Advocates Rally to Protect Clinton Rules
Public-interest groups and consumer advocates are "scrambling to protect" a number of Clinton administration regulations that could be regulations rolled back or challenged by President Bush, the Washington Post reports. Citizens for Sensible Safeguards, an umbrella organization of "hundreds" of environmental, labor and public health groups, is coordinating an effort to monitor and lobby against Bush's actions on several regulations issued late in the Clinton administration, including those dealing with black lung disease, air pollution and workplace ergonomics standards. The Post reports, however, that "[e]arly signs aren't good for the advocates."
The American Lung Association has written a letter to Bush "challen[ing]" the legality of delaying implementation of a Jan. 18 rule that would lower the sulfur content allowed in diesel fuel for trucks. The Center for Science in the Public Interest and the American Public Health Association have jointly written to Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman asking her to go forward on a proposal to test for listeria bacteria in processed meats and hot dogs. The Post reports that advocates also plan to "pressure" members of Congress who support reversing certain Clinton administration rules, such as last fall's regulations on ergonomics standards in the workplace. The Bush administration has not indicated what standards it is using to review the rules (Skrzycki, Washington Post, 2/20).
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