Administration to Gut Roadless Rule

The Bush administration recently announced its intent to loosen a Clinton-era rule that bans road construction in 58.5 million acres of national forests -- opening the door to logging in wilderness areas. Specifically, the U.S. Forest Service plans to issue an amendment allowing states to seek exemptions from the roadless rule in cases of “exceptional circumstances.” Such instances would include road construction needed “to protect public health and safety or reduce wildfire risks to communities and critical wildlife habitat,” according to the agency.

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Graham Advises Agencies on Valuing Lives of Seniors

In a Washington Post op-ed on June 1, Robert Hahn and Scott Wallsten of the American Enterprise Institute pose a fantastic scenario: There are two simultaneous fires, one at a nursing home and one at a nursery. The problem is that the fire chief has only one pump, and must choose whether to save 11 seniors or 10 toddlers. Obviously, the chief should choose the toddlers, they write.

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New Forest Rules to Increase Logging, Limit Public Participation

The Bush administration recently finalized standards that will allow more forest-thinning projects to evade the established environmental review process, including public appeals -- likely accelerating logging in forests.

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Graham Urges Revision of Food Pyramid

John Graham, administrator of OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, is urging the departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services to revise dietary guidelines and the food pyramid to reflect the dangers of trans fatty acids (found in margarine, salad dressings and baked goods) and the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish, flaxseed and canola oil).

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House, Senate Approve Military Exemptions from Environmental Laws

The House recently approved two of five exemptions from environmental laws sought by the Pentagon while the Senate approved just one. As OMB Watch previously reported, the Pentagon -- claiming that military readiness has been adversely impacted -- pushed for military exemptions from the Endangered Species Act (ESA); the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA); the Clean Air Act (CAA); the Comprehensive Environmental Restoration, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA); and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

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OSHA Drops Plans to Issue Tuberculosis Standard

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently announced its intent to abandon a rulemaking that would protect workers from tuberculosis (TB) -- a contagious and potentially lethal airborne disease. OSHA first proposed tuberculosis standards in October of 1997 and has sought public comment on the issue a number of times in recent years -- but has failed to issue a final rule. Meanwhile, the number of TB cases increased in 20 states between 2000 and 2001, according to the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). In its most recent

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Agencies Revise Regulatory Agendas

May 2003 Update Federal agencies released updated regulatory agendas on Tuesday, May 27, which describe rulemakings under review, anticipated actions, and progress toward completing new standards. These agendas -- which are updated every spring and fall -- provide an important window into the administration's regulatory priorities and objectives, even though they are frequently inaccurate in their predictions. In January, OMB Watch examined the agendas of three agencies -- the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration -- to see what has changed during the Bush administration. Here, we update that data and add new information about the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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Bush Administration Fails to Act on Listeria

The Bush administration has refused to issue a standard to control listeria monocytogenes (commonly known as listeria), a dangerous food-borne bacterium often found in ready-to-eat foods that can lead to death, meningitis, miscarriages and premature births. There are approximately 2500 victims of listeria-contaminated food each year, 500 of which are deadly, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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EPA Blasted for 'Senior Death Discount'

During a recent series of public meetings, senior citizens and public health advocates attacked EPA’s practice of assigning less value to the lives of those over 70 when monetizing the benefits of prospective regulation -- causing agency Administrator Christie Whitman to denounce the method herself. EPA employed this practice, which has been

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OSHA Continues to Issue Unenforceable Ergonomics Guidelines

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently released draft voluntary guidelines for the prevention of repetitive stress injuries -- the most pressing health and safety issue confronting the workplace today -- at retail grocery stores. The guidelines are part of the administration’s feeble plan to replace mandatory Clinton-era ergonomics standards -- which were repealed by Congress at the urging of the Bush administration -- with a series of unenforceable guidelines targeted at specific industries.

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