CPR White Papers and Reports

CPR White Papers offer timely and thoughtful analysis on current policy issues, spanning the full range of environmental, health and safety issues.  CPR Reports bring new data or information to the policy dialogue. 

• Protecting the Public from BPA: An Action Plan for Federal Agencies. CPR White Paper 1202, January 2012, by Member Scholars Noah Sachs, Thomas O. McGarity and Rena Steinzor, CPR Policy Analyst Aimee Simpson and Senior Policy Analyst Matthew Shudtz. Read the news release. Read the blog post from the day of release by report co-author Aimee Simpson.
• Reclaiming Global Environmental Leadership: Why the United States Should Ratify Ten Pending Environmental Treaties, CPR White Paper 1201, by Mary Jane Angelo, Rebecca Bratspies, David Hunter, John H. Knox, Noah Sachs, and Sandra Zellmer, January 2012. Introductory blog postby John Knox.

• Behind Closed Doors at the White House: How Politics Trumps Protection of Public Health, Worker Safety, and the Environment, CPR White Paper 1111, by CPR Member Scholar Rena Steinzor, CPR Policy Analyst James Goodwin, and CPR Intern Michael Patoka, November 2011. Read the news release. Use the Behind Closed Doors database to search comprehensively through the OIRA meeting records, enhanced by the data compiled for this report.
• Back to Basics: An Agenda for the Maryland General Assembly to Protect the Environment, CPR White Paper 1110, by CPR Member Scholar Rena Steinzor and CPR Policy Analyst Yee Huang, October 2011. Read the blog post.
• Saving Lives, Preserving the Environment, Growing the Economy: The Truth About Regulation, CPR White Paper 1109, by CPR Member Scholar Sidney Shapiro, National Labor College economics professor Ruth Ruttenberg, and CPR Policy Analyst James Goodwin, August 2011. Read the related editorial memo and blog post on the subject, both from Sidney Shapiro.
• Climate Change and the Puget Sound: Building the Legal Framework for Adaptation, CPR White Paper 1108, by CPR Member Scholars Robert L. Glicksman and Catherine O’Neill, and CPR Policy Analyst Yee Huang; and CPR Member Scholars William L. Andreen, Robin Kundis Craig, Victor Flatt, William Funk, Dale Goble, Alice Kaswan, and Robert R.M. Verchick, June 2011. Read the news release.
• Opening the Industry Playbook: Myths and Truths in the Debate Over BPA Regulation, CPR White Paper 1107, by CPR Member Scholars Rena Steinzor and Thomas McGarity, CPR Senior Policy Analyst Matthew Shudtz, and CPR Policy Analyst Lena Pons, June 2011. Read the news release.
• Twelve Crucial Health, Safety, and Environmental Regulations: Will the Obama Administration Finish in Time?, CPR White Paper 1106, by CPR Member Scholars Rena Steinzor and Amy Sinden, CPR Senior Policy Analysts Matthew Shudtz, and CPR Policy Analysts James Goodwin, Yee Huang, and Lena Pons, April 2011. Read the news release.
• Six Myths About Climate Change and the Clean Air Act, CPR White Paper 1105, by CPR Member Scholars Dan Farber and Amy Sinden, April 2011. Read the blog post.
• Making Good Use of Adaptive Management, CPR White Paper 1104, by CPR Member Scholars Holly Doremus, William L. Andreen, Alejandro Camacho, Daniel A. Farber, Robert L. Glicksman, Dale Goble, Bradley C. Karkkainen, Daniel Rohlf, A. Dan Tarlock, and Sandra B. Zellmer, and CPR Executive Director Shana Jones and Policy Analyst Yee Huang, April 2011. Read the blog post.
• Setting the Record Straight: The Crain and Crain Report on Regulatory Costs, CPR White Paper 1103, by CPR Member Scholar Sidney Shapiro, National Labor College Professor Ruth Ruttenberg, and CPR Policy Analyst James Goodwin, February 2011. Read the news release.
• Missing the Mark in the Chesapeake Bay: A Report Card for the Phase I Watershed Implementation Plans, CPR White Paper 1102, by CPR Member Scholars William Andreen, Robert Glicksman, and Rena Steinzor and CPR staff Yee Huang and Shana Jones, January 2011. Accompanying detailed evaluations of the plans from the Bay jurisdictions: Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
• The BP Catastrophe: When Hobbled Law and Hollow Regulation Leave Americans Unprotected, CPR White Paper 1101, by CPR Member Scholars Alyson Flournoy (University of Florida Levin College of Law), William Andreen (University of Alabama School of Law), Thomas McGarity (University of Texas at Austin School of Law), Sidney Shapiro (Wake Forest University School of Law) and CPR Policy Analyst James Goodwin, January 2011.

