I used to look at New Year’s Day as just the first holiday of the year, and as a day of recuperation with non-stop football watching.  Just what is needed after a night of intense celebration culminating with the singing of Auld Lang Syne at midnight. 

I didn’t really consider how true singing about out with the old and in with the new really means to all of us here.

The striking of midnight on December 31st resets the rules by which all of us have to play. 

Multitudes of notices and reminders are issued regarding the change of some rule or regulation slated to go into effect on January 1st. 

For example, in a city in Alaska, for the first time ever, all vehicles will have to be registered and have insurance (wow! seems like that was always a requirement). 

Then, of course, the next series of regulations from our new health care law become effective on the 1st and the Federal Reserve’s new Regulation Z on consumer protection kicks in as well. 

There is also the redefinition of what wine is in the state of California (I think I will research that one a little more) and the fact that it will no longer be legal to text and drive in Canada.  There is going to be a new Marine Protected Area off the coast of Southern California and there are new live fishing bait rules in Kansas that become active on the first. 

Also, baseball bat marking rules are changing on this date as well.  The list just goes on and on.

On New Year’s Day we redefine, for better or worse, the way we will interact with each other and our environment. 

And so I submit that renaming this day to NEW REGULATIONS DAY will only help to reinforce the fact that when we venture back to work there will truly be a new rule set to learn about and to comply with. 

And thus, thanks to rule makers the world over who deliver all of these additions and changes, that we know our jobs are here at Citation for yet another year.

From all of us regulatory followers and bloggers at Citation Technologies as well as our guest contributors we wish you and yours,

A healthy, happy and prosperous NEW YEAR!

Today is Earth Day and many people are focused on what they can do to celebrate the day-- turn off a light, carpool, recycle their drink container.  But let’s take a step back and take a look at the bigger picture. 

Think about all of the laws and regulations that affect the earth every single day…emissions limits for industries, energy conservation requirements, waste disposal and recycling laws.  All of these things happen on a daily basis and are important in the broader sense of protecting environmental resources. 

Keeping yourself informed and up-to-date about the regulations in your industry is just as important as recycling that drink container or figuring out who to carpool with.

For example, 40 CFR 63 – “National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Source Categories” and 49 CFR 196 – “Transportation of Natural and Other Gas by Pipeline: Minimum Federal Safety Standards” were updated earlier this month. 

These are examples of federal regulations, but keep in mind that states update their regulations frequently, too. 

Environmental health and safety regulations at all levels of government (federal, state, county, city, etc.) are added to and amended all of the time.

So, do what you can to celebrate today…turn off that light, recycle that container.  But also keep current with the rules and regulations in your industry. 

Not only will that ensure you are in compliance with the latest regulations, but you will be doing your part to protect the earth and its resources, every day.  That’s something to feel good about!

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