[Source: The Washington Post] The Trump administration finalized a rule Wednesday that could make it more difficult to enact public health protections, by changing the way the Environmental Protection Agency calculates the costs and benefits of new limits on air pollution. The new cost-benefit requirements, which apply to all future Clean Air Act rules, instruct Read More…
Newsroom
Newsom picks new leader for powerful California air board
[Source: POLILTICO] California Gov. Gavin Newsom will announce Wednesday that he is appointing longtime state regulator Liane Randolph as the next chair of the Air Resources Board, an agency that has regularly shaped the U.S. manufacturing landscape through strict environmental requirements. Randolph, 55, will replace outgoing California Air Resources Board chair Mary Nichols, who is Read More…
A Biden-Harris take on environmental justice: what to expect
[Source: The National Law Review] With a historic election all but in the rear-view mirror, a key question is whether and how President-elect Joseph R. Biden, Jr. and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will deliver on the sweeping environmental justice (EJ) agenda advanced on the campaign trail. Defined by the EPA as the “fair treatment and Read More…
California environmental groups tell Biden not to pick Mary Nichols for EPA
[Source: KQED] A coalition of some 70 California environmental justice groups, national environmentalists and other organizations sent a letter to Joe Biden’s transition team Thursday asking the incoming president to avoid picking Mary Nichols as head of the Environmental Protection Agency. Nichols has been reported to be Biden’s top candidate to lead the EPA. The outgoing Read More…
Schumer calls for an environmental justice leader to serve as next chair of the CEQ
[Source: Senate Democrats] Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) released the following statement today urging that the next Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality be someone who will defend environmental safeguards, meaningfully engage with environmental justice communities, and coordinate a bold climate and clean energy agenda that works for everyone, regardless of Read More…
Biden shortlist for White House key environmental post shows focus on environmental justice
[Source: Reuters] President-elect Joe Biden is vetting three environmental justice leaders to head up the White House agency that will take the lead in coordinating efforts to safeguard communities disproportionately affected by pollution, according to sources familiar with the process. The shortlist for head of the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) signals a Read More…
Labor laws should be updated to reflect shift towards telecommuting
[Source: CalChamber] As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees have been working from home since March with no end in sight. This has led some to speculate whether a permanent work from home model makes sense for employers going forward, even after the pandemic is over. In the 2021-22 Budget: California’s Fiscal Outlook Read More…
California tax revenue billions higher than expected, thanks in part to federal help
[Source: Sacramento Bee] From July through September, California collected $8.7 billion more in tax revenue than anticipated, according to the state’s Department of Finance, a bright sign amid a year of devastating economic news. The numbers (http://www.dof.ca.gov/Forecasting/Economics/Economic_and_Revenue_Updates/documents/2020/Oct-20.pdf) reflect the positive effect of federal aid, which came in the form of one-time $1,200 checks for individuals Read More…
Emergency COVID-19 rules coming soon
[Source: CalChamber] In November the Cal/OSHA Standards Board is expected to vote on emergency COVID-19 regulations Petition 583 (https://www.dir.ca.gov/oshsb/petition-583.html) that will not be made public until five days before the Board vote, Moutrie tells Frank. While the specifics of the regulations are not yet known, employers can expect them to be far reaching, affecting all Read More…