• Setting Priorities for IRIS: 47 Chemicals that Should Move to the Head of the Risk-Assessment Line, CPR White Paper 1010, by CPR Member Scholar Rena Steinzor and CPR Policy Analysts Matthew Shudtz and Lena Pons, December 2010.  Read the related blog post.
• Corrective Lenses for IRIS: Reforms to Improve EPA's Integrated Risk Information System (3 meg download), CPR White Paper 1009, by CPR Member Scholars Rena Steinzor and Wendy Wagner, with CPR Policy Analysts Lena Pons and Matthew Shudtz. Read the news release.
• Regulatory Blowout: How Regulatory Failures Made the BP Disaster Possible, and How the System Can Be Fixed to Avoid a Recurrence (1 meg download), CPR White Paper 1007, by CPR Member Scholars Alyson Flournoy, William Andreen, Rebecca Bratspies, Holly Doremus, Victor Flatt, Robert Glicksman, Joel Mintz, Daniel Rohlf, Amy Sinden, Rena Steinzor, Joseph Tomain, and Sandra Zellmer, together with CPR Policy Analyst James Goodwin, October 2010.  Read the news release.
• From Ship to Shore: Reforming the National Contingency Plan to Improve Protections for Oil Spill Cleanup Workers, (1 meg download), CPR White Paper 1006, by CPR Member Scholars Rebecca Bratspies, Alyson Flournoy, Thomas McGarity, Sidney Shapiro, Rena Steinzor, and CPR Policy Analyst Matthew Shudtz, September 2010.
• Ensuring Accountability in Chesapeake Bay Restoration: Metrics for the Phase I Watershed Implementation Plans, special report, by Member Scholars William Andreen, Robert Glicksman and Rena Steinzor; CPR Policy Analyst Yee Huang and CPR Executive Director Shana Jones, August 2010.
• Plausibility Pleading: Barring the Courthouse Door to Deserving Claimants (.5 meg download), CPR White Paper 1005, by CPR Member Scholars William Funk, Thomas McGarity, and Sidney Shapiro, with CPR Policy Analyst James Goodwin, May 2010.
• Failing the Bay: Clean Water Act Enforcement in Maryland Falling Short (7.9 meg download), CPR White Paper 1004 by CPR Member Scholar Robert Glicksman and Policy Analyst Yee Huang, commissioned by the Abell Foundation, on the Maryland Department of the Environment's enforcement of the Clean Water Act, Or read the news release, or an article on the report in the Abell Foundation's newsletter.
• Workers at Risk: Regulatory Dysfunction at OSHA (700 kb download), CPR White Paper #1003, by CPR Member Scholars Thomas McGarity, Rena Steinzor, and Sidney Shapiro, and CPR Policy Analyst Matthew Shudtz, February 2010. Read the web article and news release.
• The Future of Environmental Protection: The Case for a National Environmental Legacy Act (1.5 meg download), CPR White Paper #1002, by CPR Member Scholar Alyson Flournoy, former CPR Policy Analyst Margaret Clune Giblin, and Ryan Feinberg, Heather Halter and Christina Storz, January 2010.
• Obama’s Regulators: A First-Year Report Card, (1 meg download), CPR White Paper #1001, by CPR Member Scholars Rena Steinzor and Amy Sinden, with Executive Director Shana Jones and Policy Analyst James Goodwin, grading the Obama Administration's progress on the regulatory front, including grades for each of the five "protector agencies," the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as for the White House, OMB, and OIRA.  (Also a web article and news release.)

