EPA Criticized for Skipping Small Business Advice on Rules

October 31, 2022

The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed at least five high-profile rules since June 2021 and certified that none warranted a consultation with small businesses and local government agencies. The consultation process is required before proposing regulations that are expected to have a “significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.”

Stuart Shapiro, a former OMB official and now interim dean of Rutgers University’s School of Planning and Public Policy, said the panels are valuable, but one-sided.

The EPA has gained practical insights from businesses “that know what they’re doing and how the rule will affect them,” he said. “Numerous times it’s made a difference in what’s proposed.”

On the other hand, it “gives a privileged seat at the table to one particular sector. You don’t have labor unions whose members might be affected getting this bite at the apple,” he said. “You don’t have people who might breathe the air or drink the water.”

Bloomberg Law, October 31, 2022

Recent Posts

“Work Trends RU” Podcast with WorkingNation’s Jane Oates

This week's guest on the Heldrich Center's Work Trends RU podcast is Jane Oates, Senior Policy Advisor at WorkingNation. She and Dr. Carl Van Horn discuss WorkingNation’s mission, objectives, and accomplishments; the power of digital storytelling; the challenges of...

Zhang et al. Study Street-View Greenspace and Exercise

GPS-based street-view greenspace exposure and wearable assessed physical activity in a prospective cohort of US women Abstract Background Increasing evidence positively links greenspace and physical activity (PA). However, most studies use measures of greenspace, such...

NJSPL: Some College, No Credential Population in NJ

Overview of the Some College, No Credential Population and Educational Outcomes in New Jersey, 2023–2024 New Jersey State Policy Lab Supporting New Jersey residents in returning to college after leaving without a credential has been an increasing focus of the state’s...

Loh and Noland Explore Public Charging Station Disparities

Equal charging for all: Are there income-based disparities in public charging stations? Abstract We compare charging station accessibility for different income groups in the San Francisco Bay Area. Using a microsimulation model, we estimate charging station...

Heldrich Center Releases New Work Trends Brief and Website

The Heldrich Center for Workforce Development is pleased to announce the availability of two new research products resulting from its long-running public opinion polling series, Work Trends. To better understand the public’s attitudes about work, employers, and the...