Laws & Regulations

There could be a story breeding behind the emergency pesticide exemptions — which could number in the hundreds — in your state.

Witnesses at a House Energy Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection hearing in February said excessive and unjustified claims of "confidential business information" dampen EPA's efforts to regulate commonly used chemicals.

The guidance was the latest in a series of orders seeking to turn around Bush administration secrecy, although "altering the mind set" might make change more difficult than originally thought.

A new rule signed by EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson restores cuts in how much data communities can get about nearby industrial releases of toxic substances.

A year-old National Institutes of Health policy requiring results of taxpayer-funded research articles to be posted online could be reversed by a bill introduced by Rep. John Conyers, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

Seattle Times lets the cat out of the bag with an April 7, 2009, story describing the secret agreement between the administration of Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire and Canada-based TransAlta.

The bill passed by the House now goes to the Senate, which had previously failed to act on a similar bill passed by the House in 2007.

As of March 31, 2009, the Agriculture Department may keep secret the locations and phone numbers of feedlots — however much the public may complain about their smell and the pollution emanating from them.

The Energy Department is listing state and local grant allocations from the stimulus bill on its website. Find out what your area of coverage is slated to receive in aid.

Restrictions would be placed on many types of stationary diesel and gas-fired engines under a proposed EPA rule.