The Washington Post reported today that “The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will unveil a bill Wednesday that aims for a 20 percent reduction in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels by the year 2020” The House bill, authored by Reps. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), would mandate cutting emissions 17 percent by 2020. Both measures would require an 83 percent reduction in greenhouse gases from the 2005 baseline by 2050.

State audit finds delay in nursing home fines
The New York State Health Department is the state agency responsible for imposing fines on nursing homes when safety violations occur. In 2007, the average time to issue a fine was six months. Currently, it takes the State Health Department an average of four years to levy a