The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) regulatory oversight on small bodies of water under the Clean Water Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's stance on safety rules for combustible dust are among the top regulatory issues expected to be fought over in 2014. The EPA has started the process of declaring that it has the power to regulate streams, brooks, and small ponds. The agency says that issuing a new rule is necessary to clear up uncertainty about its powers under the Clean Water Act after Supreme Court rulings cast doubt on the extent of the EPA’s authority.
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