Other Notable Actions



Reducing Methane Flaring and Leaks

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is proposing to reduce the waste of natural gas from venting, flaring, and leaks during oil and gas production activities on federal and Indian leases. Comments due January 30, 2023.

Better Traceability in Food Supply Chains

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final rule establishing additional recordkeeping requirements for persons who manufacture, process, pack, or hold foods included on the agency’s Food Traceability List. The rule requires these entities to maintain records on the supply chain for these designated foods in order to help FDA rapidly identify recipients of foods to prevent or mitigate foodborne illness outbreaks and address adverse health consequences or death resulting from foods being adulterated or misbranded. Effective January 20, 2023.

Improving Food Balance and Choice for WIC Recipients

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing a rule to revise regulations governing the food packages provided through the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program to align the packages with current dietary guidelines. The changes also aim to provide WIC recipients with a wider variety of foods and increase flexibility for state agencies in tailoring food packages that accommodate special dietary needs and cultural preferences, while promoting nutrition security and equity. Comments due February 21, 2023.

Making LNG Facilities Safer from Natural Hazards

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) proposes to revise its regulations for liquified natural gas (LNG) facilities concerning seismic hazard evaluations and seismic design criteria. The revisions clarify technical requirements and information required in applications filed with FERC to ensure the public is protected from potential impacts caused by natural hazards. Comments due January 27, 2023.

Rural Broadband Loans, Grants, and Loan Guarantees

An interim rule published March 12, 2020 by USDA amending the Rural Broadband Program is being adopted as a final rule. The rule implements statutory changes directed by the Agricultural Act of 2018 which furnishes grant assistance to reach the most underserved rural areas lacking broadband access. Effective November 30.

New PFAS Data Available 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting comments on an Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis and Updated Economic Analysis for its proposed reporting and recordkeeping requirements for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). EPA seeks public comments on the new analyses, including underlying data and assumptions in developing its estimates. Comments due December 27.

Enhancing Surface Cyber Risk Management

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking seeking input on ways to strengthen cybersecurity and resiliency in the pipeline and rail sectors. TSA seeks input from owners/operators of pipelines or rail lines, as well as cybersecurity experts and insurers/underwriters for cybersecurity risks in these transportation sectors. Comments due January 17, 2023.

Katrina vanden Heuval: There’s an Upside to Crypto’s Collapse

Elizabeth Warren: Regulate Crypto or It’ll Take Down the Economy

Marc Jarsulic: 3 Antitrust Lessons From the Taylor Swift Ticketmaster Debacle 

Binyamin Appelbaum: Overconfident Regulators Caused the Ticketmaster Mess

Stephen Carter: Supreme Court's Percoco Case Highlights a Vague Law’s Flaws

Tim Culpan: The FCC Finally Nixed Huawei. TikTok May Yet Be Next.

Randolph May: Amidst the Turmoil, Don't Handcuff Twitter With Government Control

Maya Kornberg: To be Effective on Tech, Congress Needs a Tech Committee

Jeffrey Singer: Hey FDA, Free the Birth Control Pill!

Governance & Politics

• GOP House Majority Could Shield Industries From New Taxes, Regulations, Wall Street Journal
• FEC Scales Back Digital Ad Transparency Rule after Backlash, Axios
• The IRS Will Need these 4 Things to Succeed After the Midterms, Government Executive
• A Costly New Climate Rule is Coming for Federal Contractors, Federal News Network
• Housing and Urban Development gets a Long Punch List, Federal News Network

Financial Markets & Housing

• FTX Hires Ex-Regulators to Investigate Firm’s Collapse, Wall Street Journal
• Inside Sam Bankman-Fried’s Courtship of a Washington Regulator, Washington Post
• FTX Tensions Intensify as Bahamas Blasts Company’s New Chief Ray, Bloomberg
• FTX Crypto Problems Reveal SEC Shortcomings, Real Clear Policy
• Biden Officials to Target Nonbanks for Tougher Oversight, Wall Street Journal
• Mastercard, Block Back Group to Lobby for Canada Finance Reforms, Bloomberg
• ESG Regulatory Divide Poses Challenges for Asset Managers, Wall Street Journal
• SEC Charges Goldman Sachs Asset Management with not Following ESG Investments Policies, Reuters
• SEC Awards $20 Million to Whistleblower that Gave Critical Info, Bloomberg
• UK Drops Plan for Controversial Power to Overrule Regulators, Bloomberg
• Britain's Finance Ministry Scraps Plan for Veto over Financial Regulators, Reuters

Energy & Environment

• COP27 Closes with ‘Loss and Damage’ Breakthrough, The Hill
• US Rule would Limit Methane Leaks from Public Lands Drilling, Associated Press
• US Seeks to Limit Flaring and Methane Leaks from Public Lands Drilling, Reuters
• With Federal Aid on the Table, Utilities Shift to Embrace Climate Goals, New York Times
• EPA Reports Drop in Significant Clean Water Act Violations, The Hill
• Interior Department Announces New Proposed Oil and Gas Lease Sales in Nevada, Utah, The Hill
• Why All Eyes are on the Upcoming Negotiations to End Plastic Pollution, Forbes

Health & Safety

• Thousands of Veterans Deluge VA with Claims for Toxic Exposure Benefits, Health Care, Government Executive
• Georgia Supreme Court Reinstates State's 6-Week Abortion Ban, Axios
• CA’s Covid ‘Misinformation’ Law Chills Protected Speech, Real Clear Policy
• New York Regulators Approve the First 36 Adult-Use Cannabis Retail Licenses, Forbes
• How New York City Became a Free-for-All of Unlicensed Weed, New York Times

Business & Technology

• Global Legal Perils Beset a Downsized Twitter, Axios
• Twitter Exodus Hits Teams Tasked With Regulatory Issues, Wall Street Journal
• Twitter Chaos Leaves UK Regulator With Nobody to Meet, Bloomberg
• Democratic Sen. Klobuchar Talks about Tackling Ticketmaster Regulation, NPR
• New Privacy Laws in 2023: Considering Draft Regulations in Colorado, Reuters
• The FTC May Move To Block Microsoft’s Monster Activision Blizzard Acquisition, Forbes
• Watchdog's Music Industry Probe Finds No Competition Problems, Bloomberg
• Irish Watchdog Fines Meta €265M in Latest Privacy Case, Associated Press
• US Blocks Dominican Republic Sugar Imports, Citing Forced Labor, New York Times

Transportation & Infrastructure

• Congressional Leaders Say They Will Act to Prevent Rail Strike, New York Times
• Congressional Leaders Pledge to Avert Rail Strike, Negotiate Year-end Spending Deal, Politico
• Rail Union Rejects Contract as Strike Threatens US Economy Before Holidays, Washington Post
• TSA Administrator Says New Cyber Requirements in the Works for Aviation Industry, Government Executive
• Auto Safety Regulator Sounds Alarm After Another Air-Bag Death, Wall Street Journal

Education

• Quiet on Debt Relief, Inside Higher Ed
• Biden Administration Asks Supreme Court to Reinstate Student Loan Forgiveness Program, Washington Post
• That Time the Education Department Was Eliminated, Government Executive