Midnight regulation

From science 'policy news alert', the Bush administration is rushing through last minute regulations before leaving.


More "Midnight" Regulations Issued. The Bush Administration has finalized several new last-minute, or "midnight", regulations that will take effect 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. The Interior Department's Office of Surface Mining announced a rule that would allow companies to dump mining debris within the current 100-foot stream buffer zone if they show why they cannot avoid doing so. The Department's Bureau of Land Management announced a new rule that would eliminate the ability of Congress to block mining projects on public lands when "an emergency situation exists," a move certain to draw legal challenges. Interior also announced a new rule that allows concealed and loaded guns to be carried in national parks located in states with concealed-carry laws, a departure from the original proposal that only applied to states that allow guns in their state parks.

The House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will examine many of these regulations in a December 11 hearing on last-minute environment and energy rulemaking. A Congressional Research Service (CRS) report, Midnight Rulemaking: Considerations for Congress and a New Administration, provides detailed information on the rulemaking process and options for reversing these decisions. In addition, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), chair of the House Judiciary Committee's panel on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, has introduced a bill, H.R. 7296, that would amend the Administrative Procedure Act to allow incoming cabinet secretaries to review all regulatory changes made by the White House within the last three months of an administration and to reverse such rules without going through the entire rulemaking process.

Bush and his administration are pigs. Someone put them out of their misery. I can't wait for the pig's last day.

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