
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, August 5, 1995                   TAG: 9508070043
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MIKE HUDSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

CITIZENS GROUPS PRESSING ROBB TO FIGHT REGULATORY REFORM BILL

A coalition of Virginia citizens groups has rallied to prod U.S. Sen. Charles Robb to "resist special-interest pressure" on a Republican bill that would limit enforcement of health, safety and environmental laws.

Robb, D-Va., is considered a pivotal vote. Robb is trying to negotiate a compromise to break a stalemate over the far-reaching federal legislation sponsored by Republican Majority Leader Bob Dole.

But a group of 18 state and local organizations - including the American Lung Association of Virginia, the Virginia Wildlife Federation and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation - sent a letter asking him to "stand firm" against the bill.

"They're monkeying with our food, our air and our water," said Dan LaBlanc, president of the state AFL-CIO, which also signed the letter. "I don't know why Senator Robb wants to give Bob Dole a victory on this."

Robb says he's not heeding special-interest pressure. He says he wants a bill that will protect citizens, but also will limit rules that are unfair to business.

In recent weeks Democrats have mustered enough votes to prevent a vote on the legislation. But now Robb and a few other Democrats have broken with the rest and are trying to reach an agreement with Dole. On Friday afternoon, the group finished up proposed compromise bill to send to Dole.

Dole's bill would require that government agencies use "cost-benefit" analyses when they write regulations: A rule could be thrown out if the price businesses must pay to comply with it were higher than the dollar benefits it provided.

"Regulatory reform" supporters include the American Petroleum Institute, the Chemical Manufacturers Association and other business groups. They say changes are needed to rein in an "out-of-control" federal rule-making system.

Opponents say the bill would allow wealthy polluters and other rule-breakers to use the legal system to tie up regulations for years.

Bob Solley of the American Lung Association of Virginia said his group fears the legislation "would roll back all the efforts, successes and progress" that have been made over the past 25 years in reducing air pollution. Also signing the letter to Robb was the state chapter of the Sierra Club.

The Virginia Chamber of Commerce and the Virginia Manufacturers Association aren't actively lobbying on the bill. But both support the cost-benefit analysis requirement.

"What you want to do is take a look at the costs to see whether it's justified," said Robert Kyle, vice president of manufacturers association.

by CNB