The FDA joins the EPA, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences' National Toxicology Program (NTP), and the National Institutes of Health's Chemical Genomics Center (NCGC) in the Tox21 collaboration, which uses federal agencies' combined resources to develop methods to more effectively predict how chemicals will impact human health and the environment. According to the NTP, "The addition of the FDA...allows biomedical researchers and regulatory scientists...to more rapidly screen chemicals and find more effective ways to protect the health of the public."

The EPA has released interim guidance that will allow employees and employee representatives to participate in chemical safety inspections, increasing transparency in the inspection process. The EPA is requiring state and local agencies to adopt a similar procedure under the Risk Management Program (RMP). Worker safety advocates have long sought enforcement of this feature of the Clean Air Act.

Obama administration top officials are holding a listening session tomorrow, July 8, in accordance with the America's Great Outdoors Initiative. The goal of the session is to hear the public's  ideas for creating a conservation and recreation agenda and reconnecting Americans to the oudoors.

FOE filed a FOIA request to require the Department of Energy to release the details of its bailout agreement with Southern Company. According to FOE, the bailout, a loan guarantee for the construction of nuclear reactors, could cost taxpayers billions. "Taxpayers have been kept in the dark about the details of this deal entered into on their behalf. The public has a right to know the terms of this agreement."