Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new government is reportedly reforming environmental regulations and removing regulatory requirements for industry in order to spur economic growth. A committee tasked with rewriting India's environmental laws released a report last week that recommended removing a layer of government inspection, instead relying on self-reporting and monitoring by industry. The changes are a stark contrast to the previous government's environmental policies that curtailed industrial growth in some regions. The reform committee claims those measures were overprotective and motivated by the desire to collect bribes. The new system will be decentralized with state regulators acquiring much of the permitting power. Environmentalists worry the states will be too easily influenced by industry and many projects will be approved without proper review. For the full story, see http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/05/world/indian-leader-favoring-growth-sweeps-away-environmental-rules.html?ref=science&_r=0.