Bush Rolling Back Right To Know

In October 2005, EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson proposed changes to the Toxics Release Inventory program that would severely limit the amount of information that companies must disclose to the public.

The state PIRGs and 12 other national groups mobilized 70,000 public comments to the EPA in opposition to the rule change. Attorneys general, state regulators, legislators, and the Conference of Mayors registered their opposition. In December, the PIRGs released “Undisclosed Pollution,” a report demonstrating the negative impacts this change would have on local communities.

“Without this critical information about toxic chemicals released to the air and water, local communities will be unable to protect themselves,” explained U.S. PIRG Environmental Health Advocate Meghan Purvis.

Attention now turns to Congress,where allies are gearing up to take action to protect the Toxics Release Inventory program.

Medicare Drug Benefit Rollout Falters

The high-cost of prescription drugs is a hot topic in Congress due to the disastrous rollout of the new prescription drug benefit for seniors.

Current law prohibits Medicare from negotiating with drug manufacturers for lower prices, as the Veterans Administration does. Negotiations reduced VA drug costs by more than 50 percent.

PIRG-backed legislation to reinstate the federal government’s right to negotiate lower prices has been introduced by Rep. Marion Berry (Ark.) and Senator Richard Durbin (Ill.). The debate on Medicare Part D makes these PIRG-backed bills all the more important.

Report Finds One-Third Threatened By Soot

More than 96 million Americans— 32 percent of the population—live in areas with unsafe levels of fine particle, or “soot” pollution, according to a January U.S. PIRG report "Plagued by Pollution."

Soot pollution is the nation’s deadliest air pollutant, cutting short tens of thousands of lives each year. Coal-fired power plants and diesel engines are the largest sources of fine particle pollution. U.S. PIRG called on Sen. Carper (Del.) to “clean up” his Clean Air Planning Act.

“To protect public health, Sen. Carper should substantially strengthen his bill. Too many Americans already suffer health problems from breathing polluted air,” said U.S. PIRG Clean Air Advocate Emily Figdor.

Congress Weighs Future Of Internet

A new U.S. PIRG-backed media reform coalition is urging Congress not to give telephone and cable companies the power to control consumers’ use of the Internet.

“The Internet works because powerful monopolies can’t act as its gatekeepers,” said U.S. PIRG Consumer Program Director Ed Mierzwinski. “The cable and phone companies would like to charge consumers more to visit certain sites and slow down sites they don’t own or approve.” PIRG staff and members are meeting with members of Congress in Washington, D.C. and across the country, urging that proposed telecommunications reform by Rep. Barton (TX) preserve free and open access to the Internet. .