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TODAY: White House to Hold Conference Call to Discuss the President’s Regulatory Relief Plan

Release Date: 05/26/2011
Contact Information: press@epa.gov

WASHINGTON – Today at 11 a.m., the White House will hold a conference call outlining the results of the president’s retrospective analysis of existing regulation, as announced earlier this year: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/01/18/improving-regulation-and-regulatory-review-executive-order. The call will be on the record without embargo.

When President Obama unveiled his plan to create a 21st-century regulatory system that is simpler and smarter and that protects the health and safety of the American people in a cost-effective way, he called for an unprecedented government-wide review of rules already on the books. Agencies were asked to find regulations that are out-of-date, unnecessary, excessively burdensome, or in conflict with other rules. As a result of that review, agencies have identified initiatives with the potential to eliminate tens of millions of hours in reporting burdens, and billions of dollars in regulatory costs.

View and comment on all 30 preliminary regulatory “look-back” plans here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/regulatoryreform

Administration officials will discuss details of those plans and the President’s strategy for reducing burdens and promoting economic growth.


WHO: Director of the United States Office of Management and Budget, Jack Lew

Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Cass Sunstein

WHAT: On the Record Without Embargo Conference Call to Discuss the President’s Regulatory Relief Plan

WHEN: Thursday, May 26, 2011, at 11 a.m. EDT

RSVP: Media wishing to participate should call (800) 700-7860. No passcode is necessary.


With the release of these plans, the Administration is taking immediate steps to significantly reduce burdens on individuals, small businesses, and state and local governments, while maintaining the critical health and safety protections that Americans deserve. There are hundreds of creative ideas for updating our regulatory framework in these plans. Here are just a few highlights:

· The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is announcing a final rule that will remove over 1.9 million annual hours of redundant reporting burdens on employers and save more than $40 million in annual costs. Businesses will no longer be saddled with the obligation to fill out unnecessary government forms, meaning that their employees will have more time to be productive and do their real work.
· OSHA also plans to finalize a proposed rule that would harmonize U.S. hazard classifications and labels with those used by other nations, which is expected to result in an annualized $585 million in estimated savings for employers.

· EPA will propose to eliminate the redundant obligation for many states to require air pollution vapor recovery systems at local gas stations because modern vehicles already have effective air pollution control technologies. The anticipated savings over the next decade is about $670 million.
· The Department of Transportation is considering refinements to railroad safety equipment rules to ensure that installations are made only where they are actually needed. The change would maintain robust railroad safety standards while saving up to $400 million up front and up to $1 billion over 20 years.

· The Departments of Commerce and State are undertaking a series of steps to eliminate unnecessary barriers to exports, including duplicative and unnecessary regulatory requirements, thus reducing the cumulative burden and uncertainty faced by American companies and their trading partners. These steps will make it a lot easier for American companies to reach new markets, increasing our exports while creating jobs here at home.

· The Department of the Interior is reviewing outdated regulations under the Endangered Species Act to streamline the process, to reduce requirements for written descriptions, and to clarify and expedite procedures for approval of conservation agreements.

· The Department of Health and Human Services will reconsider burdensome regulatory requirements now placed on hospitals and doctors, like requiring redundant entries of information in medical databases.

These, and the many more changes proposed in the regulatory look-back plans, will add up to real savings for America’s small businesses. They are important first steps in an ongoing process to consistently review what’s working and what isn’t. Feedback from the public is critical to this strategy and final plans will reflect information received.

An up-to-date, cost-effective regulatory framework will enable the Federal government to support continued economic growth and job creation, while protecting the safety, health and well-being of all Americans.