The $6.9 Million Man (and Woman)

The price of everything from gas to groceries may be on the rise, but the value of a human life is dropping, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The Associated Press reports that as of May, the agency reckons that "value of a statistical life" is $6.9 million, down almost $1 million from five years ago.

Agencies set a value on life -- based on what people are willing to pay to avoid certain risks and how much extra employers pay their workers to take on additional risks -- in order to calculate the costs and benefits of regulations. EPA says it adjusted the figure it uses based on updated economic studies. But some environmentalists say the Bush administration is fudging on the value of life to tilt the cost-benefit figures in the direction of not implementing tougher regulations.

EPA still places the highest value on life of any federal agency.