Environmental brief ~ Los Angeles to approve anti-pollution plan News
Environmental brief ~ Los Angeles to approve anti-pollution plan

[JURIST] In Thursday's environmental law news, a task force charged with reducing air pollution to 2001 levels at the Port of Los Angeles [official website] is expected to approve a preliminary plan today. The task force was commissioned by LA mayor James Hahn, and is comprised of members from a variety of Federal, state and local agencies, as well as industry, community and environmental representatives. Measures being considered include strict emission requirements and a cap on growth at the Port. The Los Angeles Times has more.

In other news,

  • The UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved the Chiron Co. to resume production of the flu vaccine. The company had been barred from shipping the vaccine to the US since last October over contamination concerns. That action led to the widespread flu vaccine shortages in the US. The MHRA believes the company made the necessary improvements at the manufacturing facility and now meets satisfactory standards. While the company must still get clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration, it is proceeding with manufacture in anticipation of the approval. AP has more.
  • Class action lawsuits seeking multi-million dollar penalties have been filed against PepsiCo. [company website] and the Coca-Cola Co. claiming misleading advertisements and unjust enrichment. The suits claim that the companies' fountain diet soft drinks differ from their bottled equivalents by having saccharin as a sweetener, which the companies do not dispute. The companies use a saccharin-aspartame blend in their fountain drinks because it creates a more stable sweetener than the straight aspartame used for the bottled drinks. The suit alleges that the companies did not reveal they were using saccharin in the fountain drinks for fear that it would lead to a drop in consumption. Saccharin had been listed as a possible human carcinogen from 1981 and products that contained it were required to carry a warning label. In 2000, saccharin was dropped as a federally listed carcinogen when new studies showed that the previous findings, conducted on lab rats, did not apply to humans. The Boston Globe has the full story.
  • The Department of Transportation's Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS)[official website] seeks adverse comments on a direct final rule [text] that amends the requirements for programs that qualify individuals who perform certain safety-related tasks on gas and hazardous liquid pipelines. The amendments effect regulations regarding personnel training, the notice of program changes, government review and verification of certification programs, and the use of on-the-job performance as a qualification method. Comments can be made here until May 2.
THIS DAY @ LAW

Congress passed legislation establishing post-WWII national security structure

On July 25, 1947, the National Security Act of 1947 was passed, establishing a linkage between the military and national security, and setting up the National Security Council (NSC), the CIA, the Department of Defense, and several other new agencies, including the National Military Establishment with three separate departments (the Army, the Navy and the new US Air Force), and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Learn more about the National Security Act of 1947.

Brunswick Manifesto proclaimed

On July 25, 1792, the Brunswick Manifesto was proclaimed by Charles William Ferdinand, the Duke of Brunswick during the French Revolutionary Wars. As leader of the forces allied against France, Ferdinand promised retribution against the citizens of Paris if the French Royal Family was harmed. Instead, the Manifesto further inflamed anti-royal sentiment in Paris.