Family Business First

The Family Business First coalition of forest products businesses supports the use of risk assessment as a tool for developing national health and environmental priorities. Today, businesses are overwhelmed by regulations. Many of these costly requirements do not serve their original intent of protecting workers or the environment. Holding all regulations up to a standard based on risk assessment will serve both workers and the environment without stifling productivity and the economy by placing unnecessary burdens on the business community.

Our view:

• The information gathered from risk and cost-benefit analyses on proposed regulations will allow regulatory agencies, Congress and the regulated community to set sound priorities for environmental protection. Family Business First supports requiring cost- benefit analyses and risk assessment to regulations exceeding $25 million to implement.

• Risk legislation should require risk assessments that are scientifically objective, unbiased and completely transparent. Agencies should provide clear presentation and analysis of the rationale for the underlying assumptions and uncertainties that form the basis of a decision. This data should be used for priority setting purposes both within and across federal agencies and departments.

• Risk legislation should require that federal agencies implement a program of external peer review by independent scientific experts. Effective and meaningful peer review will provide a strong foundation for, and confidence in, scientific and technical data and conclusions.

• Why is risk legislation important? Consider the 1990 final rule promulgated by EPA on the wood preserving industry. The Office of Management and Budget estimated this rule would have cost the wood preserving industry $5.7 trillion to prevent one theoretical premature death due to cancer. That is over 3 1/2 times greater than the entire federal budget proposed by the Clinton Administration in 1995!

Do you have an example from your own business of how ineffective regulations are costing you time and money without a clear benefit for your workers or the environment? Have you had an OSHA or EPA inspection where you were cited for violations of obscure regulations?

Share these experiences with the member. Anecdotal evidence is an effective way to communicate your concerns.

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