• "Fifty FDAs”: An Argument for Federal Preemption of State Tort Law that Is Less than Meets the Eye (800 kb download), CPR White Paper 911, by CPR Member Scholars William Buzbee, William Funk, Thomas McGarity, and Sidney Shapiro, with CPR Policy Analysts James Goodwin and Matthew Shudtz, October 2009.
• The Truth About Torts: Regulatory Preemption at the Federal Railroad Administration (1.05 meg download), CPR White Paper 910, by CPR Member Scholars Thomas McGarity, Sidney Shapiro, William Funk, and Nina Mendelson, and CPR Staff Jennifer Marshall and James Goodwin, October 2009.
• A Return to Common Sense: Protecting Health, Safety, and the Environment Through “Pragmatic Regulatory Impact Analysis” (700kb download), CPR White Paper 909, by CPR Member Scholars Rena Steinzor, Amy Sinden, and Sidney Shapiro, and CPR Policy Analyst James Goodwin.
• Restoring the Trust: Water Resources & the Public Trust Doctrine: A Manual for Advocates (500 kb download), CPR White Paper 908, by CPR Member Scholar Alexandra B. Klass and CPR Policy Analyst Yee Huang, and Restoring the Trust: Water Resources & the Public Trust Doctrine: An Index of State Constitutional and Statutory Provisions and Cases on Water Resources & the Public Trust Doctrine (560 kb download), September 2009.

• The Hidden Human and Environmental Costs of Regulatory Delay (700kb download), CPR White Paper 907, by Catherine O’Neill, Amy Sinden, Rena Steinzor, James Goodwin, and Yee Huang.
• Regulatory Dysfunction: How Insufficient Resources, Outdated Laws, and Political Interference Cripple the "Protector Agencies" (1 meg download), CPR White Paper 906, by CPR Member Scholars Sidney Shapiro and Rena Steinzor, and CPR Policy Analyst Matthew Shudtz.
• Congress’s Authority to Correct the Courts’ Preemption Decisions (1.1 meg download), by William Buzbee,William Funk, Thomas McGarity, Sidney Shapiro, and Matthew Shudtz, CPR White Paper 905, July 2009.
• The IRIS Information Roadblock: How Gaps in EPA’s Main Toxicological Database Weaken Environmental Protection (490 kb download),by Wendy Wagner, Rena Steinzor and Matthew Shudtz, CPR White Paper 904, June 2009 .  Read the June 11, 2009 news release.  Read the web article.
• Reauthorizing the Chesapeake Bay Program: Exchanging Promises for Results, by Rena Steinzor and Shana Campbell Jones, CPR White Paper 903, June 2009.  Read the June 18, 2009 news release.
• The Truth About Torts: Rethinking Regulatory Preemption (2 meg), CPR White Paper 902, March 2009, by CPR Member Scholars William Buzbee, William Funk, Thomas McGarity, Nina Mendelson, Sidney Shapiro, David Vladeck, and CPR Policy Analyst Matthew Shudtz.
• Reinvigorating Protection of Health, Safety, and the Environment: The Choices Facing Cass Sunstein (180 kb), CPR White Paper 901, by CPR Member Scholars John Applegate (Indiana University–Bloomington), Robert Glicksman (University of Kansas), Thomas McGarity (University of Texas), Sidney Shapiro (Wake Forest University), Amy Sinden (Temple University), Rena Steinzor (University of Maryland), Robert R.M. Verchick (Loyola University–New Orleans), and CPR Policy Analyst James Goodwin.  Read the news release (50 kb).  Read the web article.

