Bush Administration's Midnight Regulations Agenda

The Hill's Congress Blog is reporting that the Bush administration is rushing to finalize dozens of new regulations, many without normal hearings or comment periods, that will degrade the environment, fail to protect endangered species and expose people to dangerous working conditions and standards.

In Groups sue Bush over last-minute rule changes, CrimProf Blog reports that opposition to some of these new regulations is producing litigation. The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence sued the Bush administration to stop a new policy that would allow people to carry concealed, loaded guns in most national parks and wildlife refugees. California Attorney General Jerry Brown has announced that his state is suing the Bush administration to block changes in regulations that are intended to allow federal agencies to issue permits for mining, logging and similar activities without a review from federal biologists.  [JH]