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EPA Announces Availability of Final Document Entitled Strategy for Research on Environmental Risks to Children
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development (ORD) has announced the availability of a final document entitled Strategy for Research on Environmental Risks to Children. The purpose of the document is to strengthen the scientific foundation of the EPA risk assessments and risk management decisions that affect children. The document focuses on a number of objectives among which are, (1) to establish direction for a long-term, stable core research program on children's environmental health that leads to sustained risk reduction through more accurate, scientifically based risk assessments for children, and (2) to identify research to answer the key questions about children's environmental health risks and increase our understanding of when and why children respond differently from adults to environmental agents.

IRS Clarifies Tax Reporting Requirements
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has proposed regulations aimed to clarify three specific issues regarding tax reporting requirements: (1) who the payee is for information reporting purposes if a check or other instrument is made payable to joint payees; (2) provide information reporting requirements for escrow agents and other persons making payments of behalf of another person; and (3) clarify that the amount to be reported paid is the gross amount of the payment. The IRS is also proposing regulations that remove investment advisers from the list of exempt recipients. Comments regarding these proposed regulations must be received by January 17, 2001. There will be a public hearing scheduled for February 7, 2001 at 10 a.m. Requests to speak at the public hearing must be submitted by January 24, 2001.

OMB published an announcement in the January 7th Federal Register as to the availability of its draft Report on the Costs and Benefits of Federal Regulation for public review and comment. The agency has allocated two weeks for comment on this important report. CRE urges interested parties to provide their insights to OMB.