New Fall Protection Rules for Oregon Employers
Oregon has changed its fall protection requirements for construction employers. Make sure your supervisors are aware and your crews are in compliance.
Category: Regulatory Developments
Supreme Court Nominee Neil Gorsuch on Chevron and Renewable Energy
Senate Democrats are likely to fiercely resist confirming Neil Gorsuch to replace the late Antonin Scalia on the U.S. Supreme Court. On January 31, 2017, President Trump broke the national suspense by nominating Gorsuch to occupy the vacant seat. But Democratic resistance may be more a consequence of Republican refusal over almost a year to […]
OSHA’s New Chemical Emphasis Program Includes Refineries
As the Trump administration works to dismantle and reduce regulation, OSHA has moved forward with a significant new initiative. Get important details here.
Trump Issues Executive Order for Regulatory Reduction
On Monday, January 30, 2017, President Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs. The EO is aimed at cutting regulations and fees to assist small and large businesses. In each agency, for every one regulation that is issued, the agency must identify two regulations to be repealed.
A Revised Common Rule for Modern Research
The federal government has revised its Common Rule, a 2005 policy for the protection of human subjects who participate in federally funded research. The revisions are being incorporated into the regulatory provisions of 16 federal agencies and will become effective January 19, 2018, except for a provision covering cooperative research, which takes effect January 20, […]
DOL Nominee Hearings Postponed
Confirmation hearings for Andrew Puzder, President Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Labor, have been postponed for the third time, according to the Washington Post. Hearings are now scheduled for February 7.
30 Rules Delayed by the EPA
In accordance with a January 20, 2017, directive from the White House, the EPA has released a final rule temporarily delaying the effective dates of the 30 environmental regulations.
Supreme Court to Hear WOTUS Jurisdiction Case
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments in a case that will determine whether challenges to the EPA/Army Corps of Engineers’ (Corps) Clean Water Rule (CWR), which defines waters of the United States (WOTUS), should be heard in U.S. district courts or U.S. appeals courts.
Trump Administration Freezes Rulemaking
In a memo to the heads of executive branch departments and agencies (the memo can be found here), Reince Priebus, President Trump’s chief of staff, ordered a freeze on all pending regulatory actions except those addressing “emergency situations or other urgent circumstances relating to health, safety, or national security.”
Scott Pruitt’s EPA Hearing: Part 2
E. Scott Pruitt, Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the EPA, began the afternoon session of his hearing before the Senate and Environment and Public Works Committee by noting three additional legal actions he has initiated against oil companies in Oklahoma.