists believe that other ruminant to ruminant feeding can lead to the spread of mad cow disease.

Read the FDA press release on the new proposed regulations.

Read a Public Citizen press release: New Animal Feed Rules Sill Leave Consumers at Risk.

Read OMB Watch background on mad cow disease.

Posted by Genevieve Smith, 05:24:26 PM



Tuesday, October 04, 2005

OIRA Meetings on HexChrome, Dry-Cleaning Rules
OIRA met with chemical industry representatives on Sept. 26 to discuss "the economic effects on co-residential dry cleaning facilities of proposed EPA regulations under consideration." The rulemaking in question is presumably the forthcoming proposed NESHAP rule for perchloroethylene dry cleaning facilities residual risk standards.

OIRA also met on Oct. 3 to discuss OSHA's rulemaking on occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium with SBA's Office of Advocacy, representatives of the metal finishing, aerospace and steel industries as well as Lockheed Martin and Boeing.

Posted by Genevieve Smith, 09:58:47 AM




Latest Entries by Theme

All Themes

Enforcement

About This Blog

Rollbacks

Safety

Industry Influence

Cost-Benefit Analysis

In Congress

Publications

Consumer Issues

Environment

Public Health

In the Courts

Oversight

In the White House

Most Recent Entries for RegWatch

Is the Bush Administration Meddling with Risk Assessments?

White House Blocks Effort to Clean Up Pesticide Containers

Senate Moves Bill to Renew Federal Improvement Panel

After Preemption Row, Roof Strength Rule Delayed

Consumers Left in the Dark on Food Safety

Regulatory Attacks on Medicaid Halted

OMB Shutting Out EPA on CO2 Regulation

Bush Regulatory Gatekeepers on House Chopping Block

Lobbyists Opposing FDA Changes

It All Depends on Who You Ask

Archived Entries for Public Health

July

June

May

April

March

February

January

December, 2007

November, 2007

October, 2007

September, 2007

August, 2007

July, 2007

June, 2007

May, 2007

April, 2007

March, 2007

February, 2007

January, 2007

December, 2006

November, 2006

October, 2006

September, 2006

August, 2006

June, 2006

May, 2006

April, 2006

March, 2006

January, 2006

December, 2005

November, 2005

October, 2005

September, 2005

August, 2005

July, 2005

June, 2005

May, 2005

April, 2005

March, 2005

February, 2005

January, 2005

December, 2004

November, 2004

October, 2004