• Limiting Federal Agency Preemption: Recommendations for a New Federalism Executive Order (1.2 meg download), by CPR Member Scholars William Funk, Thomas McGarity, Nina Mendelson, Sidney Shapiro, and David Vladeck, and CPR Policy Analysts Matthew Shudtz and James Goodwin, November 2008, White Paper 809.
• An Accountability Mechanism for the Chesapeake Bay: Interview Findings (1.6 meg download), by CPR Member Scholar Rena Steinzor and Policy Analyst Shana Jones, released in November 2008, White Paper 808.
• The Truth About Torts: Regulatory Preemption at the Consumer Product Safety Commission (3.4 meg download), by CPR Member Scholars William Funk, Thomas McGarity, Nina Mendelson, Sidney Shapiro, David Vladeck, and Policy Analyst Matthew Shudtz, published December 2008, White Paper 807.
• Protecting Public Health and the Environment by the Stroke of a Presidential Pen: Seven Executive Orders for the President's First 100 Days (3.3 meg download), by CPR Member Scholars Rebecca M. Bratspies, David M. Driesen, Robert L. Fischman, Sheila Foster, Eileen Gauna, Robert L. Glicksman, Alexandra B. Klass, Catherine A. O’Neill, Sidney Shapiro, Amy Sinden, Rena Steinzor, Robert R.M. Verchick, and Wendy Wagner and CPR Policy Analyst James Goodwin, White Paper 806, November 2008.
• Saving Science from Politics: Nine Essential Reforms of the Legal System(672 kb download), by CPR Member Scholars Rena Steinzor and Wendy Wagner, together with CPR Policy Analyst Matthew Shudtz, White Paper 805, July 2008.
• The Truth about Torts: Regulatory Preemption at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration(1.2 meg download),by William Funk, Thomas McGarity, Nina Mendelson, Sidney Shapiro, David Vladeck, and Matthew Shudtz, White Paper 804, July 2008.
• Cooperative Federalism and Climate Change: Why Federal, State, and Local Governments Must Continue to Partner, by William Andreen, Robert Glicksman, Nina Mendelson, and Rena Steinzor and CPR Policy Analyst Shana Jones, White Paper 803, May 2008.
• The Clean Water Act: A Blueprint for Reform(4.7 meg download) by William Andreen and CPR Policy Analyst Shana Campbell Jones, White Paper 802, published July 2008. Executive Summary of The Clean Water Act: A Blueprint for Reform(4.15 meg download),White Paper 802ES.
• Mother Earth and Uncle Sam: How Pollution and Hollow Government Hurt Our Kids, by Rena Steinzor, White Paper 801, May 2008, a summary of her book by the same name.

• Squandering Public Resources (671 kb download), by Alyson Flournoy, Margaret Clune Giblin and Matt Shudtz, White Paper 705, September 2007.
• The Truth about Torts: Using Agency Preemption to Undercut Consumer Health and Safety, by William Funk, Sidney Shapiro, David Vladeck and Karen Sokol, White Paper 704, September 2007.
• Sequestered Science: Secrets Threatening Public Health (273 kb download), by Rena Steinzor and Matthew Shudtz, White Paper 703, April 2007.
• Markets, Monocultures, and Malnutrition: Agricultural Trade Policy through an Environmental Justice Lens, by Carmen G. Gonzalez, White Paper 702, April 2007.
• CPR for the Environment (1.6 meg download), written with leadership from CPR board member Alyson Flournoy, and contributions from scholars William L. Andreen, Mary Jane Angelo, John S. Applegate, Victor B. Flatt, William Funk, Joel A. Mintz, Clifford Rechtschaffen, Sidney Shapiro, Rena Steinzor, Wendy E. Wagner and staff member Margaret Clune Giblin, Publication 701, April 2007. The first of two publications from CPR’s Next Generation Environmental Initiative.

• Paper Tigers and Killer Air: How Weak Enforcement Leaves Communities Vulnerable to Smog (1.5 meg download) by Rena Steinzor and Margaret Clune, published jointly by the Center for Progressive Reform and the Center for American Progress, November 2006. Read the news release (355 kb download).
• Man-Made Disaster: Texas’s Failure to Protect Its Citizens from the Perils of the Houston Petrochemical Complex (522 kb download) by Thomas O. McGarity and Karen Sokol, CPR White Paper #605, September 2006. The Executive Summary to Man-Made Disaster. Informe Ejecutivo: Un desastre provocado por el hombre: Falta de Texas en Proteger a sus Ciudadanos Contra los Peligros del Complejo Petroquímico de Houston. The news release.
• Rescuing Science from Politics: Regulation and the Distortion of Scientific Research, by Wendy Wagner and Rena Steinzor. A white paper summary of the August 2006 book of the same title, editor by Wagner and Steinzor and featuring chapter contributions from CPR Scholars and others -- David Adelman, John Applegate, Carl Cranor, Holly Doremus, Paul Fischer, Donald Hornstein, Sheldon Krimsky, Thomas McGarity, David Michaels, Sidney Shapiro, Katherine Squibb, and Vern Walker.
• The Truth about Torts: Lawyers, Guns, and Money, by Thomas O. McGarity, Douglas A. Kysar, and Karen Sokol, White Paper 603, July 2006.
• The Toll of Superfund Neglect: Toxic Waste Dumps & Communities at Risk, by Rena Steinzor and Margaret Clune, joint report by the Center for American Progress and CPR, June 15, 2006. (Read the news release.)
• Strategies for Closing the Chemical Data Gap (400 kb download), by John S. Applegate and Katherine Baer, White Paper 602, April 2006.
• Ossifying Ossification: Why the Information Quality Act Should Not Provide for Judicial Review, by by Sidney A. Shapiro, Rena Steinzor and Margaret Clune, White Paper 601, February 2006.

