Lean Rulemaking Agenda Lists July Diacetyl Milestone
U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis' first semiannual regulatory agenda promised just a little forward progress on long-awaited rules.
The first semiannual regulatory agendas from federal departments under the Obama administration were published in Monday's Federal Register, giving stakeholders a look at the administration's priorities and, perhaps, its ambition. Nothing particularly ambitious was included in the agenda from Labor Secretary Hilda Solis' department, a tidy, seven-page document shorter even than the last administration's agendas. The Bush administration documents promised little but were more realistic than the previous administration's, the Bush appointees contended.
The new DOL agenda said the required small business impact assessment report will be completed for OSHA's planned diacetyl exposure standard in July 2009, and it also said OSHA in October 2009 will complete its analysis of comments received in response to the July 2008 public hearing held about the proposed confined spaces in construction standard.
However, no real progress was offered for OSHA's pending cranes and derricks negotiated rulemaking that has been eagerly awaited by the construction industry since 2004. The agenda merely said OSHA will close the record for the rulemaking in June 2009.