Report: U.S. Prepared to Scrap Environmental Rules to Win TPP Deal

The Obama administration is reportedly preparing to undermine strong environmental safeguards in trade talks with 11 other Pacific Rim countries. New documents released by WikiLeaks show the White House is ready to backtrack on a series of critical regulations in order to secure a deal on the Trans-Pacific Partnership. These include legally binding requirements for pollution limits, logging standards, and a ban on the harvesting of shark fins.

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U.S. Pushes Japanese Involvement in TPP Talks

Secretary of State John Kerry’s Asia visit also came as the Obama administration fast-tracked Japanese involvement in talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a controversial trade pact between the United States and nine other countries. The TPP has attracted scrutiny for creating new mechanisms that would allow foreign corporations to win taxpayer compensation for lost profits due to regulations. Japan has more corporations operating in the United States than other TPPcountries, raising the prospect of compensation claims. In a statement, the group Public Citizen said: "By inviting Japan to enter the TPP negotiations, the Obama administration is inviting a wave of corporate attacks on domestic laws through a system that is a threat to our sovereignty and solvency."

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