• The Hidden Lesson of the Vioxx Fiasco: Reviving a Hollow FDA, by Rena Steinzor and Margaret Clune, White Paper 514, October 2005.
• Unnatural Disaster: Executive Summary, by Member Scholars of the Center for Progressive Reform, White Paper 513, September 2005.
• Unnatural Disaster: The Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, by Member Scholars of the Center for Progressive Reform, White Paper 512, September 2005.
• Doubting Daubert, by then-Member Scholar Lisa Heinzerling, White Paper 511, August 2005.
• Overcoming Environmental Data Gaps: Why What EPA Doesn't Know about Toxic Chemicals Can Hurt, by Rena I. Steinzor, Katherine Baer, and Matt Shudtz, White Paper 510, August 2005.
• The Truth about Torts: An Insurance Crisis, Not a Lawsuit Crisis, by Thomas O. McGarity, Douglas A. Kysar, and Karen Sokol, White Paper 509, June 2005.
• Regulations in Name Only: How the Bush Administration's National Forest Planning Rule Frees the Forest Service from Mandatory Standards and Public Accountability (338 kb download), by Alyson Flournoy, Robert L. Glicksman and Margaret Clune, White Paper 508, June 2005.
• Is Cost-Benefit Analysis Neutral? An Analysis of the Bush Administration's Approach to Environmental, Health, and Safety Protection, by David M. Driesen, White Paper 507, June 2005.
• MTBE and the Need for Effective Tort Law, by Thomas McGarity, White Paper 506, March 2005.
• Environmental Justice, by Eileen Gauna, Catherine A. O'Neill, and Clifford Rechtschaffen. White Paper 505, March 2005.
• 'Grandfathered' Air Pollution Sources and Pollution Control: New Source Review Under the Clean Air Act (250 kb download), by Victor B. Flatt and Kim Diana Connolly. White Paper 504, March 2005.
• Regulatory Underkill: The Bush Administration's Insidious Dismantling of Public Health and Environmental Protections, by William W. Buzbee, Robert L. Glicksman, Sidney A. Shapiro and Karen Sokol. White Paper 503, February 2005.
• Truth and Science Betrayed: The Case Against the Information Quality Act, by Thomas O. McGarity, Sidney A. Shapiro, Rena I. Steinzor, Joanna Goger and Margaret Clune. Publication 502, March 2005.
• A New Progressive Agenda for Public Health and the Environment, a project of the Center for Progressive Regulation. White Paper 501, January 2005.

• The Feasibility Principle, by David Driesen, first in a series of papers outline alternatives to cost-benefit analysis. White Paper 407, December 2004.
• Regulatory Underkill: The Bush Administration's Insidious Dismantling of Public Health and Environmental Protections, by William Buzbee, Robert Glicksman, Sidney Shapiro, and Karen Sokol. White Paper 406, October 2004.
• Mercury, Risk, & Justice, by Catherine A. O'Neill. White Paper 405, October 2004.
• Enforcing the Clean Water Act in the 21st Century: Harnessing the Power of the Public Spotlight (260 kb download), by Clifford Rechtschaffen. White Paper 404, October 2004.
• Stealth Tort Reform: How the Bush Administration's Aggressive Use of the Preemption Doctrine Hurts Consumers, by Margaret H. Clune. White Paper 403, October 2004.
• Flimsy Firewalls: The Continuing Triumph of Efficiency over Safety in Regulating Mad Cow Disease Risks, by Thomas O. McGarity with Frank Ackerman. White Paper 402, July 2004. Executive summary of longer report.
• Applying Cost Benefit Analysis to Past Decisions, by Frank Ackerman, (then-Member Scholar) Lisa Heinzerling, and Rachel Massey. White Paper 401, July 2004.