EPA and labor regulations top 'hit list' for Bush administration review. (Washington Alert).

In a report to Congress issued December 21, 2001, the Office of Management and Budget (0MB) published a list of burdensome federal regulations it believes should be reviewed by the Bush administration. The list was generated based on the response to OMB's May 2001 solicitation in the Federal Register for commentors to identify regulations that are obsolete or outdated and could be rescinded or updated.

Of the 23 federal regulations that are listed in the report as "high priority regulatory policy issues," eight are from the EPA and live are from the U.S. Dept. of Labor (DOL). Among the major EPA regulations 0MB recommends for review are the new source review regulations under the Clean Air Act and the changes proposed by the Clinton administration to the total maximum daily load program under the Clean Water Act. The two main rules 0MB is inclined to review from DOL are a Fair Laor Standards Act rule that restricts employers from offering bonuses because it requires that they be calculated into regular rates of pay and a Family and Medical Leave Act rule that singles out employers' recordkeeping and notification requirements.

In addition to the high priority issues, the 0MB report cites 30 medium priority rules 0MB intends to ask for more information from the relevant agencies and 24 other rules identified as low priority and for which no additional action will be taken. The full text of the 0MB report and list of burdensome regulations is available on the 0MB website at www.whitehouse . gov/omb/inforeg/costbenefitreport.pdf.