The EPA published a public hearing schedule for feedback on its announced intention to scrap the Obama era “Clean Power Plan” severely limiting carbon emissions from energy generating plants, particularly those fired by coal. A coal train led by three BNSF SD70MAC’s rolls through stormy weather in Sumner, Washington on Sunday, November 12th, 2017. Image © 11/2017 by Nikki Burgess; all rights reserved.

As the weather declines and the days shorten, we all spend more time indoors—time to make sure your HVAC systems are running safely.  Each year, Carbon Monoxide poisoning takes an unfortunate toll, and a few simple checks can save lives.  Inspect your home and workplace systems soon!  This week’s regulatory activity was light; here the breakdown:

U.S. DOL

The Department of Labor released its draft strategic plan outlining its intentions for 2018 – 2022; this includes OSHA activity, an important consideration for employers.  See the plan and learn how to comment here

U.S. EPA

The agency announced public hearings on its controversial plan to scrap the Obama era “Clean Power Plan” which if implemented would have set strict new limits on carbon emissions from fossil fueled power plants, particularly coal fired facilities. The Trump EPA intends to do away with the strategy. To attend a hearing or submit comments, see the link here

U.S. DOT

• The agency is expanding the list of drugs that will be tested for under its workplace drug and alcohol testing regulations.  New Schedule II additions include hydrocodone and a wide range of its affiliate derivatives; new ways to test for various methamphetamine products are also addressed.  The new testing regimen may impact transportation workers on railroads, airlines, and motor carriers.  See the changes here
• The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Transportation Library (NTL) in the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) has launched a new Repository and Open Science Access Portal (ROSA P), a public access space for the agency’s collection of over thirty thousand industry related items. Members of the transportation community and the general public can use the ROSA P for all the open data and publications DOT acquires, manages and preserves.  Here’s a link to the new database

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