New Report Highlights the Painful Impact of Federal “Regulatory Reform” Proposals

Media Contacts

MASSPIRG and Demos

Boston—A new report finds that Massachusetts’ lives, health and livelihoods would be at risk if so-called “regulatory reform” proposals in Congress were to become law, slowing or stopping the regulatory process. The report details the number of Baystaters harmed in just a one-year delay in the upcoming rulemaking process for two critical consumer protection laws: the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) higher standard in limiting soot in the air, and the Food and Drug Administrations’ new rules for the safe handling of produce.

 Key findings from “Massachusetts Lives At Risk:”

  • As many as 9 preventable deaths and 7,494 preventable asthma attacks among Baystaters’ children for each year the government fails to update the restriction on levels of toxic soot in our air.
  • As many as 200,000 preventable illnesses from contaminated food for each year the government fails to enact new rules to avoid produce contamination.

“This report demonstrates that the ‘regulatory reform’ proposals being considered by Congress are a serious threat to our health her in Massachusetts,” explained Deirdre Cummings, Legislative Director for MASSPIRG. “Congress must resist efforts by powerful special interests to weaken public health and consumer safety rules. The need for consumer safety should not be a political question or a partisan issue.”

“The negative consequences of the industry-backed ‘regulatory reform’ proposals, should they become law,  are difficult to overstate,” said Ben Peck, Demos Senior Legislative and Policy Associate. “These proposals would have a profound impact on our daily lives—from our first breath in the morning to the food we eat throughout the day. Without government safeguards, experience has shown that industry will cut corners in pursuit of short-term profit. Electric utilities will foul our air, and food processors will neglect the safety procedures needed to keep our food free of contamination. Proponents of ‘regulatory reform’ minimize the real-world impact of the years added to the basic regulatory process because of the new red tape these proposals would create. Our analysis shows how every year of delay costs American lives.”

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READ THE FULL REPORT HERE

 MASSPIRG is a non-profit, public interest consumer organization that takes on powerful interests on behalf of its members, working to win concrete results for our health and our well-being.

A multi-issue national organization, Demos combines research, policy development and advocacy to influence public debate and catalyze change.