Laws & Regulations

Another effort to revamp the US General Mining Act of 1872 is under way. The House on Nov. 1, 2007, passed by a 244-166 margin a bill that for the first time would collect for the U.S. Treasury royalties for mining "hard rock" minerals on federally owned lands.

Stories that we think will have great impact on the lives of Americans, but which we suspect will slip "under the radar" because of war-related media inattention.

The Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ) joined other journalism groups May 6, 2008, in filing a "friend of the court" brief in a Washington state lawsuit seeking access to public officials' e-mails under state law.

As it leaves office, the Bush administration is rushing to complete regulations that will bind the Obama administration.

The battle to control news media and public perceptions of the climate change issue will heat up this week as the Senate prepares to start debate on the first major US legislation to address the problem of global climate change.

As the Bush administration closes out its terms in office, a number of rules, policies, orders, and other actions related to the environment are expected by Jan. 19, 2009.

EPA and states may be cutting companies slack if they "audit" their own violations. Here's a database that will help you audit whether local polluters are abusing the program.

GOP Senators blocked a bill to shield journalists trying to protect confidential sources before heading home for August recess.

Reginfo.gov helps reporters track regulatory mischief — and deregulatory mischief too — government-wide.

The Bush White House is rushing through — secretly — a midnight regulation that would hobble the next administration's efforts to regulate workplace environmental risks.