The Bush White House has already issued new rules on an important environmental matter. The federal Office of Surface Mining last month announced regulations that it says clarify the rules on so-called mountaintop mining, in which the tops of Appalachian mountains are dynamited away to get at coal seams beneath. The new rules allow mining companies to continue to dump the excess rock and soil into valleys and streams.

Earlier this summer, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers issued regulatory guidance to field officers that officials say brings some certainty to wetlands standards, after a confusing 2006 Supreme Court ruling. But critics say the move will lead to the destruction of thousands of acres of wetlands. The government guidance will be reviewed early next year after a period of public comment.

THE E.P.A. is currently contemplating a rule that would modify the Clean Air Act’s procedures for measuring emissions from new power plants in areas with the cleanest air, including park and wilderness areas. Democrats in Congress and environmentalists say it would allow soot and smoke from coal-burning plants to muddy the air in and around many national parks. The agency is also working on two other major air quality rules to be issued next year, regarding ozone and airborne lead particles.

The E.P.A. also recently issued a study concluding that the health and environmental dangers from toxins emitted from oil refineries are low enough that no further controls are needed.

The administration is pursuing some actions that are widely seen as pro-environment as well, including the creation of a marine reserve in the Hawaiian Islands and a multibillion-dollar program for enhancement of national parks.

On health care, the administration issued guidance last month that will make it more difficult for states to expand the Children’s Health Insurance Program to cover children in middle-income families. The policy has no expiration date, but Congress could override it and allow states to apply for waivers to set more generous coverage standards.

The administration is also preparing new regulations likely to be published next year on airline security, mine-worker protections and automobile safety and fuel efficiency, White House aides said.