"In what the White House calls a milestone in its effort to cut red tape, the Obama administration today said it was overhauling or eliminating five regulations -- including a Clinton-era air-pollution rule -- in an effort to save $6 billion in unnecessary costs over the next five years."

"President Obama also issued a new executive order aimed at ensuring that federal agencies make regulatory streamlining a part of their missions in years to come. ...

But the much-touted review has been eyed skeptically by environmentalists and other supporters of federal protections, who worry that the administration is trying to curry political favor by throwing open the rulebooks to revision by industry groups.

Rena Steinzor, president of the left-leaning Center for Progressive Reform, decried the effort in a blog post today as the "latest salvo in the Administration's efforts to placate the business community."  "

John McArdle reports for Greenwire May 10, 2012. [2]