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Is The President’s Climate Pledge Out Of Reach?

In December 2015, representatives of the world’s nations will convene in Paris to negotiate a climate change agreement to replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.  In contrast to limited U.S. involvement in the development and implementation of the Kyoto agreement, the U.S. is expected to play a pivotal role in the Paris talks. Read more.

Pebble Mine Impact Assessment Begins

Despite an absence of support from the EPA, the proposed open-pit Pebble Mine Project in Southwest Alaska refuses to die. In the latest major action, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) announced that it will prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) based on an application for a Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404 (dredge […]

Not Just the Big Guys—Where Do GHG Emissions Come From?

Today we will discuss how the EPA categorizes GHG emissions and why its approach doesn’t affect just large sources. Tomorrow we will look at how large companies are doing EPA’s job and finding some success in reducing overall GHG emissions by leaning on smaller companies such as their vendors. ‘Scope’ It Out! The GHG emissions […]

OSHA at 40: Supporters, Critics Weigh In

OSHA turned 40 this year. For the latest on what’s happening at the agency and how OSHA initiatives are affecting U.S. business, BLR turned to Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor Jordan Barab and Joe Trauger, vice president of human resources policy for the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) At 40, OSHA may be middle-aged, but […]

EPA Working to Loosen Up NSR Process

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has been working to loosen up the Agency’s New Source Review (NSR) process. In the latest action, Pruitt has issued a memo that gives more weight to projected emissions decreases in what is known as Step 1 of the NSR. This policy change will potentially liberate some projects from moving on […]

OSHA Under Fire: Reporting, Enforcement Criticized

According to a growing number of reports, OSHA has been seriously understating workplace injuries and illnesses — and relying on flawed audits rather than addressing the problem. Don’t look now, OSHA, but the shoe is on the other foot. The agency that inspects America’s workplaces is itself coming under increasing scrutiny, with lawmakers and academics […]

How One Company Protects Its Lone Workers

At Georgia Power, protecting lone workers is serious business, according to its safety and health general manager. Hamilton Hardin, safety and health general manager, says that Georgia Power makes every effort to ensure that lone workers, like all employees, are treated like "prized assets." Among other things, that means they get comprehensive safety training and […]

How’s Your Drug-Screening Program?

To be effective and compliant with drug testing laws, a drug-screening program has to cover all the bases. Find out what experts recommend. In a recent webinar sponsored by TalentWise, presenters from two drug-screening companies, FightReady and eScreen, shared their advice with listeners. FightReady automates risk mitigation and compliance with drug and alcohol laws, while […]

State AG Coalition Challenges EPA’s Delay for Chemical Safety Amendments

In response to the EPA’s final rule to extend for 20 months a stay of recent revisions to chemical accident prevention regulations, a coalition of attorneys general (AGs) from 11 states filed a petition July 24 with the U.S. District Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit asserting the agency exceeded its authority […]

Discrimination: The Other Big Compliance Risk … and Training Need

Our readership includes thousands of smaller organizations, in which one or a few individuals are responsible for all forms of legal compliance and for training others to operate within the law. Some of that involves safety, but there are other risks, too. Our Safety Training Tips columnist discusses one of them today: discrimination. Discriminatory employment […]