The N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources hopes to enable the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s efforts to regulate greenhouse gases. But as the News & Observer, Charlotte Observer, Greensboro News & Record, Creative Loafing, and Regator.com noted this week, the John Locke Foundation is leading the way in blocking those plans. Daren Bakst, Director of Legal and Regulatory Studies, outlined his concerns for the newspaper articles. BNA also contacted Bakst to provide comments on greenhouse gas regulations for its daily environment report. In other news, Bakst shared his thoughts about outdoor smoking bans during an interview with the N.C. News Network, and the Beaufort Observer promoted his column on that topic. The Fayetteville Observer recently published a letter from Bakst explaining the problems associated with state “blight” laws. The Richmond County Daily Journal, Mooresville Tribune, and Jefferson Post recently published a column from Joseph Coletti, Director of Health and Fiscal Policy Studies, explaining why state government should go “barefoot.” Michigan’s Mackinac Center for Public Policy also promoted Coletti’s latest critique of changes linked to federal health care reform. The Swansboro Tideland News picked up a column from Jon Sanders, Associate Director of Research, describing President Obama as the “god who fails.” The Warren Record publicized an upcoming public forum in Henderson featuring Roy Cordato, Vice President for Research and Resident Scholar, discussing tax reform. Both the Burlington Times-News and the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce’s ActForRaleigh.com website publicized the JLF research staff’s legislative to-do list for the first 100 days of the new session.